Lake District, Day 3. Whitbarrow Scar

Up early(ish) to a beautiful morning and on-board facilities used and emptied, it was time for breakfast and packup making.  We then reversed our route of yesterday to Underbarrow and on into the Lyth Valley to Row to meet up with Peter and Linda for the first time in 7 months.  As we drove along the lanes the valley was a froth of white damson blossom from the abundance of damson orchards.  We must try to buy some in the autumn; they make fantastic jam.  Peter and Linda were waiting when we arrived and we were soon geared up and heading up the track to  limb up onto Whitbarrow Scar; the larger twin of Scout Scar on the opposite side of the valley.  We chose this route rather than our normal steeper climb up from Witherslack on the other side of the ridge on recommendation. We certainly loved Row and the damsons and it was a much longer but gentler climb.  We hadn't been going long before we came across some beautiful wild daffodils or Lent Lilies.  Soon we left the trees and climbed onto the bare limestone scar with more and more karst features as we neared the summit.  On the way we found our first wheatear of the year as well as meadow pipits and stonechats.  Finally we reached the large summit cairn of Lord's Seat and then enjoyed a mile or so of high level walking with expansive views all around.  All too soon it was time to descend and make our way back to Row though the beautiful woods of the Whitbarrow National Nature Reserve where we came across a brimstone butterfly, and then down through damson orchards and the village to the cars.  Arranging to meet up the next day at Hornby to look for dippers and riverine birds we went our separate ways.  An excellent day.

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