This walk was at the start of a week spent in Scotland, and for a change I had driven up there, but to break the journey on my way to Scotland into two manageable trips I had stopped off to do this walk in the Lake District, though I didn't really need much of an excuse. Leaving the motorway at Junction 39 I headed across to Haweswater and parked at Mardale Head, which was filling up very quickly in the good weather. Setting off along the path I walked beside the reservoir shoreline to the Rigg, a conifer wood at the foot of the Long Stile ridge. From the bottom of the ridge I started the walk up, first on the northern side of the wall and then I crossed over to the other side joining the path which I followed all the way up to High Street.
I previously did this walk in December 05, when the weather was much worse than for this walk, I couldn't see anything from the ridge and suffered severe windchill at the summit. Now I was treated to clear blue skies and great views of all the nearby fells. (The fells further into the park were shrouded in mist, but I wasn't so afflicted on this eastern edge of the park.) The great views were complimented by a great rugged path that climbed up the ridge while minimizing unnecessary descents as it passes the Swine, Heron, and Eagle Crags, and finally up Rough Crag. The scrambly path then descended to Caspel Gate before I began to make the fun climb up Long Stile onto High Street.
I must say I didn't really get the most enjoyment from the ascent as it was just too hot which was making the going more tiring than would be expected, but once the summit plateau was gained the heat no longer bothered me and I was able to enjoy myself again. I walked south along the cliff top looking over the picturesque Blea Water and settled down to my lunch. With the stunning eastern views before me and the populous summit a good distance behind me I was really able to enjoy the solitude and scenery as I ate. When I had finished I climbed up to the crowded summit of High Street and after taking a look at the western views shrouded in low clouds returned to the eastern edge in haste.Walking along the edge of the High Street plateau I descended to the straits of Riggindale gazing into the isolated valley as I went. Veering right I took the path at the head of Riggindale Beck and followed the Coast-to-Coast route bypassing Rampsgill Head as it heads towards Kidsty Pike. Two previous times I have been here and spurned Kidsty Pike because it had looked so insignificant from Rampsgill Head, but it's a Wainwright so I incorporated the top into this walk as I headed back down to Haweswater. It does feel like a proper fell with a good summit peak, it's just not worth making an effort for on its own. I think it's really Rampsgill Head that isn't a proper fell, but unfortunately it's bigger than Kidsty Pike, so let's just face it, these fells are just all wrong.
My descent from Kidsty Pike passed over grass before going through the fascinating collection of rocky knolls called Kidsty Howes. I had great fun hopping from one top to another with the views of Haweswater below opening up with every step. Once through I dropped steeply down to the bottom of the valley crossing Riggindale Beck and climbed back up to the top of The Rigg. Returning to the car park I prepared for another long drive that took me into Scotland, past Glasgow and Stirling and into Killin. It's a long way to drive after doing a tough walk and I don't think I'll be in a hurry to do it again.
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