Lake district early morning routes.

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john
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On average i usually get to the lakes once every couple of weeks and almost always plan for sunrise.I am only a novice at landscapes but have always been an outdoor person all my life .
I love to get out and about very early mornings winter or summer and since i retired several years back i now get more time to concentrate on my photography.
Last week i did side pike in the langdales and as it was in the dark i had to use my head torch, Not a problem.But as there was a keen frost and the previous day there had been a lot of
rain the water off the hill was frozen and made for a very slippery climb . That and as i have never been up side pike before plus i went up the steep part it was a bit precarious,for me anyway.
So i am looking for some of the higher locations suitable for sunrise photography .But with decent or easy walks to the top.
As i will be climbing in the dark and on my own i was thinking maybe some of you lads know of a few locations that would have fairly decent tracks to follow to gain height . Thanks.
 
How about Catbells? Easy enough walk and good views.

Me and the wife did it a couple of years back for a for a 6am sunrise.

Went up the south east side from Borrowdale caravan site, took us about an hour in the dark if I remember rightly
 
Harter Fell and High Street are both quite accessible with pretty a pretty straight forward route option (head south west out of haweswater carpark rather than the straight up via the tarn), . Cracking views down the resevoir if you get nice weather.

You could also go to warnscale bothy with it's view looking down buttermere. If you head there from the honnister slate mine, it's a very steady climb. The last bit to drop onto the bothy is a bit craggy but you could just stay high or stay on the path and get similar results.
 
For a really easy one go to the top of Latrigg. Car park near the top and a wide path to the viewpoint.
Never been up at sunrise so not sure how it would look.
 
I did catbells several years back and in daylight it was an enjoyable day but cant remember where i started from ,but ill have another look at it from the caravan site .
Harter fell is one i have heard is quite accessible and that may be my next one.
Latrigg i will check it out also.Thanks for all your sugestions.
 
The Catbells start is a car park just outside Swinside - marked on OS.and sign posted

It's a few years since I was up there but back then there was a couple of sections of easy rock scrambling.
Could be tricky in the dark with ice if the path hasn't been "Improved" for the hoards of school kids you get up there!
 
I did catbells several years back and in daylight it was an enjoyable day but cant remember where i started from ,but ill have another look at it from the caravan site .
Harter fell is one i have heard is quite accessible and that may be my next one.
Latrigg i will check it out also.Thanks for all your sugestions.

Worth mentioning that there are at least two Harter Fells. The one I described is east side of lakes overlooking Haweswater.
 
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Last week i did side pike in the langdales and as it was in the dark i had to use my head torch, Not a problem.But as there was a keen frost and the previous day there had been a lot of
rain the water off the hill was frozen and made for a very slippery climb . That and as i have never been up side pike before plus i went up the steep part it was a bit precarious,for me anyway.

I’ve been up side pike in the wet before and that wasn’t exactly fun with it being slippery on rock sections and water running down. I don’t think I would like to try it when it’s frozen.

Quite a few routes to potential sunrise locations in the lakes are covered by walkers guides. If you google a location and walkers guides there is usually some, pardon the pun, step by guides with photos. Loughrigg fell is worth at try on well marked path.
 
your comments are much appreciated and im now thinking of firstly trying latrigg fell when the weather mends. Did most part of the way up helvelyn from wythburn car park a couple months back(again in dark) and that was ok being mostly steps .
I have been getting ideas from yutube videoes also. Thanks again for your help.
 
your comments are much appreciated and im now thinking of firstly trying latrigg fell when the weather mends. Did most part of the way up helvelyn from wythburn car park a couple months back(again in dark) and that was ok being mostly steps .
If you're interested in the Helvellyn ridge, there's a VERY easy and safe route up to it from Glenridding, via Greenside Mine, Keppel Cove, and White Side.
https://www.mudandroutes.com/routes/helvellyn-via-whiteside-bank-and-grisedale/
 
your comments are much appreciated and im now thinking of firstly trying latrigg fell when the weather mends. Did most part of the way up helvelyn from wythburn car park a couple months back(again in dark) and that was ok being mostly steps .
I have been getting ideas from yutube videoes also. Thanks again for your help.

I think the views from Latrigg are a bit disappointing, at least photographically speaking. It can also be crowded with other photographers presumably because of the nearby carpark and easy accessibility from Keswick. Loughrigg has excellent views and is a good one at first light but it can also be very busy up there. The Martindale area is nice and relatively quiet, great views from Hallin Fell but maybe better once the sun's been up an hour or so. There's also some other spots round there that would be worth exploring. If you want to get up high maybe buy the Wainwright guides and recce the fells after visiting the tried and tested spots mentioned here. YouTube is good for wildcamping vlogs too which can give you an idea of paths and views at the top.
 
Thanks again for all your comments they are all very helpful. I seem to watch more and more yutube videoes lately and picking up lots of tips .
Weeks back i had booked for one night in hawks head at a pub and it was for last saturday I was there, along with storm deidre ,did not get to do any photography or walking at all.
All i could do was increase the hawkshead brewery profits .LOL.
 
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