It's unusual, even rare to have such a clear spell of weather during the Winter months especially on the only day off you have meaning when this happens you have to grab it with both hands. The forecasters were telling me that east was best but after walking the east of the district these last few weeks I wanted to try my luck somewhere different so I set my sights on the Coniston fells.

The forecast differed but only between light cloud and prolonged bright spells, this I could work with. Initially I wanted to return to the Black Sails ridge, a favourite of mine that never fails to disappoint no matter the amount of times I've walked it. Then came Saturday evening when I was milling about on Memory Map on my laptop when Wetherlam and in particular Wetherlam Edge caught my eye, this caused me to think back of my last ascent which was actually a descent back in 2014 I knew right there and then where I'd be walking the next day.

Next came which route would I take and seeing that I didn't have a full day to play with I came up with this route which takes in the impressive Wetherlam Edge and Steel Edge, all packed into a walk less than 5 miles long with enough punch to knock Mike Tyson over.

After working yesterday (Saturday) I thought I'd treat myself to a lie in only leaving home around 06.50am which saw me arrive in Tilberthwaite around 08:30am. Sunrise had already broke and by the time I arrived in Tilberthwaite sunlight was creeping into the valley leaving a bright horizontal streak against the fell side, it was mild too at a barmy 8°C which was accompanied by a gentle breeze leaving the morning feeling more like early Spring rather than the depths of Winter. I leave my warm hat and instead put my baseball cap on leaving my gloves tucked into the lid of my pack which I have no doubt I will need later.

After locking the car I turned around and started the steady ascent via the familiar stone staircase which then levels out after catching my breath at the top alongside Tilberthwaite Quarry which I have passed on many occasions but have never really explored, seeing that today I have a little extra time on my hands given the length of my walk I thought I'd go and have a quick look around.

You'd be forgiven for saying that from here, Steel Edge doesn't look like an edge nor a ridge for that matter but it's just trickery of the eye as you will see later.

Soon after taking this photo I am passed by two walkers, a chap and his wife who appeared to have wild camped last night but I didn't ask them where.

A good path keeps the boots dry navigating around Dry Cove Bottom while steadily climbing past the disused levels which in these modern times are fenced off to prevent sheep and even humans from falling into them but only as far back as forty years ago these levels weren't fenced off at all and the only way you knew you'd fallen into one was when it was too late.

Just in case you were wondering that's Hen Crag on the right with the wonderfully named Hen Tor further right...I've always wanted to get up close with Hen Tor, who knows one day I will.

My path to Birk Fell Hause can be seen just above the trees in the bottom right corner which then zigzags steadily towards Birk Fell Man summit, should you want to continue onto Birk Fell Man summit it's just a simple case of keep right once the top of the path is reached.

I won't be visiting Birk Fell Man summit today, I'll leave that until I start my Birketts next year.

Steel Edge is really taking form now although I must admit I think I must have lost my footing slightly when I pressed the shutter button on my camera, I'm sure Steel Edge really isn't that steep!

Just in case you were wondering the craggy outcrop in the foreground appears as '392 on the map at the top of this page.

Having the right to exercise caution is a must during the ascent of Wetherlam Edge while from down below the ascent appears to be straight forward yet there are many 'little hands on scrambles' to be dealt with while at the same time box clever by checking the next twenty yards of ascent you are about to take especially if its your first time on the edge.

It felt great knowing that I had reached my one and only summit of the walk, more so because I knew I had wee bit of spare time which I spent whilst sitting down observing this view over the Greenburn Valley just watching the crispness of the light as it cast long shadows over the cols and ridges, a spectacle that can only be captured and not photographed.

I took a 360° short clip with my camera phone and in doing so I had to grip my glove with my teeth in order to pull it off so I could press the touch screen on my phone, 30 seconds later that hand started to feel the windchill so I eased the glove back on and tucked my phone back into my chest pocket.

Finding a place out of the windchill was easy, tearing myself away was much harder.

It was wise to avoid the two rock gullies found close to the top of Steel Edge, this I did by carefully studying a way around via a series of grass ledges sometime nipping into, or crossing the gully at safe points, my concern from the start was of course ice which I never encountered then second, wet greasy rock. I avoided most firm boulders when I could mostly coming into contact with fixed rock before trusting my footings first, this made for a steep but safe descent by using a combination of grass ledges, gully and scree.

I pass an elderly gent wearing a pair of green tweed trousers tucked into a long pair of blue walking socks and we both mumble our 'mornings' as we pass by. On the opposite side of Tilberthwaite Gill two large groups make their way around Drybottom Cove just as I had this morning as I sit lent against a boulder eating my early lunch. The sun beams down low in the sky and I could easily take off half my kit and get away with walking back to the car with my sleeves rolled up but seeing as I'm so close to the car the faff is too much so I sweat it out instead.

With lunch over I cross Crook Beck and take in Tilberthwaite Gill from t'other side before beginning to walk the last half mile back to Tilberthwaite. From the top of the quarry I spy my car and about a dozen more while one other car scours for a parking place, happen I'll be done soon and he can have my place but I've got my peanut Kit Kat to finish first.