Despite the blue skies here in Lancashire right about now it's hammering it down in Lakeland with cloud so low it's almost touching the tops of the telegraph poles, just an hour south and for now, I'm loving the blue skies. It actually worked out well that the forecast for the fells hasn't gone in my favour because I'm still suffering with the cold I mentioned in last weeks walk report except now, it's spread to my chest which is making me sound like an old tin can when I breathe. I stayed away from work on Friday but I couldn't sit in the house any longer so I thought I travel to the Forest of Bowland to walk an old favourite, a Fair Snape Fell Circuit. It's less than an hour's drive from home and I arrived about 09:15am parking easily at Fell Gate.

It's a mild morning with a warm breeze and hopefully it should stay dry too. Booted up I locked the car and passed Fell Foot Farm which is looking abandoned but I couldn't confirm it. The plan was to gain Parlick first via the diagonal path which climbs steadily by the waist of the fell before a short sharp hoof to the summit but for some reason which I can't explain despite my wheezing chest, I decided to ascend direct straight up the nose of the fell which today, felt like a match for Kirk Fell or Lingmell.

Even when fully fit ascending Parlick direct is a bit of a task; I've heard some people call it almost vertical which is a tad of an exaggeration but it is bloody steep. I've seen young lads and lasses train here passing me like I was stood still summiting twice to my one.

Today I followed a chap and his dog who by now is on his way towards Blindhurst Fell in the distance. Besides myself there's a bunch of old boys sat in the sunshine which kinda reminded me from a scene from last of the summer wine, good stuff.

The chap who'd been ahead of me turned heel and we crossed paths not far from Fair Snape Fell summit. His dog, a twelve month old staffy was full of energy bouncing up and down as it greeted me, jeez I wasn't prepared for that! The chap and his staffy left leaving me with the summit to myself.

Despite the notable build up of cloud my views extended as far as Morecambe Bay to the north and Liverpool with the Welsh mountains to the south. I've been here many times over the years and no matter how calm it is below it's in my experience that Fair Snape Fell is akin to Skiddaw! very windy and today was no different.

From Fair Snape Fell summit I turned north easterly intent on locating the start of this path which originates in the peat hags over behind me. I always tend to 'stumble' over the path rather than follow it from the start but today I got lucky locating the start of the path directly from the peat hags.

With Saddle Fell behind me Saddle End Farm came into view which I passed through unnoticed. From the farm I joined the concrete access track where I was flanked by fields of sheep who were shredding wool which lay blowing in the grass or tangled in the wire fence. Further up the lane I passed two calfs lying in the sunshine watched on by mum and dad who were boarded by an electrical fence, a connected battery at the end of the lane confirmed this. I turned right onto Fish House Lane and took in the views over Longridge Fell to my immediate south. Cloudy now as the lane began to descend towards Wolfen Mill, an idyllic holiday retreat straight from the brochure. From Wolfen Mill, Fish House Lane climbs steeply where I was overtaken by three or four cars, there was no way I was breaking my stride.

At the top of the hill the road levels boarded by hedges five to six feet high, I'd lost all views before the road began to rise for a second time, this time a longer but less steeper pull. By the time I'd reached the top I was wheezing again but not enough to break stride, rather dropping a yard if owt. I turned right towards Fell Gate where I passed a rabbit in the road which at first I thought had been hit by a car but after a grim inspection it looked like a fox, clean kill. I'd left my car at the top of the hill which meant another incline, steady and over soon when I caught sight of my car. The gliders were still circling, happen one or both of them had charted my whole route while beyond Fish House Lane I spotted the field where they took off from, It would have been nice to hang around to watch one take off but these gliders rely on wind power alone and knowing how windy it was, they could be up there all day.