The Lakes, day 11 – High Raise

Thursday 25th July 2002

For the last walk of my first ever visit to the Lake District I went up into the fells that overlook Grasmere, circling around Easedale. Just like the whole of this second week, the weather was bad again with low cloud all day, but that didn’t stop me venturing up into the clouds and gaining in my confidence of walking in this sort of weather. I started the walk by climbing up to the top of Helm Crag, the small fell that dominates views of Grasmere, and walked along the ridge over Gibson Knott to Calf Crag under ever increasing rain. I went straight over the pass at the top of Far Easedale heading straight up the fellside towards High Raise climbing up Deep Slack to Codale Head following a line of old boundary posts while the rain became heavier and the fog thicker. I had experienced some pretty bad conditions during this second week, but this was becoming the worst yet, leaving me with no sense of where I was and with no path to follow except for a broken line of fence posts. I eventually decided I was fed up with it all when I put my foot onto what I thought was a stone only to find myself knee deep in mud. It doesn’t matter how waterproof your boots are, if you step into a puddle deeper than the top of your boots you will, like me, have a wet foot in that boot for the rest of the day.

When I eventually reached the top and found the main footpath across the summit plateau, instead of heading north to the summit of High Raise, I turned south. I was so fed up with the conditions that I couldn’t be bothered to try and find the summit cairn and trig point. During this holiday I found that it is not fun to walk around the fells when it's raining and you can't see more than a dozen metres ahead of you. I can now appreciate the challenge inherent in walking in these sorts of conditions, but I wouldn’t say that such a day is as fun as one with good weather. You should always make the most of whatever weather you’ve got, but you still need to adapt your plans to the changing weather conditions. Walking around aimlessly in thick hill fog is never fun; the goal is always to get below the clouds. I came down from the top of High Raise by the quickest route I could find, beside the Bright Beck stream to Stickle Tarn near the Langdale Pikes.

This was my first visit to the area of the Langdale Pikes and I remember being impressed by the enormous cliff of Pavey Ark that overlooks Stickle Tarn with the top of the crag disappearing into the clouds, which potentially makes the cliff-face look even bigger than it actually is. From Stickle Tarn I proceeded across the undulating hills of Blea Rigg, Castle How, Swinescar Pike, Lang How, Silver How & Dow Bank. This is a fabulous walk that I have done many times since and found that it is always best done in this direction with the gradient gradually falling as you come off the fells rather than having an annoyingly long climb to get up onto the higher fells. I commented at the time that this is “quite a way when you walk it,” but every step is a joy. Eventually I reached the road at Red Bank and the foot of Loughrigg. Ever since losing my glasses on Loughrigg on the first day of my holiday I had wanted to return to the fell to look for them, so when I eventually located the spot where I thought I'd lost my glasses I tried to find them, but to no avail. I had to accept that they were lost.

The following day was technically the last day of my holiday but I was so tired in both spirit and in leg that I decided to go straight home (the knowledge that I would have to be at work on the Saturday morning was another motivator), but part of me wishes I hadn't. I had a plastic bag full of presents that I’d just bought in Grasmere so walking would have been impractical, but the weather was glorious for the first time all week, which seems to be just my luck. It has been interesting going through my experiences of my first trip to the Lake District and reading what I wrote back then. My inexperience of hill-walking shows through in many places with a intense distaste for walking in the rain, though that would seem to be in part due to the inadequacies of my clothing. The reports from this holiday have reminded me of how much I have developed as a walker. I am no longer afraid of bad weather as I have now walked in weather that is considerably worse than that I found on Robinson, Hindscarth and High Raise during this holiday.

The Lakes, day 10 – Helvellyn

Wednesday 24th July 2002

After the poor weather of the previous couple of days, the forecast for the tenth day of my first ever visit to the Lake District was for more rain later in the day, but it never arrived. Nevertheless it was a windy, overcast day and not the most ideal conditions for my first ever climb up Helvellyn. After being thwarted in my attempts to climb Helvellyn the day before, now that the rain had stopped I was determined to make my first ascent of this most infamous and popular of Lakeland Fells. After leaving the Patterdale Youth Hostel I crossed Grisedale and walked along the path that gradually climbs out of the valley to the Hole-in-the-Wall. This literal gap in a wall is marked as such on maps as if it’s the only gap in a wall in the area, but it is famous for being the start of Striding Edge. I had heard so much about this narrow ridge that I had built up quite a fear of it, so when I got to the Hole-in-the-Wall I daren’t go through it. The weather was still quite poor at this point, with high winds and low clouds, so I cowered out of doing Striding Edge and took the path down to Red Tarn where I climbed up to the ridge at the start of Swirral Edge.

I don’t think I have vertigo, but I would say that I have a healthy fear of falling to my death! In the poor weather, with the wind howling around me, I even found Swirral Edge rather scary. I remember leaving the very top of the ridge and clinging to the steep grassy slopes above Red Tarn as I tremulously climbed up to the top of Helvellyn. I was still quite new to bad weather at the top of a mountain at this time so I was finding it quite nerve-wracking, but the more times I experienced that sort of weather the more I learnt that so long as you’re careful, particularly with navigation, there is nothing to worry about. Back then I was relieved to come away from the wind-swept summit of Helvellyn and make my way south following the wide footpath that passes close to Helvellyn’s satellites. I was beginning to get used to the wind and low clouds by now so I diverted from the highway in order to bag the tops of Nethermost Pike, High Crag & Dollywagon Pike while on my way to Grisedale Tarn.

After the steep descent to the tarn I walked up to Grisedale Hause and from there climbed up a scree slope to Fairfield. I remember at this point being rather fed up with the scree slopes that I was climbing with annoying rapidity in the Lake District. I’d never encountered them before so I wasn’t used to their shifting stones and steep slopes, or the zig-zag route that has to be taken up them, but this was all simply part of learning my way around the Lakes. The summit of Fairfield was just as windy, cold and covered in hill fog as Helvellyn. It may not have been the best of days but I was beginning to cope quite well with the conditions as I successfully found the summit cairn on the broad summit plateau before heading in the correct direction off the top. From Fairfield I walked along the long ridge south towards Rydal passing over Great Rigg, Heron Pike and Nab Scar. The weather began to improve markedly as I descended becoming sunnier and warmer below the clouds with stunning views ahead of me along the whole length of Windermere.

At Rydal Mount I was near the spot where I had started my first day in the Lakes, and where I had lost my glasses. Now more than a week later that still hung its shadow over my holiday so I wanted to return to Loughrigg and try to look for my glasses even though the chances of finding them must have been pretty remote. Leaving that for another day I finished this walk by staying on the eastern side of the river walking along the excellent Coffin Route to Grasmere past Dove Cottage. This was a walk of contrasts from the wind-swept heights and terrors of Helvellyn to an entrancing walk down the ridge from Fairfield. I have not walked along the length of this ridge since that day, and that must be the most tragic aspect of this walk.

The Lakes, days 8 and 9 – Hindscarth and Ullswater

Monday 22nd July 2002

After the excellent walk that I did the day before I now had a couple of days of poor weather that left me in despair and thinking that the good walking days were over. It had started raining with no sign of it ending before the end of the week, but I reflected that I had been fortunate with the weather over the weekend and during the previous week. My second ever week in the Lake District started with wet and windy weather on a day when I had planned on travelling half way across the national park. Rather than walking all the way from Buttermere to Patterdale, which would have been a ridiculously long walk, even if I’d attempted it now, I had planned to walk along the ridges around Dale Head to Keswick where I would catch a bus to Patterdale. As I set off the weather forecast predicted that it would improve later in the day so I climbed the path out of Borrowdale hopeful that the rain wouldn’t last long and I’d be able to complete the walk as planned.

After climbing up to High Snockrigg I crossed the exceptionally wet Buttermere Moss. I have since crossed this gently sloping plain several times and found it not to be particularly boggy, but with all the rain that had fallen recently the fell was like a quagmire that I, due to my inexperience, blundered across and succeeded in getting my feet very wet. At one point I stepped into a deep bog that went half way up my leg so I was relieved to finally reach the foot of Robinson where the terrain started to steepen and a short climb brought me up to the wind-swept summit of Robinson. The weather at the top was so bad I didn’t linger but made my way south to a fence at the top of Robinson Crag where I made my way along the ridge to Hindscarth. By now the wind was so strong and the was rain so heavy I decided I had to get off the fell as quickly as possible with conditions that were worse than I'd ever known on a walk. Up to this point I’d never really been at the top of a hill when the weather was throwing its full works of wind and rain at me; it was quite a scary experience, so it was a good idea to descend even though the rain stopped before I got to the bottom.

As I came down the excellent path at the top of High Crags I dropped below the clouds to the stunning view of the Newlands valley below, but I was already soaked. My cagoule wasn't particularly waterproof and my t-shirt underneath was soaked, which made me feel very cold. I knew even then that if I’d had a better cagoule, such as I use now, I would have been able to continue along the ridge in that weather. I have never subsequently done the walk that I planned to do that day, which involved walking from Buttermere to Keswick via Dale Head, but I’m sure it would have been possible in that weather, maybe even exciting, if I was wearing the right clothing. Once down in the valley I passed through the village of Little Town and skirted the side of Cat Bells on my way to Keswick. From Hawse End, for the first time I walked along a path that I have taken many times since, past Lingholm and through Fawe Park. On this occasion (and only on this occasion) I turned right as I approached Fawe Park and took the track around Fawe Park past Nichol End. All subsequent occasions I have gone straight on over the low wooded hill, which is a far superior route.

After passing through Portinscale and over the small suspension bridge over the River Derwent I reached Keswick where I had an hour to wait until the bus to Patterdale. I spent most of the hour just wandering around and exploring this delightful town that I have subsequently visited many times, and of all the towns in the Lake District this is my favourite. The towns around Windermere seem tourist-ridden but Keswick, despite the tourists, seems to have retained a charm all of its own. Eventually I left Keswick for another day and caught the bus to Patterdale.

Tuesday 23rd July 2002

This was another wet day so my wet weather plan was once again put into action. I walked along an excellent path beside the shore of Ullswater at the foot of Place Fell and Hallin Fell all the way to Howtown where I caught the steamer back to Glenridding. This was a nice walk, but it only took me half the day so in the afternoon I did a walk along Grisedale as far as Nethermostcove Beck and back. I had started to walk from Glenridding with an idea of going up to Helvellyn but soon abandoned the idea. I lost the path up the ridge and found myself passing Lanty’s Tarn into Grisedale so I consoled myself with the walk along Grisedale, but I wasn’t really in favour of anything else while it refused to stop raining. I was not enjoying walking in the rain while wearing a cagoule that didn't seem to have heard of the concept of "Breathability". I was missing the good walks that I’d done the previous week when the weather was better. Once again I was learning that I needed to improve my gear if I was going to do any proper walking when the weather is bad.

The Lakes, day 7 – Grasmoor and Grisedale Pike

Sunday 21st July 2002

This was a good day's walk and unexpectantly I had company for some of the day. I started off by walking up into the hills to the north of Buttermere onto the developing ridge of Whiteless Breast (I had a chuckle about the name at the time) and up to Whiteless Pike where I happened to meet Keith Smith who I'd had dinner with the day before in the youth hostel. Since we were both going in the same direction we went up the hill together but I soon nipped off to visit the broad grassy top of Wandope. The weather was fantastic for this walk and I remember the views at this point being particularly impressive as I looked from the summit across the valley of Sail Beck towards Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head. The deep valleys that flow into the Newlands Beck made this a stunning sight with range after range of hills stretching all the way to Helvellyn on the Horizon. From the summit cairn I rounded the edge of the hanging valley of Addacomb Hole and up to the top of Crag Hill where I met up with Keith again whose older legs had forced him to take the easier, direct route from Whiteless Pike.

Wainwright called this fell Eel Crag, which is actually the name of the rocks to the north of the summit, but the Ordnance Survey map calls it Crag Hill and that’s how I’ve always thought of it. Wainwright acknowledged that Crag Hill would be a better name for the fell but he said that walkers are conservative folk and don’t like change. He had become used to calling this old favourite Eel Crag and couldn’t change now, but for me, fortunately I have never thought of it as anything other than Crag Hill so that is what it’s called. From the top of Crag Hill Keith and I walked down the long slopes to the col before slowly climbing the long grassy ridge up to the top of Grasmoor. Once again I left Keith behind as my younger legs sprinted on ahead enabling me to reach the summit first and see the truly astounding view that can be seen from this fell on a good day that stretches across the Solway Firth all the way to Scotland and the hills of the Southern Uplands. After returning to the col Keith decided to head back to Buttermere on the path beside the Liza Beck which left me free to climb Grisedale Pike on my own.

After crossing Coledale Hause I traversed the eastern slopes of Sand Hill to the top of the ridge that leads to Grisedale Pike. I enjoyed the fabulous weather that was giving me stunning views east across the Vale of Keswick while stopped for a rest at the summit and to have something to eat. Turning around I proceeded along the ridge above Hobcarton Crag to Hopegill Head and onto the narrow ridge that leads to Whiteside. I remember this as being an exciting traverse along a narrow, high ridge with plenty of rock to negotiate. Unfortunately I have never returned to this ridge since even though all the other fells in the walk have been visited again, except for Whiteside. I had planned on a return in 2011 on the day of William & Kate’s wedding, but high winds encouraged me to change my plans. Now I am longing for a return to a ridge that I probably remember as being a lot more exciting than it actually is compared with others that I have done since, nevertheless I’d still love to return. There is nothing more exciting than walking along a narrow ridge and this was one of my first.

After passing the top of Whiteside I descended through heather and bracken to the road at Lanthwaite. Rather than follow the road back to Buttermere I decided to go around Crummock Water along the western shore of the lake. After passing through Lanthwaite Wood I reached the lake shore where I was stopped by two dogs and their owners. One dog was chasing another while both owners were trying to get a hold of their dogs. Eventually one dog got trapped beside the water’s edge which let the other dog get behind it and satisfy the urges that had been driving it. For this brief moment the dogs were not moving and the bitch's owner was able to rescue their dog while the other owner grabbed their randy canine. I was then able to continue my journey much amused by an incident that has stayed with me ever since. It has taught me to be careful if I get what I want as it might be just the opportunity someone needs to take everything away from me.

The remaining walk beside Crummock Water was pretty uneventful until after I crossed Scale Beck where I had tremendous problems trying to get to Scale Bridge. The path was not clear and I had to walk through a lot of very boggy ground. Eventually I spotted what was probably the proper path down the hillside near the lake's edge, so hurtling through the bog I dropped down the hill onto the path. Maybe my error was moving away from the lake edge, but I don’t think there was much I could have done about it. Wainwright describes this as being “One of the wettest paths in the district.” Despite the boggy end this was a fabulous walk over great mountains, in wonderful weather and with tremendous views. The Lake District was continuing to enthral me as I continued my first ever visit. My legs and ankles may have been aching afterwards from all the strenuous walking that I wasn’t used to, but I was enjoying every moment of it.