Today I found myself unenthusiastically heading for a part of the Lake District I rarely visit, unenthusiastically because I'm driving north over Shap Fell in low cloud and pouring rain on route to Mardale Head, somewhere between Shap village and Haweswater Reservoir the sun god made an unexpected appearance, by the time I'd put my boots on the fells were bathed in sunlight.

There's a small car park at Mardale Head or parking on the road if it's full. My route took me across the head of Haweswater crossing Mardale Beck on route to The Rigg, just before The Rigg a path ascends steeply to the undulating ridge that was eventually to lead me to High Street. Above Heron Crag, Eagle Crag, Rough Crag, passing Caspel Gate Tarn before the final ascent over the steep ridge of Stile, believe me the flat plateau of High Street was a welcome sight. From the summit I made my way on a newly constructed path (less said about that the better) to Nan Bield Pass pausing to soak up the views from Mardale Ill Bell on route, on a real ankle breaker of a bridleway I descended to Small Water, (before ruining perfectly good paths across the summits the powers that be should look at historic routes in desperate need of repair such as the Nan Bield Pass) after gingerly fording Small Water Beck I made my descent over much easier ground to eventually reach the car park at Mardale Head.

A Round Of Blea Water.	back to list view route map
	Across the head waters of Haweswater the Brownhowe Crag face of Mardale Bank.
	Ascending to Swine Crag with stunning views down Haweswater.
	Seen across Riggindale the slopes of Kidsty Hawes with Kidsty Pike rising above the tree to the left.
	The mighty cliffs of Harter Fell rise above Mardale.
	Above Heron Crag with dramatic views over Haweswater, a place of real Lakeland ghosts, the small man made island to the right is Wood Howe, beneath the waters can be found the drowned villages of Mardale Green and the lesser known village of Measand.
	Over Riggindale cloud casts it's shadow across the summit of Kidsty Pike.
	I'm now ascending the long ridge that leads to High Street, pausing for breath to admire views to the north.
	First view of Blea Water backed by the precipitous eastern face of High Street.
	Like an arrow pointing the way, the ridge leading to High Street.
	Rising high above Blea Water the cliffs of Blea Water Crag rise to the flat Plateau of High Street.
	Rising to the coll between Branstree and Harter Fell the high pass of Gatescarth, once the main route between Maredale and Longsleddale.
	The final ascent to High Street looks quite imposing seen across Caspel Gate Tarn.
	Seen from Caspel Gate the Head of Riggindale.
	Striding out across the broad summit of High Street, looking to some of Lakeland's giants, from left to right, Dove Crag leading to Fairfield, across the gap Dollywaggon Pike with Nethermost Pike leading to Helvellyn.
	Nearing the summit of Mardale Ill Bell looking to Yoke the flatter one on the left, Ill Bell the big one and Froswick.
	Kentmere Reservoir in the shadow of Ill Bell.
	Descending the Nan Bield Pass with views over Small Water to Haweswater.
	Let these stone huts take you back in time, to the days when the Nan Bield Pass was the main route between Mardale and Kentmere, built to give travelers the minimum of protection when caught on the pass in bad weather, a saviour of lives.
	The rushing waters of Small Water Beck in a never ending hurry to reach the valley below.
	After 24 hours of heavy rain the fell side was alive with silver ribbons of water all rushing to the valley floor, this is Blea Water Beck backed by the long ridge I traversed this morning.
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