High Stile and Dale Head

Sunday 6th May 2018

With the prospect of hot weather the whole day I set off from the Ennerdale Youth Hostel soon coming off the forestry track to climb steeply up the hillside all the way to the top of Red Pike. After my disappointments of the day before I wanted to change my original plan for this walk, which was simply to walk along the High Stile ridge from Scarth Gap Pass and would not take me very long. In order to keep my options open and take advantage of the good weather I climbed straight up to Red Pike and walked along the High Stile ridge in the opposite direction. I have taken this path twice before, in both directions (in 2013 and in 2016), but on neither occasion did I complete the whole route despite a clear path almost all the way up to the top. It is a tedious and unexciting climb and under the cloudless skies it was tiring, thirsty work and towards the top the direction becomes rather vague. A line of cairns is supposed to lead the way, but these are sometimes too small to distinguish from the natural outcrops, however I did eventually succeed in finding my way all the way up to the top of Red Pike where I beheld the stupendous view. Across the hilltops north, the Newlands valley pointed towards Blencathra while to my left I could see along the length of Crummock Water to the flatlands of West Cumbria where sea fog covered the coastal plains.

The weather was fabulous and thanks to my early start and quick ascent I had the top of this popular fell all to myself. Slowly I set off along the ridge climbing to the top of High Stile, which was my twenty-third High Fell of this holiday when I had set myself the target of reached the top of as many of the High Fells as possible. This was my only High Fell on this walk so to fill the rest of the day I just followed my nose going over many great but smaller fells. The ridge between High Stile and High Crag needed no encouragement as it is a fabulous ridge that I have walked over many times, sometimes even on the same day (in 2011), and on this occasion it was extra special as I had it on my own and in great weather. After High Crag there is a steep scree slope down Gamlin End that I remember first climbing in hot weather in 2002. Since then a good path has been constructed to remove some of the horrible scree runs, but it could not hide the steepness of the terrain or the strong winds that seemed to be blowing at that moment. By the time I reached the Scarth Gap Pass at the bottom I still had no definite idea where I would be continuing the walk, but the diminutive Hay Stacks beyond the pass could not be missed.

I tackled the scrambles up to the top with relish enjoying every step despite now being joined by many other people also climbing this deservedly popular hill that was much loved by Wainwright. After exploring the top I made my way down past Innominate Tarn to the mouth of Blackbeck Tarn where there is a stunning view through the narrow opening towards the lakes of Buttermere and Crummock Water. Continuing along the path I crossed Warnscale Beck to reach the remains of Dubs Quarry where I followed the course of an old tramway to the site of the Drum House where I stopped to have my lunch. I had considered turning left at Dubs Quarry onto the Bridleway that would take me down to Warnscale Bottom, but having turned right I was now heading towards Honister and even further away from my destination, though it seemed my route for the rest of the day was set. While eating I noticed there is a quarry road a short distance to the north and checking on my map I saw that this is the right-of-way rather than the old tramway that I and everyone else always take. I was curious to see what I had been missing, so after eating I nipped across and descended the wide track that zigzags steeply down the hillside all the way to Honister and once across the pass I started the climb up the long grassy slopes of Dale Head.

This had sounded like a good idea for prolonging the walk, but as I slogged up the steep hillside I was beginning to have my regrets, though these were instantly forgotten when I eventually reached the top of Dale Head where there is a fantastic view down the Newlands Valley that was totally awe-inspiring and kept my attention until finally I turned left and headed along Hindscarth Edge. Turning right I headed up to the large cairn that marks the summit of Hindscarth while overhead the clouds that had been slowly growing during the course of the day began to congregate with Scafell Pike managing to attract some surprisingly dark clouds. It was still a fantastic day, but a cold wind was blowing that kept the temperature from getting too high on the exposed tops. From the top of Hindscarth there is a path that cuts the corner round to the bottom of the depression on the ridge that leads to the next fell, Robinson. It is so badly eroded it is not worth taking as is usually the case with most of these modern shortcuts that have often been created by fellrunners. The old paths are always the best. From the top of Robinson I headed steeply down the western slopes on a good path that brought me into the horrible bog of Buttermere Moss.

I remember crossing this marsh in wet weather in 2002 and I have avoided it ever since. I wish I hadn’t taken this route now as it is still horribly boggy with little or no trace of a path to follow. Eventually I safely reached the far side of the bog where a good, well-graded path led me steeply down into Buttermere although my knees screamed in agony with every step. This walk was considerably longer than planned, but it still did not take me much more than eight hours. The weather was fabulous with a bit of a brisk wind but excellent sunshine that afforded me with tremendous views and rewarded me for electing to keep walking all the way around the tops that enclose Buttermere so I could enjoy the weather for as long as possible.