The sun was still low when I left the car park eager to get my view but in the same breath, feeling slightly frustrated with all the time I'm wasting. With the car park behind me I flanked a swollen Over Beck towards the familiar gate at the base of the ridge. It's a steep start and my legs were feeling like they were two steps ahead of me such the eagerness to join the fell, but I was still too early to catch the sun peaking over Burnmoor Tarn, after five or six frustrating minutes I couldn't wait any longer, time was ticking and I needed to get on my way. My time management is usually bob on but this morning it's crashed and burned!

I had negotiated the two rock steps with ease but had noticed pooled, or frozen streams of water on what was already slim covered rock. At the top of the second rock step the path continues straight ahead or you can take the narrow gully to the right which ascends directly to Great Door. This gully narrows at its head walled in by Bell Rib south buttress to the right and another rock step to the left, by heading right the walker will be fully exposed on reaching the top of the gully which is why I would always advise to take the left rock step.

Just like a school boy I've always been fascinated by how Yewbarrow's north summit shadow dominates the valley below which is another reason why I love climbing the fell at this time of year. Below is Dore Head and between me and it is the notorious Stirrup Crag, sections of which would require a down-climb and seeing that I've already experienced icy rock below Bell Rib earlier I'm gonna give it a miss and take the horizontal path from the saddle instead.

Footnote: On the occasions that I have climbed Stirrup Crag from Dore Head it's been during Summer months I found the scramble a really enjoyable ascent.

With the descent of Knott Ends behind me I kicked my feet into the backs of my boots the shift, as always, felt heavenly. I had reached the same wall that I had looked down on from Dropping Crag earlier not realising that it was flanked with clustered boulder but I Iocated a path whilst my ears were treated to the cascades of Over Beck below. I was soon down at its bank where the remains of wooden bridge spanned the beck less its side rails whilst fifty yards downstream a replacement bridge where, oddly, access to it was blocked by a metal gate tied to the fence by the land owners 'orange rope' I gave the old bridge a solid kick, nothing moved and I hastily crossed it joining the bank on the other side still confused why access to the new bridge had been blocked by the roped gate. Dropping Crag and Bell Rib where high above my left flank after that, nothing but blue sky and sunshine. I spotted a walker descending Yewbarrow's south ridge my narrow path flanked by hill side to the left and deep gorge to the right.

The sun was shining down on Wast Water leaving a golden glow across its surface leaving it looking warm and inviting so I told myself once I was back at the car park I'd make the short stroll across to a stony beach but on arrival It felt like I'd just walked into someones front room spotting a couple enjoying a picnic. A quick nod yielded nothing in return so I left, crossed back over the road and returned to a half full car park. Due to unfavorable weather I I was unable to complete my 2024 Yewbarrow walk last November and when I spied todays forecast there was only one walk on my mind but I never knew how two unnamed tarns would leave the mark they did on me.