A walk this weekend hadn’t been planned at all it was a case of work, having  a few drinks watching that deplorable X Factor maybe & having a lazy Sunday something I haven’t done for a long time, that was until I saw the beautiful clear skies through the bedroom window this morning. Paul jump back in bed & forget what you just saw, all this was around 9am & I’m not good at lie ins anyway so no sooner had I thought about it I was heading North wiping the sleep out my eyes with just one fell in mind ‘High Street’ My favourite Fell of them all. I rushed around the house throwing my gear into the car & making a quick flask, a fuel up at the garage & three pound seventies worth of chicken & bacon sandwiches & I was away.

I would of gone insane knowing the sun was shining down on the Fells & me doing absolutely nothing, there really wasn’t any contest .

Wainwright Guidebook

High Street & The Rigg from Mardale Road, this is a all time favourite view of mine.

Beautiful clear blue skies as I head for The Rigg.

Looking back at Mardale Head & Harter Fell & not surprisingly a very busy car park.

Decision time, do I head straight up High Street or Head for Kidsty Pike?

Kidsty Pike it is & another good reason for my choice was it may be a little quieter this way & it was.

And a close up of the Water Tower.

Wild Deer, there’s something majestic about seeing this animal in it’s own habitat, this looked like the young Fawn as its mother had just bolted as soon as it heard or saw me, I’m a good 250Mtrs away & using near enough full zoom on the camera looking up hill so my apologies if the shot is out of focus.

Looking back at Mardale Head & The Rigg, the Fell behind is Branstree.

Now for the craggy bit,. I’d just received a text of my walking buddy Tim Oxburgh here saying ‘Paul you must be on the Fells on a day like today’ he was right,. funny too because this is the exact spot I met Tim over two years ago.

It’s hard not to keep looking back when you have got views like this.

On the ridge & summit bound, the path towards Kidsty Pike summit really is a treat & great underfoot.

Kidsty Pike summit & the best shot I could get I’m afraid, I couldn’t really ask the couple would they mind me taking a summit shot while they were enjoying there lunch.

The Western Fells from the un-named frozen Tarn on route to High Raise, from this point the sun was still shining but boy it got cold & breezy, I had to don my hat & gloves & zip up, apparently snow flurries had fallen on the Higher Peaks overnight, think warm thoughts Paul!

The rock strewn High Raise Summit.

The Eastern Fells & its a comfort to look & pick the Fells I have climbed in this shot which is a great percentage of them, surprisingly enough the closest one to the camera ‘Rest Dodd’ I haven’t! its on my to do list!

Looking towards Fairfeild & surrounding Fells flanked by there first flurry of winter.

As clear as it gets, the chink of blue sea you see is the Firth Of Solway in Scotland.

High Street ahead & the Straights Of Riggindale from Rampsgill Head Summit cairn, again the wind is biting cold so it was a quick stop for something to eat &  a quick drink of coffee.

High Street bound now, you can make out two paths heading up towards the summit, I prefer the one on the left  hugging the stone wall but for some strange reason I stuck to the one on the right today.

Riggindale & the High Street Ridge my descent route but I’ve got to get to the summit yet.

Looking back from the Straights Of Riggindale towards The Knott & Hayeswater.

Taking a left off the main path & High Street summit comes into view.

High Street Summit Trig Point, I’ve visited this Fell well over half a dozen times & each time is as though its the first,. I’ve said it before & Ill say it again, I’m in love with High Street.

Looking down the ridge & my descent from Long Stile.

Views towards Caspel Gate Tarn.

Blea Tarn.

And Small Water.

Looking back up the ridge from Rough Crag.

The Rigg in all its winter glory.

Harter Fell ahead & also the end of the walk for me, the car park is perched just beneath the small wood & is just under a mile still to go.

The main reason I could of bolted up out of bed & head straight for High Street without thinking is simple, this small corner of Lakeland holds dear to me, High Street was my first Fell I walked on my own only three years ago & that is where I got my love & confidence to continue my love for the fells,.its quite simple really