High Street, Thornthwaite Crag, Gray Crag

We managed to park at the small car park up at Hartsop which saved the walk in along the road through the Hamlet. A nice sunny day with cool breeze boded well for a good walk. The initial part of the route was altered slightly because of the hydroelectric power works in Hayeswater Gill. We took the path up the left bank of the gill to the pumping station, crossed bridge over the gill and the joined the main path up to Hayeswater. Ignoring the the sign to recross the gill at the next bridge we continued up to the lake crossed at the top of the gill and took the steep path up towards the Knott. Quite a pull up but once the height was gained the walking became easier, behind the Knot (already climbed) and the on to High Street, keeping on the path running by the wall. The path to the right misses the summit.
The visibility today was as good as I have ever seen. All the peaks were clearly visible and identifiable,  not merging into each other as is often the case.
After lunch on the summit the route to the beacon on Thornthhwaite crag was easy. Another short stop, chatting to a walker who was walking Wainwright Way form Blackburn to Buttermere, then off north descending the ridge to Gray Crag. The path was clear all the way even coming off Gray Crag back to Hayeswater Gill. This time we descended directly to the hydro electric works and has to skirt round the fenced off area the rejoin the path. All clearly marked for the least disruption to walkers as possible.

Time 5hrs

Memories

• Excellent visibilty
• Hydroelectric works
• Mountain biker on top of High Street (how did he get there?)

Grade  Excellent

Completes 154  To go 60

*Skiddaw and Skiddaw Little Man

This was the sraightforward walk up Skiddaw, initally intending a shortish walk up and down Little Man but whist we were up there we decided there was no point in not taking in Siddaw summit. The weather at the start was awful with very heavy rain in the morning postoning our start until about midday. The start of the walk was the car park up behind Latrigg and the route, the main path to the summit. What is often tough if as a 'slog' was in fact a very pleasant climb with very few people about. At Jenkin Hill we ( or to be accurate, I) made the decision that Skiddaw itself would be an ideal detour then come back over Little Man. We knew the top would be in mist but with a good path and cairns, navigation would not be a problem. However, once on the summit plateau the strength of the wind and rain was unexpected and made the final walk to the summit quite a challenge. Spending little time on the top we retraced our steps and then veered over to Little Man before descending back to the car prk


Time 4hrs 15 mns

Grade Excellent

Memories

•  Mist and high winds on Skiddaw summit
• Variable weather
• View over to Causey Pike and surrounding hills

Completed 151 to go 63

*Causey Pike, Scar Crags and Sail

Have done this walk a couple of times, an exhillerating ridge walk once the top oof Causey pike was attained. We parked between Uzzicar and Stoneycroft, walked along the road to the steep double bend and took the path towards Causey Pike,this time skirting around the bottom of Rowling end.
An easy pull up tp the col then and a steeper more rocky ascent to the summit. The a ggreat ridge walk along to sail with mixed weather over Scar Crags turning to thick cloud heading for Sail. The view of thepath up to Sail form Scar Crags looks completely out of place being such a doominant feature of the landscape.
We decided not to go on to Crag Hill as the weather was deteriorating, so headed off Sail down the grotesque path and then syreight down to the valley for the treck back to the car.


4hrs 30mns

Grade Excellent

Memories

• Rocky path to the top of Causey Pike
• Quick changes in weather
• Eyesore of a path up to the top of Sail

Completed 149 To Go 65

*Great Calva

Strated the walk joining the Cumbria Way at Peter House farm and followe the main path along Dash Beck to the top of the waterfall Here having crossed the beck oon the main path, we headed straight up the left hand edge of the valley by a wire fence. A short steep ascent quite slippery in places, good to have the wire to cling on to. Our first summit was Little Calva which was easily attined following the wall. We then crossed the moreland tho aim for Great Calva. Fortunately not too boggy.This bit can become very wet accordiing to a walker we passed on the way up to Great Calva.
On reaching the summit we descended by taking the gentle south ridge and then south west to rejoin the Cumbrian Way about 1k further along frm where we left.
Throughout the walk the colour of the purple late summer heather on the surrounding hillsides we wonderful.


Time  4hrs 30 ms

Grade Excellent

Memories

• Short steep ascent by wire fence
• Gorgeous purple heather
• Ideal weather

Completed 146 to go 68

High Hartsop Dodd, Little Hart Crag, (Red Screes), Middle Dodd

It was good to get out on our quest to complete the Wainwright again after a lapse of a few months, for no good reason.

Ascending High Hartsop Dodd

We started the walk form the bottom of the Kirkstone pass, parking in a layby just south of the Brotherswater Inn. Taking the footpath to cross the valley floor and crossing Kirkstone Beck we headed north towards Hartsop Hall to the base of High Hartsop Dodd. What looks a steep climb from the road was not difficult with a good path to follow. Soon on top of our first summit we continued south to our second target of Little Hart Crag just timing it right for lunch in the sun, sheltering from the brisk cool wind. Our route from across to Middle Dodd was obvious, descending to Scandale Pass the up following the wall towards Red Screes. The only question was weather to contour round the summit of Red Screes (as we had already climbed

Gable appearing 

this) or to take in the higher peak to complete the round. In actual fact there was only one answer, so off to Red Screes we went with glorious view from the top especially over to the Gable and Scafell ranges.
The only concern now was the descent of Middle Dodd to the valley which looked, and was, steep, However a good path took us down safely. Safely that is until soon after crossing the wall about half way down. Wainwright does say to keep to the wall descending to the south on the left of the ridge down. The path, which we followed, however distinctly carries straight on down the ridge but soon we were stopped abruptly by a shear cliff face. However, contouring round to the left, we joined the descending wall and followed it back to the valley floor.

Time 5hrs 30mns
Memories

• Glorious clear day with nice cool breeze
• Knee crunching descent from Middle Dodd
• Completion of all the summits  from The Eastern Fells book

Grade  Excellent

Completed 145 To go 69

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