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Lat/Long: 54.585532, -02.939443
OS
Grid ref: 39294 21567
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The weather forecasts aid bits of rain. I reached Dockray and
pared in the small laybye by the bridge. It's been many years
since I parked here and today I'm heading up to Common Fell on
Watermillock Common. It's a small summit but I’ve never been up
it before. The footpath marker post is opposite the car park so
I set off through the gate and started my climb of the open
fell. It was very overcast but the rain hadn’t arrived yet. The
ground was very wet and covered in long grass making route
finding difficult in places. Higher up the track was more
distinct but the wind and rain made it difficult going. |
The rain arrives. |
Ullswater in the distance. |
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A large boulder marked a nice viewpoint just below the summit
where I could see across Ullswater.. The summit cairn is perched
on top of a natural mound which looks out of place on the fell.
The wind seemed stronger and driving horizontal rain was painful
on my face. I continued SE towards Swinside Knott and was glad
of the drop in altitude and slight reduction in wind speed. |
Common Fell summit cairn. |
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My original plan was to trek over Brown Hills but I decided to
turn right and straight down into Little Aira Beck where there
is an old sheepfold that I visited about 20 years ago. The
ground was still horribly wet and I was glad to reach the stone
walls of the sheepfold and find some shelter to stop and eat my
sandwiches. I headed west to join the main descent route to the
small hamlet of Dowthraitehead. I stopped to chat to a man
building a porch on the main farmhouse. |
Shelter at the sheepfold. |
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Dowthwaitehead building works. |
Dowthwaitehead in 2021 |
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The last time I was here I spoke to the farmer but it seems he
is long gone as all the buildings are empty. I continued along
the lane to the old Waterworks building that looks like it has
been converted to a house. By the track was a wooden honesty box
selling cakes but I didn’t see a price list. Further on at the
road junction the road was closed as men worked on installing a
duct or optical fibre cable. |
Road closure for duct laying. |
ductiong.jpg)
Fibre cable ducting. |
Mole plough for the ducting. |
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As I walked down the lane I noticed how little damage had been
done by mole ploughing the duct in. Approaching Dockray I
stopped to chat to a man sweeping up leaves. He said they hadn't
laid the cable past his house yet but he wouldn’t be getting
connected. |
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