Monday 28th March 2005
The weather on this walk was much better than the day before with clear views all day and even though some of the hills were still hidden under clouds they were never the ones I was on. It was a lovely, though overcast morning as I set off from the Ennerdale Youth Hostel across the same fields as my walk the day before but this time I continued straight into the wood and didn't cross the Woundell Beck. After an initial climb I crossed the Silvercove Beck and without crossing the adjacent Deep Gill I headed up the tongue between the two streams. This was an enjoyable climb in the cold morning air with stunning views up and down Ennerdale and proved to be a much better way of getting onto the ridge than the one that I had used the day before. I also got to the top considerably earlier than I had then, and I don't think the weather was to blame.
Once at the top I veered to the right to the cairn on top of the bare grassy plain of Caw Fell before doubling back on myself and following the stone wall. I must say I was having a whale of a time as I enjoyed the glorious weather and stunning views while passing over Little Gowder Crag, Haycock, Great Scoat Fell and Little Scoat Fell. Every step along the ridge was a joy. After passing over the top of Scoat Fell I veered south-east down the hillside and up to Red Pike, a hill that I have missed out on several times in the past, and consequently was the highest hill in the Lakes that I had never been up. Chatting merrily to myself I passed over Red Pike and descended to Dore Head.
To my left was the infamous Dore Head Screes, a steep descent into Mosedale, but now a muddy slope rather than a scree slope. I shuddered at the thought of going down it and instead I ascended the cliff wall of Stirrup Crag ahead of me. Though this is larger and more technically difficult than the Kirk Fell Crags of my previous day's walk (which I'd only been wary of because I had gone completely wrong while attempting them a couple of years ago), it was still not too difficult to climb up them, even if I had to change my line of approach a couple of times. At one time, a couple of years ago, I wasn't too keen on scrambles, but now I can't get enough of them. Funny old bod, aren't I?
After lunch at the top of Yewbarrow I descended the hill down the scree slopes by the Great Door, which was extremely tricky. I had heard that Yewbarrow has an infamous reputation but I wasn't prepared for how difficult it would actually be. For such a low hill (not much much more than two thousand feet) it deserves to be treated with respect so I was thankful when I finally reached the bottom by the side of Wastwater and began a circumnavigation of the deepest lake in the Lake District. After rounding the north-eastern end by the (closed due to a bridge being rebuilt) National Trust Car Park I headed along the south-eastern shore. Most of my walk beside the lake was rather pleasant especially in the increasingly sunny afternoon weather, however the second half of the walk was across the fearsome scree slopes of Wastwater (so infamous they are sometimes called simply “The Screes”). At one section you have to literally hop from one boulder to another in an attempt to get across, so it was almost with regret that I completed the walk along the shore, it was such great fun.
On the final stage of the walk I followed the River Irt to Lund Bridge and then along a woodland path back beside the river to the lake and around to the youth hostel at Wasdale Hall (with tremendous views over the lake up to Wasdale Head).
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