Here's another walk that's been a year in the making, this walk would you believe was actually planned in July 2017 and just like last weeks walk we had to wait for the perfect timing when all three of us could get together, the one thing, however which shocks me the most is that we actually remembered it after all this time! Prior to the above date David and Rod had already walked the Glencoyne Traverse via a similar route which had come heavily recommended and with that I came up this route.

Just in case you were wondering what is the 'Glencoyne Traverse' well, it's a magnificent path formally known as the 'Miners Balcony Path' which traverses up to 600ft above the Glencoyne Valley. This area of Glencoyne was heavily mined for lead between 1825 and 1961 with one level at Glencoyne Head and four more on the south flank of Green Side, two of which have since collapsed which you can still see to this day.

Two young lads and a girl emerge from the wooded area next to the lake and it turns out I'd parked next to their car, they leave after pleasantries are passed which then left two parking spaces for Rod and David.

Rod arrives soon followed by David and we kit up in high spirits knowing we've got a sunny day's walking ahead of us. The route is confirmed then after locking the cars we cross the road and take on the Lake path towards the bottom of Greenside Road.

Greenside Road started to get busier as we approached Helvellyn Youth Hostel with cars coming and going in both directions, we took a view up Swart Beck below Stang End from where we followed the signs for Sticks Pass. The pass itself takes in the lower contours of Stand End before steadily rising alongside Greenside Mine.

David takes a temperature reading which read a whopping 22°C and it's not 9.00am yet, we're sure in for a fine day on the hill.

It's a steady, and sometimes steep slog from the Glenridding Side of the pass with views extending back along Greenside Road towards a hazy Place Fell. Haze would feature as forecasted for much of the day not really allowing for any long distant views but near views, they were almost perfect and not affected by the haze at all.

The Stang End section of Sticks Pass is almost complete as it bends left up ahead before rising towards the spoil heaps below Green Side.

Sticks Pass now passes through the spoils above Greenside Mine by keeping to the right (left in the photograph) before crossing Swart Gill at a temporary footbridge (the old one must have been washed away during the Winter floods of December 2015) which had a signpost next to it stating only one person must cross at a time (must have known we were coming!) it was a substantial bridge made from a wood deck and scaffolding with all the material for the new bridge nearby.

Here we look back on the spoil heaps which when viewed from above appear as a fan shape, I'm not sure why maybe it's for drainage or even flood defence.

Between the three us we started to look through the haze and name the fells mainly a host of north western and western tops from Grisedale Pike and Wandope through to Gable and Kirk Fell, but one particular ridge stumped the three of us until it was recognised as Robinson's north east ridge, guess who recognised it?

Here's a clue, it wasn't me and it wasn't Rod.

With ease we soon reached Hart Side summit passing the familiar groove along the way. For me Blencathra looked particularily inspiring and I can see me arranging a walk over that way in the next few weeks.

From Hart Side summit we continued to track east towards Birkett Fell from where we'll descend in a south easterly direction until the Glencoyne Traverse is reached.

We're almost on top of the traverse path now, it keeps an altitude of around 500ft above the valley floor ascending to 600ft at Glencoyne Head seen in the centre of the photograph.

It's almost lunch time now somewhere along the traverse we'll be seeking out a sheltered spot away from the cool winds.

As the traverse passed below Glencoyne Head the path gets a little rocky underfoot but nothing too off putting, Rod put it perfectly when he said "you just have to think a bit more on where you're putting your feet along this section"

Spot on.

After descending from the highest point of the traverse we 'dropped on' Nick Head and started our descent via the path on the north flank of Sheffield Pike, thus completing the whole traverse. It was here we are passed by two gents who must have seen us on the traverse during their ascent who, in a friendly manner one asked "had we taken the balcony route" he of course was referring to the what we now know as the Glencoyne Traverse

We later watched on as the two gents ascended from Nick Head before taking on the traverse.

We continued our sometimes steep descent with occupying views over Ullswater throughout. Families are passed during our descent and the realisation that our walk is almost at an end as the sound of traffic greets us. With the cooling winds confined to the summits we are back in the heat of the day and as we travel the path along the Ullswater shoreline once more we look down on families picnicking on the stone beaches while the waft of food cooking is never far from the nostrils.

We reach Stybarrow Crag but it takes a minute or so to let the traffic pass before we can cross safely, all the signs are here that Lakeland is within the cusp of Summer as I ask myself the familiar question "do I chance returning via Penrith or the Kirkstone Pass" happen I'll chance the pass and take in the view while doing so.