High Spy, Maiden Moor and Cat Bells

A great circular walk form Grange, starting along the Allerdale Ramble heading south towards Seatoller, passing the base of Castle Crag. The whether was dull and the peaks to our right enshrouded in mist. On reaching Tongue Gill we crossed it and headed up the left hand bank through the disused quarries with several mine entrances leading deep into the hillside. (This is actually an assumption because we did not explore them and it is possible they only extended 100m or so.) At the top of the quarries instead of crossing the style and heading for Dalehead tarn, we aimed for aniother style at the corner of the wall junction and headed toward Wilson Bield. We were now in thick mist and with an indistinct path took a bearing on our first summit, High Spy which we was reached without difficulty. It was now a matter of a long gentle up and down ridge walk to our next to summits of Maiden Moor and the Cat Bells. The mist was now lifting an the ridge opened before us into the distance, some wisps of cloud lingering in the Borrowdale valley below. There were impressive views across to Causey Pike and Ard Crags (where we had been the previous day) and the steep drop on the western side towards Hindscarth. From Maiden Moor we descended to Hause Gate then a quick ascent of Cat Bells and back down to Hause Gate before returning to Grange. Only two or three people on Cat Bells this time - not the usual throngs of folk in the the summer. Despite it's size the views from the summit are tremendous.

Time 5hrs 30mns
Grade Excellent
Memories

• Varying degrees of visibilty form thick mist to clear views


• Long but gentle ridge walk

Completed 112 To go 102