Knott and High Pike

Sunday 30th November 2008

This final walk of my short holiday in the Lake District involved a cracking climb up a spectacular valley to the high moorland top of Knott and then a traverse of the hills to the top of High Pike. The weather, as it had been the previous day, was fabulous: bitterly cold but with gorgeous bright sunshine, clear blue skies and stunning snow-covered scenery. I began my walk from the tiny village of Fell Side on the northern edge of the Lake District where I set off down a track into the valley of the Dale Beck. Crossing the stream by a footbridge I continued up the path deeper into the secluded valley where signs of former mining activity could be seen dotted around, particularly on the steep watercourse I was heading for. After passing by several ravines I made my way towards the most intimidating of them all, Roughton Gill, a dark, steep and rocky watercourse that is highly recommended by Wainwright himself. Climbing up to the foot of the ravine my path faded to leave me with a rough scramble up the stream, which was a situation made triply hard by the large amount of the water coming down the stream at this time of the year and the ice that was liberally sprinkled throughout the course of the stream.

Despite my best efforts to keep as close to the stream as possible, at one point I had to climb onto the hillside high above the stream in order to get past a particularly troublesome and spectacular looking obstacle of ice and rock. I had enormous fun trying to climb that ravine and enjoyed every moment, but I think it would have been more enjoyable in the summer when there was no ice and considerably less water in the stream. Then, I’m sure one could follow the stream-bed all the way up the ravine, which is an endeavour well worth undertaking, hopefully at some point in the not to distant future. Above the cascades in the rocky ravine, the stream meandered through a small valley and the path meandered with it constantly swapping sides as the stream zigzagged across the high terrain until eventually it split into many smaller streams and into the marshland on the hilltop. Here my fun ended as I made a tiresome trek through the snow and heather across the featureless and pathless terrain up to the top of my final Wainwright in the Northern Fells, Knott. After celebrating my achievement by taking loads of pictures of my stunning surroundings I set off along a faint path across the top of the hill and down the hillside on the left to cross Grainsgill Beck. The paths in this area are usually very wet, but fortunately on this day they were all frozen so I had little problem traversing them, which is why I had deliberately come at this time of the year. My only previous visit to this area of the Lake District was in January of this year, when the paths were also frozen. After my tiring effort to get up to the top of Knott through pathless heather, these paths were an absolute breeze as I almost sailed along the clear paths in perfect weather. On the other side of the stream the clear paths led me the way all the way up to the top of High Pike where the clear weather afforded me with stunning views of the northern fells all around me and across the grassy slopes of High Pike that fall to the plains north of the Lake District.

After a rest at the summit on a seat that incongruously finds itself at this point I headed down off the fell across the wide expansive, grassy hillside following a path that was clear in the snow and led me all the way down to Fell Side, past the many evidences of the former Caldbeck mines on Fellside Brow. I was back at my car by lunchtime as I wanted to visit my brother on the way home, but this was still a really enjoyable walk with the weather helping me to make the most of a relatively quiet corner of the Lake District. A thin covering of snow, clear blue skies and mist in the valleys made for a beautiful and serene picture that was an utter joy to walk in. This was a lovely end to a wonderful couple of days in the Lake District when the weather was just perfect for walking.

Blencathra from Mungrisdale

Saturday 29th November 2008

This walk took place in freezing weather after a sharp frost overnight had turned everything white and froze all the water. In other words it was perfect, beautiful winter walking weather with freezing temperatures, bright sunshine and clear blue skies; it was more than I could have hoped for. I started the walk in the small village of Mungrisdale beside the River Glenderamackin walking on an ice rink for a footpath. Eventually the ice abated, but not before I missed a turning and found myself on a path that begins to climb the hillside south of the Tongue instead than staying beside the river, however the path I was on afforded me with a perfect photo opportunity of my goal: the awesome-looking Bannerdale Crags.

On returning to the riverside path I headed towards the east ridge through the frost and snow to the foot of this fearsome looking edge, where on closer examination I found that all scrambling could be easily avoided, but if I wanted to I could go out of my way to find as many scrambling opportunities as I wanted while climbing the ridge. On occasions the snow and ice persuaded me to stick to the path but near the top I was half up a sheer cliff face before fear got the better of me, however by this time I was committed and soon I realised that the easiest way out of my terrifying situation was to continue to climb, so up I went on my shaking hands and knees until I reached flatter, safer ground. Back on my feet I made my way up the gentle slope to the summit of Bannerdale Crags.

From there I made my way over towards Blencathra where Sharp Edge could be seen in all its fearsome glory. After my experiences on the east ridge of Bannerdale Crags I decided Sharp Edge would be strictly crampon and ice axe territory in this weather so I wisely steered clear. Instead I climbed up the hillside above Foule Crag over Blue Screes and onto Atkinson Pike before making my way over to Hallsfell Top. This was the route I took the first time I climbed Blencathra, back in 2003. I chickened out of Sharp Edge on that occasion as well because, although it had been July, it was wet with low cloud, so worse than I had on this occasion. The view from the top of Blencathra was absolutely stunning, it was totally awe-inspiring. The weather was perfect and Blencathra was looking at its best. I felt compelled to walk along the top as far as Gategill Fell Top just so I could continue to admire the amazing views even though I wasn’t heading in that direction. Blencathra is easily one of the best fells in the whole of the Lake District, and is always an awesome sight as one enters the Lake District from Penrith. When I could finally tear myself away from the view, I started heading back towards Atkinson Pike, bypassing Hallsfell Top, and traversing the snow-clad slopes below. Dropping even further below Atkinson Pike I came onto the dreary Mungrisdale Common, which is a monotonous moorland north of Blencathra that is unfathomably and unfortunately, a Wainwright. Having just been up one of the best of the Wainwrights I was now going across what is indisputably the worst Wainwright. I was so bored while traversing the Common that I started counting all the fells around me to try and decide whether I had been up all of them and I came to a surprising discovery. If you include the couple of days I spent in the Lake District at the beginning of the year I had been up almost every Wainwright in the Northern Fells this year. The exceptions were Knott (which I went up the next day) and Skiddaw Little Man (which I went up four years ago when I first went up Skiddaw). I was so relieved when I realised that Mungrisdale Common wasn’t my last Wainwright of the Northern Fells as that would have been too awful to contemplate. After a long trek across the plain I reached the 'summit' cairn in the middle of the vast, flat expanse and then, after a moan with a fellow walker who had also gone onto the Common simply because Wainwright had included it in his books, I began to walk back across the plain towards the col below Atkinson Pike where I had my lunch.

After lunch I climbed back up beside Bannerdale Crags heading for Bowscale Fell and I was continually appreciating the fact that all the bogs were frozen solid as there was a lot of potentially wet ground on these fells. After the crowds on Blencathra, the latter part of this walk seemed to be very quiet and eerie (there weren’t even any birds singing: too cold, no trees); also the views were more restricted as I ventured further into the Northern Fells and what views I could see were becoming rather misty. Eventually I reached Bowscale Fell where I dropped down to the top of Tarn Crags in order to have a good look at Bowscale Tarn in its secluded, picturesque bowl. Resuming the walk I climbed up to the top of the east ridge of Bowscale Fell and followed this all the way down into Mungrisdale. This was a fantastic and prolonged descent that epitomised just why I love the Lake District so much. I love long descents where I take a gentle stroll down a ridge where little effort is required and the views into the valley below are straight in front of you. Maximum benefit, minimum effort. In the Lake District the paths are always clear and easy to walk along so I don’t have to think much about where to go, and on this day I didn’t have any problem with bogs as everywhere was still frozen. This was a thoroughly enjoyable end to a wonderful day's walk.

I had a short amount of daylight left when I got back to my car so I decided to drive to the Gate Gill car park near Latrigg to do the easiest Wainwright available. Can one really say they have climbed Latrigg if they have only walked across the grassy slopes from the car park? In fact can anyone say they have climbed a fell when they have only walked along a ridge from a neighbouring fell? I surveyed the stunning views south over Keswick and towards Derwent Water from this awesome vantage point that at this time included a beautiful sunset and I counted myself lucky to have been able to walk in such perfect weather conditions. I had been on a brilliant walk even if certain sections were unimaginably boring; I don’t want to ever have to walk across to Mungrisdale Common again, but any day you walk up Blencathra is going to be a great day, and this day was no exception.

Skiddaw via Ullock Pike

Friday 28th November 2008

For my first full day of this holiday in the Lake District I did a walk that must rank as one of the best in the Lakes: climbing Skiddaw over the Ullock Pike and Long Side edge, and just to make it more interesting: over snow. I parked just off the main road and took a bridlepath through muddy fields to the fell wall where the fun really began as I climbed onto the Watches, which are a bizarre collection of rocks at the foot of the Edge. Once onto the edge I followed the path up the ridge beyond the snow line and up onto Ullock Pike. Having reached the top my climbing was briefly over and I had a blissful spell of fantastic ridge walking as I proceeded along the top towards my second Wainwright, Long Side. The snow underfoot were making things absolutely fantastic and the scenery was as good as I could have hoped for. At Carl Side, another Wainwright, I rested and surveyed the views across Derwent Water and the whole of the Lake District. There is simply nothing better with such exceptional views. Reluctantly I turned around and began to climb up Skiddaw taking the widest path that gradually climbs the interminable scree on its way up to the summit. I had been up Skiddaw only once before back in 2004 when I had descended along the Edge. On that occasion I recall coming down the scree from the south top by a faint path that zigzagged to the Carlside col. The weather on that occasion had been good, but during this walk the weather worsened as I climbed and once I reached the summit it started to snow. This still didn't detract from my enjoyment of being up there and in fact the bad weather seemed to make it even better! When I was up there four years ago it was Easter Sunday and the place was packed but now I was all on my own, which in these conditions is not surprising. After lingering at the summit for a while I continued north along the summit ridge to the north top and then down towards Bakestall.

As I dropped down I passed over a col and the flat top of Broad End. In the poor weather I needed an aid in navigation and there were a few cairns around the place that should have been a help, but the area was absolutely littered with them. One could go round in circles trying to follow these piles of stones. Littered is certainly the right word for them as they are the result of people messing up the landscape, littering the fells, and they aren’t necessary as there is a fence not far from the top that unerringly follows the route down to Bakestall. At this was a new Wainwright for me I stopped and had my lunch while gazing out on the northern fells, the views having cleared wonderfully while I'd descended to reveal awesome scenery that included the fells I’d walked the day before, and Great Calva that I’d been up last January. At this point I was on the last top of my walk so I would be back at my car not long after lunch so while eating I considered prolonging the walk by going over Great Calva but in the end I decided against that as it would spoil what had been a really good walk. The Edge had been a fantastic climb with some amazing views, while Skiddaw, although it has its detractors, is over three thousand feet high, and is a fantastic, massive mountain that totally dominates the scenery all around it. Great Calva is just a heathery bog that doesn’t deserve to be associated with Skiddaw.

After lunch I descended Birkett Edge, keeping right to the edge of the awe-inspiring Dead Crags. At the bottom I joined the Skiddaw House service road that led me away from the fells, and at the bottom I took a bridlepath through fields past Barkbeth back to my car. As I’d thought I reached the car early with a couple of hours of sunshine still left so I decided to do another walk and go up Dodd. I'd been up this fell five years ago not long after the trees were felled from the summit so I was interested to return and see if it had changed (it hadn’t as far as I can recall). I started from Dancing Gate as the main car park charges for parking, and zigzagged up the steep hillside following the maze of forest tracks and paths using Wainwright's guide to keep me in the right direction. At the summit I noticed there is a route up Dodd on the north-west ridge that Wainwright hadn’t mentioned (probably didn’t exist when he was writing his guides, when the summit was tree covered). It looked like a fun way up, so I’ll have to go that way next time I decide to do this outlying fell of Skiddaw. Leaving the summit I descended by a different route that took in the col with Carl Side and the path to Millbeck. This was a good little walk and a perfect end to a great day on the fells. I was really lucky with the weather as I was going up one of the highest hills in England, but I had clear views at just the right moments and it gave me more experience of walking in wintry conditions.

Great Sca Fell via Trusmadoor

Thursday 27th November 2008

It was great to be back in the Lake District for this holiday, and just as great to be walking again after two months of enforced rest while my ankle healed. So it was a pity that the weather wasn't better, but what can you expect at this time of the year? I suppose the weather was another reason why I hadn’t been walking much lately even though the weather in autumn can be quite nice, it’s just that the weather all year has been rather poor. I remember having walks in October where the weather can be described as feeling like summer, however the weather for this walk definitely did not feel like summer. I was walking in the Northern Fells, which is a generally ignored area of the Lake District as the fells, as a whole, are not typical Lakeland having rounded grassy slopes with very few cliffs or rocks. I haven’t done much walking in this area myself (aside from the beginning of this year) so I thought I’d take advantage of my last two day's holiday from work to go to the Lake District and do some walks in the area. After driving up during the morning in pouring rain I was delighted to find clear dry weather when I finally reached the tiny hamlet of Longlands on the northern edge of the Lake District. I set off south beside a tiny stream, the Longlands Beck, to the distinctive Trusmadoor, a natural cutting in the hillside, and as perfect a pass as you could hope for. On reaching this gap I walked through it and climbed up the fell on the right side of the pass, onto the eloquently named Great Cockup. There are some brilliant names in this area, but this one has got to be the best, with Trusmadoor a close second. On reaching the summit I stopped to have my lunch and then returned to the fantastic Trusmadoor. Now I went up the fell on the other side of the pass, Meal Fell, which sports a fascinating collection of cairns and shelters with a few ponds in between. My course continued along the ridge and up the steep, stark, grassy slopes of Great Sca Fell, where any similarity with its more famous namesake is totally absent, for aside from their name, there is absolutely no similarity between them. The weather turned grey and windy as I walked down the hill from the summit of Great Sca Fell and while passing over Little Sca Fell it started hailing. Fortunately the bombardment was short lived and I was able to comfortably walk across to my fourth Wainwright of the day, Brae Fell.

After gazing out at the scene from the top of this fell that lies on the northern edge of the Lake District I set off west down the hillside towards the Longlands ridge. On my way along the ridge I passed over Lowthwaite Fell, which isn't a Wainwright, and Longlands Fell, which is, even though its smaller. I began dropping down from the top of Longlands Fell after just three hour's walking, which isn’t long, but since I’d not started until one o’clock and it was the end of November, the sun was already setting when I left the top. A track down the north ridge took me off the fell and onto a byway at the bottom, which brought me back to my car. This was a nice little walk in a quiet secluded section of the park. Despite the grassy hills, which are not really my ideal walking terrain, I actually enjoyed the walk and I didn't want to stop even though it was getting dark. Nearby was a solitary hill that also happened to be a Wainwright and since I had some time free, even though it was getting dark, I drove to the foot of the fell and walked right up to the top of Binsey. Going up I didn't need a torch but coming back down the track I found that it was essential as it was now really dark. This was a short walk with the sole purpose of bagging a summit, which is quite sad but still satisfying. I was making it my goal to go up all the Wainwrights in the Northern Fells on this holiday (or at least all the ones I hadn’t already been up) so Binsey was still a necessary if rather pathetic climb.