Base Brown, Green Gable and Great Gable

This was a great walk to celebrate my 65th birthday despite involving an early start to avoid the holiday traffic driving through the Lakes to our start at Seathwaite. Our route was the same as we had done a couple of times previously, many years ago, but for some reason the scrambling sections especially by Sourmilk Gill , seemed to pose more of a problem. Must be our advancing years.

Sourmilk Gill

It was a glorious day sunny but not too hot. The waterfalls still impressive despite the recent dry weather.

At the top of Sourmilk Gill I toyed with the idea of heading straight up Base Brown but was persuaded  against, having just negotiated the slabs of the initial ascent. So it was a steady, walk up the hanging valley of Gillercomb, skirting Base Brown then a turn to the north over slightly boggy ground up to it's summit.

Gillercomb

 From here the path to Green Gable was obvious after first retracing our steps. Quite a bit more of an ascent than I remembered but soon at the top for a well   earned lunch stop.

Great Gable next, we knew involved a slight scramble but first we had to negotiate the loose stone path off Green Gable to Windy Gap. The rocky section up to the summit was easily dealt with and soon we were reading the memorial on the summit cairn. Typically for the Lake District the top was now in mist and as someone commented, it must be the only place in the country in cloud on such a glorious day.

Scafell from Great Gable

The descent was a significant improvement compared to the last time we were here, now properly laid paths and none of the loose stones which I remembered. A nice break on the banks of Styhead tarn in the late afternoon sunshine before the final descent by Taylor Force Waterfall, over Stockley Bridge and back to the farm.

Time 8hrs

Grade Excellent

Memories

• Slow initial ascent because of scrambling section
• Summit of Gable in mist despite the glorious weather
• View over to the Scafells through the mist in the the valleys

 Completed 201 To go 13

Caw Fell and Haycock

A relatively simple but long walk involving skirting the shore of Ennerdale to the bridge across the beck at its eastern end then continuing south though the woodland to the first of two close together footbridges . Having crossed the first, after negotiating some erosion in the path, we turned south again before the second, to ascent the shoulder up to the col between our two targets for the day, Caw Fell and Haycock. The initial part of the path ascended through thin woodland to the outtake fence then a moorland path rose more or less continuously to the top. 

The path lead us towards Caw Fell initially  and then we came back to the col following the wall linking the two summits and headed towards Little Gowder Crag. We decided to skirt this on its southern flank crossing the fence and wall then headed easily up to Haycock , now in mist. Lunch on the top in the mist with just a fleeting view of Scoat Tarn below.

Rather than retrace our steps  we descended towards Scoat Fell then took the path down over Tewitt How. Great views across to the Steeple ridge and over Ennerdale.
It was boggy in places despite all the dry weather. The path was very faint in places and we lost it just after Tewitt How heading over the heather towards Lingmel and met the path coming down from Steeple just above the forest.  

A steep eroded descent through some gorgeous heather then took us back to the forest road and the long walk back to Bowness Knott car park

Time  7 hrs

Grade Excellent

Memories 

• Long but gentle ascent
• Path faded on descent then steep and stony descent into forest 
• Sun on Ennerdale water, Haycock in mist

Completed  198  To Go  16

Yewbarrow

 

An early start to get into Wasdale for 9.00am . Car Park at Overbeck bridge was full but we managed to park back at Netherbeck bridge. At least this gave us a flat walk along the road before the ascent of Yewdale. We had read a lot about going up the imposing face as viewed from the valley. We weren't disappointed. Initially a nice climb by the wall then continuing the path up towards Dropping Crag to enter the gully.  A couple of birds of prey, possibly Red Kites were circulating over the crag. We started in the gully with a few easy scrambling pitches but then progress became more difficult, doable but on climbing out to the left we found the walkable path up the left hand side. Although walkable there was a lot of loose scree and care was needed.

One at the top of the Great Door the ridge walk over the summit was a delight with perfect stop for lunch just below the summit.

The difficulties were not over, however. We had already decide not to descend over Stirrup crag so headed left and the col north of the summit Although the pass was easy to follow it there were again a lot of loose stones as it passed under the crags and then down to the valley.

It was an easy walk back to Dropping Crag and then retraced our steps to the car, discovering a path down by the lake rather than on the road back to Netherbeck.

Time 5 hrs

Grade excellent

Memories

• Loose scree on ascent and descent
• Wonderful short ridge walk
• Concentration required on ascent and descent

Completed 196  To Go 18

Glaramara and Allen Crags

The walk started form the National Trust car park in Seatoller.  A short walk along the main road to Strands bridge then then the small road on the right towards Thornythwaite farm. After a couple of hundred yards a signpost pointed us to the main path up Thornythwiate fell reading Glaramara 2miles. A short ascent through the trees, we spotted a pied flycatcher , before reaching the open fell with Combe Head directly in front.  We took the right hand fork to ascend to the ridge line lost the path in a couple of places but soon found it without difficulty.

A gentle climb along the ridge was accompanied by splendid views all round. We gained the summit of Glaramara via the grassy route to the right of the rocky main route. After a long stop for lunch we enjoyed the ups and downs of the ridge to the south with it's small picturesque tarns and the imposing view of Gable to the west and Great End to the south

                                            

After Allen Crags a short descent took us to Esk Hause then the descent down Grains Gill via a much improved path, busy with many groups of people  heading back to the valley after a glorious day on whichever hills they had ventured.

Time 8 hrs

Grade excellent

Memories

• Perfect walking weather with time for many stops
• 360 deg panoramic views from summits
• Ups and downs and the small tarns on the ridge to Allen Crags
  
  

Completed 195  To Go 19

Pillar

Rather than attempting the Mosedale horseshoe our plan today was and up and down ascent of Pillar. 

Company at the summit of Pillar

Starting at Wasdale Head we took the obvious route up to Black Sail pass via Gatherstone Beck. The weather forecast was for 70% cloud free summit in the morning increasing to 90% in the afternoon. We were well in the cloudy 30% all morning with no view of our target or any of the Mosedale tops, and the cloudy 10% for most of the afternoon. Even Black Sail pass was in mist when we arrived. Nevertheless, the route was quite straightforward and the path easily followed despite the poor visibility. Only once did we get a glimpse of the valley floor of Ennerdale.

Cloud to the north clear to the south

After reaching the summit we retraced our steps taking the slightly lower path just after the descending form the top, but with no obvious advantage. We thought, mistakenly, there would be less boulders.

As is often the case the mist began to clear as we descended and we gained views into Mosedale, across to Yewbarrow and Red Pike. However with a marked contrast, the cloud to the north was persistent, still with no views down to Ennerdale. Further down the Scafell range came into view as we approached the valley floor. 

Time  7 hours

Memories

• Cloud to the north into Ennerdale whilst clear to the south into Mosedale 
• Long walk but easy route to follow
• Sitting just above Black Sail pass when the mist has cleared, admiring the masses of Kirkfell and Gable

Grade Excellent

Completed 193  To go 21