Seathwaite Fell

A lovely walk starting from the farm at Seathwaite and heading up the main path towards Styhead, crossing Grains Gill at Stockly Bridge. Then, ascending with Styhead Gill on our right we looked up to the left to try and identify  our route up the steep slopes of Styhead fell. There was no problem finding the best way up which was  heading off the main path to the left, some distance before it crossed Styhead Gill, and keeping to the right of a stream coming down from the summit plateau.


Once on the top we aimed for the notherly summit before heading south on a good path across the fell to the actual summit. The weather was cloudy, the larger fells covered ominously in mist and a cool wind blowing.
The descent was via sprinkling tarn with lunch sheltered just off the main Sty Head , Esk Hause path, then down Grains Gill back to the farm.

Grade Excellent

Time 4hrs 30mns

Memories

• Steep direct ascent
• Summit plateau surrounded by high fells

Completed 142  To go 72

Rosthwaite Fell (Bessyboot)

Having parked at the school in Stonethwaite (£2.00 honesty box) we took the route, suggested by Wainwright, up by the side of Stanger Gill.  Walking through the small hamlet of Stonethwaite  with the Cumbrian Way on the other side of Stonethwaite Beck, the first challenge was to find the Big Stanger Gill. Once correctly identified, (just after crossing Little Stanger Gill, a shepherd opened the gate for us gate leading up the hllside into the trees and confirmed we were on the right track. His poor sheepdog was having a difficult time with one sheep who refused to be rounded up.  We soon found on old stone path heading upwards on the lest hand side of the gill covered with fallen leaves and moss making the stone extremely slippery and concentration was required to step on the horizontal stones or those inclined in towards the hillside otherwise a slip was a almost inevitable.
Climbing steeply by the beck the water was gushing down on our left and the crags above loomed through the trees, which had a few golden leaves remaining on their branches. The well made but obviously little used path continued up to above the tree line heading towards the cleft between the crags and then onto the flatter open hillside. Here the gill veered right the path follwing but soon crossing the stream on continuing now in a westerly direction with the stream to the south.
Our summit was now up to the left but we carried following the path to a distinct but small coll for which it was heading and then left the track to head straight up the hillside tot he summit cairn.
The weather was fine, the view down Borrowdale spectacular the high peaks revealing themselves as the cloud base lifted and the fell again. Sheltering from a cold wind on the top we had our lunch then headed south to Tarn at Leaves and the found the path heading initially down Rottenstone Gill hoping this would be a good path to take down to the valley. However the path soon became non existent and we pick our way down the hillside to the valley floor of Coombe Gill and then back along the paths to Stonethwaite.

The colours in the evening sun were spectacular

Time  3hrs 30mns

Grade  Excellent

Memories

• Charming climb by Big Stanger Gill
• Well made but old and slippery path
• Excellent half days walk

Completed 141  To go 73

Harrison Stickle

It had been a while since we had climbed Harrison Stickle by the popular route, via Stickle Ghyll up to Stickle Tarn and Shen the loose scree directly to Harrison Stckle. This was our planned route for today. The weather forecast was for heavy rain but we started off in theory but low cloud on the tops.
The Ghyll was remarkably dry but, spite this, some schoolchildren were having a wonderful time Ghyll scrambling. The path to the tarn is now paved in stone steps more or less all the way. It was a quick ascent, not as tedious as I had recollected. Once at the tarn we followed the path to the left and again, stone steps took us through the loose rock to the col just below the summit.
By now the wind was strengthening and the rain was falling.We stopped for lunch below the top taking shelter from the wind and put waterproofs on.
On the top the wind was fierce and the rain heavy so not a place to stop for long. With no visibility, a compass bearing towards Pike O'Stickle got us got us safely down below the cloud and the reassurance the Pike O'Stickle was directly in front of us.
We now has good enough visibilty to head towards our intended descent route, avoiding Dungeon Ghyll, instead, taking the path from below Loft Crag, clearly marked with cairns.
A lovely descent back to the car completed an excellent round trip.

Time 4hrs 15mns
Memories

• Wet and very windy on top
• Compass navigation required in the mist
• Schoolchildren Ghyll scambling

Grade. Excellent

Completed 140 To go 74

Nethermost Pike, Dollywagon Pike

Starting at the Wythburn car park this was a route up to the Helvellyn ridge I had never done before. A notice at the bottom of the path through the forest warned us that no 'loops' could be walked form Wythburn or the Swirls because of forestry work and tree felling. Despite this we decided to carry on on if there was a problem we could drop down into Grasmere and catch the bus back to the car.
The path soon left the forest and climbed onto the open fell, reminiscent initially of the climb up to Stone Arthur from Grasmere. A good path all the way up with a steady incline but no difficulties. The weather was warm for September but a cool enough breeze to make the climb enjoyable. Although the sky was cloudy the tops were mainly free of cloud apart from Helvellyn itself which drifted in and out of view. The views generally were poor due to the extensive haze.
The path skirted round Comb Crags and then easily to the col between Helvellyn and our first goal, Nethermost Pike. Striding Edge seemed only a stones throw away and was being traverse by what appeared to be a group of schoolchildren in orange helmets.

We tuned right and keeping to the edge climbed  up to Nethermost Pike stopping for lunch at one of the cairns just below the summit. It was then an easy traverse across the lunarscape top to Dolywagon Pike, again keeping to the edge as the main path skirts below the summit .Rather than take the steepish direct descent heading towards Seat Sandal, we decided to descend the zigzag path down to Grisedale tarn.  Before reaching the tarn an indistinct but definite path contoured around westerly to join the coll between Dollywagon Pike and Seat Sandal.

The descent down Raise Beck was delightful. I had always assume this would be an uninteresting route when viewed  from the car speeding over Dunmail raise, but was pleasantly surprised. It was now Friday afternoon and we decided it was very unlikely any forestry operations were taking place and we had heard no noises of forestry machinery so we decided to take the footpath north back to the car park, without incident.

Time  5hrs 30mns

Memories

• Widespread haze affecting views from the top
• Watching scores of people traversing Striding Edge
• Warm but light breeze, ideal walking conditions

Completed 139  To go 75

Middle Fell, Seatallan and Buckbarrow

It had been a while since we had visited the Wasdale area. We stopped for our now regulation pre walk coffee at the bakery in Broughton on the way (highly recommended). The route for this walk was to start up the Greendale path, then veer off up the path to Middle Fell. the tracks were easy to follow and no problems encountered. The weather was warm and dry but very hazy looking over to the Wastwater Screes.
Dropping down off Middle Fell to the col between this and Seatallan we stopped for out lunch. The col was absolutely deserted, warm sunshine and great views. We spent some time here before starting the ascent of Seatallan head towards the Pots of Ashness col but before reaching this heading up the grassy slope to the north west ridge leading down from the summit. It was a bit of a slog up the grassy ridge but the summit was soon attained.

Seatallan from Cat Bield

The next top, Buckbarrow, seem a long way off in the distance but was soon reached descending the gentle path down the slope from Seatallan via Cat Bields and Glade How. Good views again over Wastwater and across to the Scafells.
We dropped down off Buckbarrow following the path down to Gill Beck and then back along the road to Greendale.

Time 5hrs  30mns
Grade  Excellent
Memories

• First warm sunny day of the year
• Beautiful picnic spot after descending Middle Fell

Completed 137  To go 77

Hart Side

We started from the quarry car park just SE of Dockray having stopped for a pre walk coffee at Aira Force.
The beginning and end of this walk was in very heavy rain, but thankfully cleared for the bulk of the day. So, in full waterproofs we headed up the path on the right hand side of the quarry, immediately confronted by wet slippery scrambling to get above the rocks onto a good path running by the wall under Round How and contouring round above Glencoyne Park with, despite the dull weather, grand views down to Ullswater.

The path left the wall, just after the lower path from Glencoyne joined us on the left, and headed across moorland under Brown Hills. When we met the wall running NW up the fell towards Birkett Fell we followed it to it's highest point and then across to the left tothe cairn on Birkett Fell, the only cairn I can remember which has a plaque with it's name on it. It was then an easy ascent to Hart Side summit which was clear of mist.
We had not decided on the route for descent, the possibilities being dropping down into Dockray then back along the road or to retrace our steps and descend into Glencoyne Park. Over our lunch, ont he way  back to Birkett Fell, we decided on the latter. The long path through Glencoyne was delightful despite the now incessant rain that had returned.

Time  4hrs 30mns
Grade Excellent
Memories

• Torrential rain at the start and end of the walk
• Did not meet a soul all day
• Picturesque Glencoyne

Completed 134  To go 80

Sergeant Man and Blea Rigg

Easdale Tarn

For some reason I had always wanted to do Sergeant Man from Grasmere so decided to link it in with a Traverse of Blea Rigg. A long easy walk in up Easdale to the tarn, a clump of daffodils on the far shore, Then straight on, skirting the tarn on our right and taking the well made path passing under Belles Knot. One section  involved an easy but unexpected scramble up the rocks. The peace was interrupted only by the sound of running water and the call of a shepherd to his dog rounding up the sheep higher up on the fell.

 

Langdale Pikes in the haze

After Belles Knot we ascended further with Codale Tarn coming into view on our right and soon reached the junction of paths leading to Blead Rigg, Sergeant Man and down to Stickle Tarn. A right turn at this junction led us upwards with out target soon standing out ahead of us. Views over to the Langdale Pikes were impressive but a general haze obliterated any detailed features.  The haze was a feature of the day. Over the whole country air quality was apparently poor including over the Cumbrian fells.

Having attained the first summit we considered the short trek to High Raise but weary legs and the knowledge of some distance back to Grasmere we decided to retrace our steps to the junction of paths. The shepherd was now over on the Langdale side of the fell still calling and whistling to his dog. We traversed the delightful Blea Rigg ridge before descending back to Easdale Tarn just after Blea Rigg summit. The hazey sun behind us peering over the Blea Crag. It was then the easy long trek retracing our steps to Grasmere village.

Time  6hrs 15mins

Grade Excellent

Memories

• Watching the skill of shepherd and sheep dog
• General dull haze all day
• Long walk in

Completed 133  To go 81