A weekend Hill Bagging and Island Hopping

Photos from our weekend in the Lake District bagging Wainwrights and exploring islands.

Saturday

We attempted this walk back in December and decided to abandon it due to thick fog - so glad we did as the weather is stunning today.

Great Carrs

Summit of Great Carrs our 56th Wainwright!

View from Great Carrs

Halifax Bomber wreckage and memorial

The site of aircrash in October 1944.  The sad remains of a Royal Canadian Air Force Handley Page Halifax bomber. The undercarriage, together with a wooden cross and memorial cairn is on the top of the ridge with the rest of the wreckage spread down Broad Slack. 

During a night time navigation exercise in 1944, the RCAF Halifax from RAF Topcliffe became lost in thick cloud while over the north west of England. In an attempt to wait out the blanket of grey, they circled in hope the cloud would clear, ultimately becoming hopelessly lost. To try to get a visual fix for the navigator, the pilot dropped the bomber out of the cloud base, with no knowledge of what was below him. Unfortunately, for both him, the crew and the aircraft, they were greeted by the great rising fells of Swirl How and Great Carrs. With no time to react, the aircraft hit the mountainside killing all on board. Despite the crew perishing in the impact, the bomber remained largely intact and, to prevent other aircraft from spotting it and reporting it repeatedly, the wreckage was cut into a number of smaller, moveable pieces and discarded down Broad Slack, where parts of it are still visible today. Over the years, two of the four Rolls-Royce engines were recovered from the crash site by an RAF helicopter, one of which is now on display at the Ruskin Museum in Coniston. In contrast to the craggy scarp of the east face, the western slope of the ridge descends over grass to the col of Fairfield, forming a tilted triangular plateau. Across Fairfield is the rocky top of Grey Friar.

Grey Friar - Wainwright 57/214

Swirl How - Wainwright 58/214

Descent of Prison Band

Looking out towards Levers Water and Coniston on the right of the picture

Black Sails (Hewitt)

Wetherlam - Wainwright 59/214

Sunday

We stayed overnight at Walney Island ready to walk across to Piel Island at low tide.

Early morning walk along the beach at Walney Island

Setting off for a walk to Piel Island via Sheep Island

Sheep Island