Ling Fell

The last time we were in this area, to climb Sale Fell, the weather was awful driving to the start but it stopped raining as we got out of the car and stayed dry just until we arrived back when it poured down again. No such luck this time. We had a couple of hours to spare having dropped our daughter and a friend off in Keswick to visit Puzzlingplace . Ling fell seemed and was an ideal excursion. We drove up by Bassenthwaite lake and turned off by the Pheasant Inn through Wythop Mill and parked at Burthwiate. Full waterproof gear from the off, we set off along the gently rising grass terrace skirting the north east and north of the fell. Always taking the upper fork when there was a choice we skirted above Wyhtop Mill and eventually turned back on ourselves heading upwards and then eastwards again until just below the summit when a narrow track head dierctly up to the top. As we gained height the rain became heavier and the wind, which was thankfully behind us as we ascended, became stronger. The top was no place to dwell. In driving rain we decided to head north, straight down the hillside the rain now directly in our faces until we reached the shelter of the terrace not far from the car. We were soaked -memories of the day we climbed Latrigg.

Time 55minutes

Memories

• Wet

Grade Excellent walk if you need to kill a couple of hours in Keswick

Completed 53 To go 161

Hartsop Dodd and Caudale Moor

We were determined to complete this walk having been blown off it a few weeks previously with high winds. A good bright day when we set off from the car park just above Hartsop, through the kissing gate and down to the right crossing the river as though heading up Pasture beck. Instead of turn up the valley we entered the field ahead through a gate, to start the steep grassy climb to the left of a wall, over a style and up to the northern ridge of Hartsop Dodd. After a short rest we climbed the ridge. Seen from the valley, driving from Patterdale towards Kirkstone pass three impressive ridges sweep down off the summit plateau of Caudale More. All look very inviting for the hill walker and I have always wanted to ascend each of them. The western most ridge to Caudale Head we have done previously (in complete mist), the middle ridge was today’s walk and the most eastern ridge over Grey Crag was another walk to look forward to.


We rested just below the summit of the Dodd for a sandwich admiring the views over to Place Fell, Angle Tarn Pikes and Brock Crags satisfyingly being able to say “we’ve been there”. Further a field other summits we had climbed Glenridding Dodd and Sheffield Pike plus many others still to do. The weather was glorious, warm with an interestingly cloudy sky but plenty of blue patches. At the Hartsop Dodd cairn Caudale Moor looked distant but it didn’t take long, after a short descent, to climb up to the summit at Stoney Cove Pike. This was where I realised the Wainwright Book was back at the car. Was this the Wainwright Summit or was it the distinctive cairn over to the west at Caudale Head? There was no question, we had to walk across the summit plateau to the other top. (On getting back tot the car found we needn’t have done this but the walk along the top was immensely enjoyable). Retracing our steps to Stoney Cove Pike along the summit wall, which, from our previous experience, is an extremely useful landmark in the mist, we were amazed by the number of seagulls both on the ground and circling high above.
Descending east, now, down to Threshthwaite Mouth the path became quite rocky and steep in places but at the col the sun was out and the air was still. We sat bathing in the sunshine - Thornthwaite Crag ahead looked a steep ascent but a definite possible detour from our original plan. However, we had other committments in the evening so resisted the temptation and headed down to Pasture Beck.

A good choice for only 10-15 minutes after leaving the col, I looked behind and it had disappeared in thick black gloomy clouds, the tops all around no longer in sight, the seagulls circling high above. There was a definite atmosphere of impending doom relieved only by the bright sunshine in the valley to the north. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder echoed around the valley followed by a chorus of bleating sheep. No time to linger, we quickly got our waterproofs out before the heavens opened and we trudged back to the car, very wet but content after a walk with such variety.

Time 4 hrs

Memories
· Sudden change from sunbathing to being soaked
· Seagulls
· Views over our previous tops

Grade Excellent


Completed 52 To go 162

Nab Scar, Heron Pike (Great Rigg) ,(Fairfiled), Hart Crag, Dove Crag, High Pike, Low Pike.

One advantage of summer walking is being able to start a later in the morning, knowing that it will not be dark until 9.30ish pm. So we started form Ambleside at 11.30, aware that we had a long walk ahead of us but there was no need to hurry.
The walk starts with a stroll through Rydal park. Our destination ahead was clouded in mist from Great Rigg onwards. It was a warm sultry type of day. Our first planned stop was a the coffee shop in Rydal Hall. We arrived just behind a rambling club so it took an age to get served but was well worth it – the best scones in the Lake district. Stocked up we marched on, passed Rydal Mount and then left up the path on the south west ridge of Nab Scar. The hillside was covered with beautiful foxgloves amongst the bracken.

Views down to Rydal water and Loughrigg beyond opened up as we climbed. Once on Nab Scar the first arm the horseshoe opened out with the next summit Heron Pike seeming high and distant but soon reached on a good path, Great Rigg and Fairfield in the distance were still shrouded in cloud. Off Heron Pike it is a lovely ridge walk down and then up to Great Rigg but the temperature was getting cooler as we gained height. We were walking at about cloud level now , the mist coming and going, the summit of Fairfield visible one minute and covered in black cloud the next. As we reached the top the, it latter conditions that prevailed, cold misty and windy – so we took shelter in one of the stone shelters (very effective) for our lunch. The Rydal scones had done a great job getting us this far.
No one in sight – unusual as there have commonly been several groups up when we have been here before. Just as we were leaving the cloud cleared giving us great views across to the Helvellyn ridge and perhaps, more importantly, good views of the path across to Hart Crag. I have had to use the compass several times on the top of Fairfield to get the correct rout of the summit. Refreshed after lunch it was a great walk along the tops, descending a little before the next climb but still very windy, a marked contrast from the warm sticky weather when we had set off. Previously we have skirted round the summit of Hart Crag but this time, no short cuts allowed. Quite a rocky descent from Hart Crag then followed the wall up to Dove Crag, getting the views across to Patterdale and the eastern fells bathed in sunlight with fantastic cloud shadows on the fellside, but the western fells remained dark and sinister in cloud. We were just on the border but unfortunately, mainly out of the sun. Because of the strengthening wind we kept on the lee (left)side of the wall from Dove Crag as we started the long treck back to Ambleside over High Pike and Low Pike. The descent can be made on either side of the wall. Again the summits are often bypassed when completing the horseshoe but both had to be climbed today a particularly nice detour up Low Oike which looks as though it may involve a scramble but the path skirts around any difficulties.
We had now moved into the sunny side of the weather system and a, warm sunny evening stroll took us down over low Sweden Bridge, tired and weary back to the car park at Ambleside College.

Time 7hrs 15mns
Memories
· Foxgloves
· Weather changes
· Sunny to the east Dark and cloudy to the west
Grade Excellent
Completed 50 To go 164

Lingmoor Fell

We had stayed the night at the Britannia Inn in Elterwater having met up with my brother Graham and his friends the previous night. Lingmoor Fell seemed, and was, a good choice for a Bank Holiday Monday walk before we all went off in our different directions back to reality.

After a hearty breakfast we left Elterwater on the road heading south for a short distance then bared left up a bridleway over to Little Langdale. One of our party, John, an ornithologist fascinated us with his keen sense of hearing and observation pointing out different birds and birdsongs as we walked through the woods. The Wetherlam range opened up before us as we reached the crest of the spur and soon down the other side we took the path to the right near Dale End, heading up Lingmoor. Shortly after joining the path John pointed out a tiny small yellow dot on a bush about 500 yards away. It took a good pair of binoculars to for us to see, never mind identify, what we were assured was a Yellow Hammer.

It was a glorious day, the fell was deserted and the climb up to the Lingmoor ridge and along it's crest, a delight. At the top the views were incredible, the light much clearer than the previous day. We decided that there was time for us to complete the ridge walk and drop down to the head of Langdale before walking along the valley back to Elterwater. The wind, like yesterday,was beginning to blow but shelter was to be found walking by the summit wall as we headed west. Having dropped down to the col below Side Pike the wind was now quite blustery. Not deterred, Graham Nigel and John, the intrepid three, "without showing a morsel of fear", continued across the mauvais pas under Side Pike (actually an interesting squeeze between the rock face and large rocky outcrop) to complete the full ridge walk. I accompanied Elspeth down to the safety of the lower slopes on the path to the left before this and we met up again on the path leading up from the Langdale NT campsite.

We walked back along the Langdale valley, a journey normally done by car, keeping all the time on the lower northern slopes of Lingmoor, much of the time on the Cumbrian Way. Instead of crossing the bridge at Chapel Stile we kept on the right bank of the river through the woods back to Elterwater... Looking for wood warblers!

Time 4hrs 15 minutes
Grade Excellent
Memories

• Bird spotting
• Good company
• Excellent round trip

Completed 44 To go 170

Red Screes

We have driven over Kirkstone pass numerous times but never started a walk from here. Our initial plan was to do a circuit from Hartsopp Village, over Hartsopp Dodd. The walk started beautifully in sunshine with a blustery wind but was soon curtailed as we reached the north ridge of Hatsopp Dodd when a fierce persistant wind hurled up the valley across the ridge making standing upright almost impossible, never mind climbing the ridge. Despondent we retraced our steps in the knowledge that we have now had to admit defeat not only on Gowbarrow Fell previously but now also on Hartsopp Dodd - I doubt if many walkers can make this claim.

Red Screes from Kirkstone pass is a straightforward climb on a well marked path through the rocky slopes on it's eastern flank. One particular section could have been tricky if the rocks were wet but no problem today in the sunshine. We met the wind again on reaching the summit plateau but not nearly as strong as earlier in the day. A great summit for views in all directions. Caudale Moor looked particularly calm across the pass.

We decided against dropping down to Middle Dodd before returning to the car. The car park at Kirkstone was now full as one would expect on bank holiday Sunday.

Time 1 hr 30 minutes

Grade Excellent (Considering)

Memories

• Good walk rescuing the day form a disppointing start

Completed 43 To go 171

Grey Cragg (Sleddale Fell)

Yesterday we walked from our base, Meadow Cottage in Staveley up to Brunt Knots and looked across the Longsleddale valley to toady's fell. A good walk to keep away form the bank holiday crowds in the central fells. We started in the afternoon, a glorious day the aim being a short stroll up Gray Crag and then across to tarn Crag and down the quarry road. Unfortunately this was not to be. A combination of underestimating the effort required to reach Grey Crag, a rapid darkening of the skies and the knowledge that being caught up here in mist would have been quite a challenge, meant that only our first summit was attained. Set off from Sadgill and headed straight up Great Howe initially keeping to the left wall as suggested in the Wainwright book. After a steep grassy climb we reached the upper corner of the field on our left and could see the hurdle that Wainwright had described as 'difficult to negotiate' now had a stile.
Heading up through the easy gully another wall was reached with paths both right and left. We took the left which took us above a rocky outcrop and eventually had to scramble over the wall to reach the upper fell. Heading up , no path now we reached Great Howe and joined the correct path we would have been on if we had taken the right hand fork.
Moorland opened up in front of us but it took us quite a while to be able to identify the summits across the boggy expanse. In hindsight I can now confirm Grey Crag is to the right, The pointy crag directly in front is unnamed and the higher summit to the left with the obvious pillar, is Tarn Crag.
Quite hot now after the struggle up the grass we crossed the flat very boggy moorland becoming more tired. The clouds had darkened giving a thundery, sultry feel and we both felt that we probably had overestimated the time it would take to get around both summits. Once over a stile just below the climb up to Grey Crag, the path headed right directly for the summit. It had taken us 2 hrs to get here (with stops). Tran Crag seemed a good way in the distance the weather was potentially changing so, without any argument we decided to retrace our steps back to the valley.

Time 3 hrs
Grade Potentially excellent
Memories

• Away from the crowds on Bank Holiday Monday
• First walk of the year in shirt sleeves
• Underestimating the effort required

Completed 42 To go 172

Barrow and Outerside

A small broad ridge encompassed by the higher fells of Causey Pike, Sail Crag Hill and Grisedale Pike is the setting for a great lower level walk
The start was from the road along the Newlands valley, just beyond the first cattle grid having left Braithwaite. Really warm in the valley, set off with cagoules etc packed away in the rucksack. A short track took us up the hill diagonally to the right towards the edge of the trees and then followed the wall upwards heading for Braithwiate. At it’s highest point the path along the broad ridge of Barrow ascended to the left heading south east. No problems with route finding, the track heads directly for the summit. Wonderful views opened up; to the left across to Cat Bells and Maiden More, to the right Grisedale Pike. A classic Lakeland hill for false summits but eventually as we gained height the views of the distinctive knobbles of Causey Pike ahead indicated the true summit was not far off. By now a cold wind had really got up. This was the cause of the major disappointment of the day. Up to now, Elspeth and I had celebrated reaching each summit with a kiss. I stopped to take a photo of the Causey Pike ridge just below the summit fully expecting Elspeth to wait for me at the top.

Alas no. The wind was too strong and cold to wait (so she says) and on reaching the top she was already 200ft down the other side of the hill. All my shouts to come back were carried away by the wind.
From Barrow the path ascending Stile End was easily visible. Previously when we had done this walk we had contoured around Stile End but this time we decided to take it in, a good decision as it continued between Stile End and Outerside lead us through the boggy ground without mishap. A short steep ascent and we were soon on the top of Outerside - this time celebrated the appropriate manner.
We continued straight ahead off Outerside south west and descended across the boggy lower fell towards the main track leading down from High Moss to Stoneycroft back in the Newlands valley. Quite a trek back down this stony track with the Cat Bells ridge ahead and a stark contrast between the lush green of the fields in the Newlands valley and the barren fellside of Cat Bells above the drystone wall enclosures.

Time 3 hours

Grade Excellent

Memories

• First summit without a kiss!
• Lush valley floor

Completed 41 To go 173