The trio were off to do their own walks this weekend with David enjoying two great walks covering the Scandale Valley from Rydal and on Saturday an early morning walk over Haystacks while Rod, Michael and Louise climbed Blencathra's Halls Fell ridge from the Blencathra Centre which left me to fall back on what is fast becoming one of November's 'go to walks' Not only do I have a 'go to walk' list but I also categorise them by which months I like to walk them and this month came the turn of Yewbarrow.

My total ascents for Yewbarrow may have not reached into double figures but it's up there as one of my favourite western summits and the only reason why I don't climb Yewbarrow more is logically Wasdale is not so much difficult as it is long distance to drive to which I guess is the same for most folk if you dont live in the west of Cumbria, ahh that's why the say west is best and there's definitely some truth to that.

Today I return not just because Yewbarrow is a western favourite of mine but because it packs an emotional pull. Yewbarrow was the first Lakeland fell I summited after my fathers death and during that ascent a couple of years ago I was reminded of the happier times and a closeness to my father that I hadn't felt all the time he had been sick.

The stars were out when I left home and the sunrise revealed nothing but clear skies Venus and a Waning Cresent moon. Snow had fallen on Thursday night bringing a dusting of snow to the highest summits across the park. The car park was less than half full when I arrived at the sametime a large walking group were leaving for what turned out to be an ascent on Red Pike.

On the other side of the car park a young lass locks her car, shoulders her pack and heads out of the car park in the direction of Bowderdale and I wondered of her route. I let ten minutes pass to let the walking group create a gap before locking my own car and picking up the footpath alongside a spated Over Beck as streaks of sun light began to the fill the valley.

I continued up the steep south ridge until I too had reached the ladder style, from where I could see the walking group who where making their way through Overbeck towards Dore Head and Red Pike beyond.

After crossing the style I followed the path until it forked right towards a wooden gate ahead, after passing through the gate the steepness continues as I followed the stone path as it threaded its way between Dropping Crag and Bell Ribb.

The stone wall seen below Knott Ends is the same wall that drops steeply into Overbeck then ascends even steeper up on to Dropping Crag summit. The stone wallers of Lakeland weren't just masters of their craft, they were great climbers too.

The sun was warm now, and truth be told, I should have de-layered because I was beginning to overheat, but the car was too close, so I stuck with it instead. I passed a young couple close to the ladder style, both wearing T-shirts and even a sun hat, and smiles were exchanged as I crossed over the style and began my descent down the south ridge, not really thinking about the steepness of the incline as I had this morning.

I was about ten minutes ahead of where I needed to be as I descended through a thinning treeline flanked by Over Beck to my right I entered a bustling car park but ignored my car and instead continued just a little further to the shoreline where views of the first snow of Winter reflected onto Wast Water below.