The Ridgeway: Chinnor

Sunday 1st April 2018

At Easter last year I thought it would be a good idea to return to the Chiltern Hills where I had previously done a little bit of walking along the Ridgeway trail. I had surprised everybody when I said I was going south for my walking as I usually go north, typically to the Lake District or Scotland, but I had first gone to the Chiltern Hills in 2017 for a change and now I was continuing that vein. The weather in March last year was not great and it had not improved much by the time Easter came along, which led to me not being desperate to go walking. I was worried about the weather and what the conditions were going to be like on the ground, so I hadn’t really put the effort into preparation that I usually do. Although I came south on the Saturday, the day before this walk, I was so reluctant to start walking I actually spent the whole day at Bletchley Park, which was the home of the codebreakers during World War Two. Eventually I arrived at my base for the week at the Streatley Youth Hostel in the Thames valley and the following day I headed off to the village of Chinnor in South Oxfordshire and set off up a very muddy track until I reached the course of the Ridgeway National Trail.

Despite the muddy conditions that I would encounter on this walk after the heavy rains of the last winter I was glad that I was not walking in anywhere that is mountainous as these areas were still likely to be sitting under heavy winter snow. Turning left along the Ridgeway the track soon deteriorated into quagmire conditions as I passed around the wooded, northern slopes of Wain Hill. This small section of the walk was not on the Ordnance Survey map that I was using so I had to get the Ridgeway Trail map out of my rucksack to discover how much further I had to go and eventually I reached the point where I had got to on the trail during my previous visit in July 2017. This seemed to take me forever but eventually I came out of the wood and came to the turning that I remembered from my earlier walk. Despite this, I continued on the Ridgeway for a short while heading through some sheep-filled fields before coming off the trail to follow the route of the Chiltern Way. I was tackling the Ridgeway on a series of circular walks using other recreational paths to complete the circle and while in the Chilterns the Chiltern Way was often the path I used, though it was often quite dull.

The path initially passed through predominantly farmer’s fields, which was a little tedious while the weather was also dull, cold and overcast, but fortunately it wasn’t raining and the ground was surprisingly dry underfoot being often very stony with what looked like chalk and flint. After passing through the village of Stokenchurch and under the M40 motorway the paths were particularly muddy which made for a really difficult and tiring time for me as I tried to make my way along the trail. When the Chiltern Way entered a wood it improved dramatically with excellent scenery as I climbed through Hartmoor Wood, which at that early spring point the woodland flowers were just beginning to come through the ground and in another month would fill the wood with tremendous wonders and delight. I could see infant bluebells carpeting the woodland floor, but at this time I was far too early to see their fantastic display in flower. The muddy conditions continued in Commonhill Wood with one memorable spot where the path descends steeply in a deep, narrow rut that was filled with mud and forced me to walk with my feet straddling the mud either side of the deep rut.

Eventually I reached easier walking and as the Chiltern Way veers to the south I continued west through delightful woodland that is helpfully adorned with painted arrows that mark the paths. I followed one such route through Shotridge Wood and by the time I reached the fabulously named Christmas Common I was really tired and desperately in need of some lunch. On restarting I now followed the Oxfordshire Way that took me downhill off the Chiltern escarpment and back onto the Ridgeway. Turning right onto the trail I was now able to effortlessly follow this all the way back to Chinnor while red kites flew overhead and the escarpment accompanied me on my right. This may not have been the best walk I have ever done, though the Chilterns can never compete with the Lake District or the Highlands of Scotland. It is a shame that the wild flowers were not ready as these are what sets this area apart, although there were plenty of daffodils and primroses. The mud made this walk very tiring, but at least it wasn’t raining and it was still good to be out walking as there had been few opportunities during the long, cold, wet winter.

Latrigg and Lonscale Fell

Friday 21st December 2018

For my last day in the Lake District last Christmas I set off from Keswick past the swimming pool and onto Spoonygreen Lane towards Latrigg while overhead the weather seemed promising. Although I had a little rain initially, this was short lived while some of the fells, notably Skiddaw Little Man, were free of cloud and the skies seemed bright with very little wind, which was a welcome change from the previous days when strong winds had forced me to turn back. Not long after entering Brundholme Wood I branched off the wide, rising lane as I attempted to find a direct route up Latrigg through the wood rather than following the orthodox route via Mallen Dodd. Wainwright mentions several routes , but I had difficulty finding them, although it would have helped if I’d brought a copy of the guide with me rather than relying on lines that I had pencilled onto my Ordnance Survey map. Eventually, I found a route up, but it was ridiculously steep as befits the comments in the newer editions of Wainwright’s guide: “This route is best avoided because of a difficult stretch just below the fence”. The route up Latrigg via Mallen Dodd is still the best way up.

Once past the fence steep grassy slopes brought me up to a seat where tremendous views could be seen over Keswick and Derwent Water towards the distant fells beyond. Despite low clouds clinging to the fells around Borrowdale this was still a fabulous sight. Continuing over Latrigg I followed the clear path over several rocky outcrops that could all vie for the honour of being the top, but the actual summit is singled out by a wide grassy path that heads from it straight down to the car park at the end of Gale Road. Taking this path I went down past the car park onto the Skiddaw path, however I had no intention of going up Skiddaw, so I branched off onto the route of the Cumbria Way that descends gradually to cross Whit Beck where hundreds of young trees have recently been planted to accompany the scattered trees further upstream. I continued along the track as it crosses the slopes of Lonscale Fell while the clouds descended firmly onto all the fells, but with hardly any wind I had no hesitation in making an ascent up Lonscale Fell.

After crossing a fence I turned left uphill following the fence into the clouds above Lonscale Crags all the way up to the top of the fell. I feel as I have gone up Lonscale a lot, or at least I had recently gone up only last May after climbing Skiddaw, which seems to be the norm whenever I stay at Skiddaw House. On this occasion I was coming from the other direction slowly climbing heather slopes that seemed to be taking me so long I wondered whether I was actually climbing Skiddaw. Eventually the fence turned a corner and the eastern top appeared through the mist, which I ignored, as I headed in the opposite direction away from the fence until the summit cairn of Lonscale Fell began to emerge after a short walk. Full of energy after eating my lunch while sat at the summit I hopped away and skipped up to the featureless east top that is a much better place to be when there is a view. Turning around I followed the fence for safety in the misty conditions across the top turning right at a junction and headed north down the increasingly steep terrain towards the ridge of Burnt Horse.

As I descended it started raining so, just as in May last year, it was wet as I made my way along this fabulous ridge whose enjoyment is not diminished by poor weather. Eventually I reached the bridleway that heads to Skiddaw House and is the continuation of the track that I had been on earlier. The rain stopped as I turned right and headed along the path that goes to either Threlkeld or Keswick depending on which branch I took. I had difficulty deciding which branch to take as I could catch the bus from either Threlkeld or Keswick, but eventually I reasoned that since last May I had taken the branch to Threlkeld and since now I had plenty of time I took the fabulous path that crosses the steep slopes below Lonscale. This path is gloriously rock-filled and is absolutely delightful, and as I joyously leaped along this path that was built to serve the nearby disused quarries the thought came to my mind that the best paths were built by miners. The appeal of the Lake District today owes a lot to its mining heritage.

All too soon I came to the far end of Lonscale Crags at the point where I had left the path earlier to start my ascent of Lonscale Fell, and eventually returned to the Gale Road car park. There I had another choice to make for my route, whether to stay on the Cumbria Way, if I was short of time, and head straight into Keswick, or turn left if I had plenty of time across the eastern slopes of Latrigg and descend through Brundholme Wood. In the end I turned left though I may not have had the time so I rushed along the byway onto the grassy slopes of Latrigg before dropping onto the permissive path that goes through Brundholme Wood. I have never taken this route before but I was rather frustrated by the frequent ascents on the undulating path so I was unable to enjoy it. I probably should have taken the direct route as this route is probably much longer than it appears on the map. Eventually I came off the path onto a road that passes through the wood and provided me with a quick and easy way back into Keswick where I could catch the bus and begin my journey home.

This was a good walk that was helped by light winds that enabled me to reach the top of Lonscale Fell whereas on the previous day's walk it had been far too windy to get that high. Once again the weather during this Christmas holiday was wet as it has been in the Lake District every Christmas for the last five years, but as on those previous occasions the rain failed to dampen my enthusiasm for the area and I was able to do some good walks. You should always expect rain in the Lake District, though hope for good weather, and if you are lucky I think you will then appreciate it all the more for its rarity. I had blue skies and sunshine just once on this holiday, around midday on Wednesday, but when I had it I savoured the good, though brief, weather with enthusiasm. However, the footpaths are the crowning jewels of the Lake District and these are the same no matter what the weather.

Dodd and White Stones

Thursday 20th December 2018

I slept poorly before this walk because the dormitory in the Keswick Youth Hostel was very warm, so I was still very tired when I went outside, and when I saw that the weather was grey and murky again I became quite depressed and fed up. I did not feel like going for a walk under these overcast skies, in fact I was totally not in the mood and dejectedly wandered through the streets of Keswick. The walk that I’d planned was not particularly exciting and without better weather was not going to last very long. After slowly passing through Keswick, I eventually found myself following the same route that I had taken the previous May out of the town past Keswick School, across waterlogged fields to the village of Applethwaite and from there I walked along the road to Millbeck. In May I had branched off at this point at a sign for the Skiddaw footpath, but now I walked past that and on the outskirts of the village took a path that climbs through a thin woodland strip that lines the road onto bracken-covered slopes. As I approached the edge of Dodd Wood it began to rain, but my spirits had already been revived during the walk along the road as the views improved over Keswick towards Derwent Water.

Just walking in the Lake District, despite the grey, overcast skies, had already begun its miraculous, restorative effect on me. There are two stiles into Dodd Wood and I was confused as to which entry to take and eventually, because of the rain, I took the first stile where upon I found a scene of devastation from forestry operations. It soon became apparent that I should have taken the higher stile, as recommended in the latest version, the Walker’s Edition, of Wainwright’s guide, where a clear path leads up through the wood into an extensive cleared area where upon turning around I was afforded with a tremendous view towards Derwent Water and the Lakeland Fells that surround this most attractive of lakes. The rain had stopped and a little brightening of the sky helped to make this a scene of unusual beauty with the careless scattering of fallen trees in the foreground incongruously combined with the delectable array of lake and fells in the distance below a grey and featureless sky. The fabulous scene completed the job of reviving my spirits that the walk so far had already achieved.

Upon reaching a forestry track I found that the continuation of the footpath, although marked on O.S. maps, is very sketchy on the ground so instead I followed the nicely graded old forestry road that heads south until I reached a junction where a sharp turn north brought me onto a higher track across the eastern slopes of Dodd to eventually reach the col below the crags of Long Doors. Ignoring the good paths that lead up to the summit of Dodd I started heading down the other side of the col turning left twice to reach a grassy lane that climbs gradually back up the hill. At the end of the ‘road’ a route can be found up the north-west ridge of Dodd that was mentioned in the original Wainwright’s guide, though with the caveat, “the final section is steeply tilted, recently planted, and unpleasantly rough: this route is not recommended”. The second edition of the guide to the Northern Fells does not mention this route, but when I was last up Dodd, ten years ago, I thought it looked like a fun way up. The Walker’s Edition does recommend this route, but also says there is new tree growth and in the last couple of years this has greatly encroached on the route making Wainwright’s original comments once again applicable.

There is very little sign of a path with the new trees frequently blocking the route up the overgrown hillside. When the terrain steepens and the trees thin the view opens out over Bassenthwaite Lake, but I had to keep reminding myself to stop and look behind me at the view otherwise my attention would be solely focused on battling through the trees. A path slowly began to appear, but it was still tough-going so I was relieved when I finally reached the summit even though it was just as rain began to fall again. A good, clear path leads the weary walker who has just climbed the north-west ridge easily down the other side and needing the rest I stopped soon after leaving the summit to have my lunch. Having eaten and rested I continued down stopping off at a seat and view point that looks towards the tremendous scene that had been drawing my eye all day over Derwent Water, and when not obscured by rain had been quite spectacular. As I descended back towards Long Doors I was unsure where to go next. My plan had been to climb Long Side beside Gable Gill, but the sight of a ridiculously steep terrain as well as the poor weather was putting me off.

Instead, when I reached the col I took the clear path that climbs up to White Stones and the popular Skiddaw path that I took last May. I had intended on descending from White Stones, but when I reached the junction I turned left instead of right to follow the path up Carl Side that would eventually, if I kept going, lead me up to the top of Skiddaw, or, if I branched off, to Long Side. I was not on the straight, well-made path that the crowds usually take, but on a narrower, less distinct path on the other side of the ridge and was soon a victim of its sketchy nature that forced me into a retreat when a wrong turning took me onto pathless slopes. Once I reached about two thousand feet high the wind became very strong on the exposed slopes and I eventually came to senses so I turned around heading back down the ridge until I reached White Stones. The walk, wherever I thought I was going, was no longer fun and this is always a clear sign that it is time to turn back. I was also mindful of the fact that it would be getting dark soon and I was still heading away from Keswick, so I turned around and started heading back down towards my bed in Keswick.

Wainwright mentions a “short arête of striated rocks” above White Stones so I thought I’d try to find it by coming off the path I’d just climbed to cross the heather slopes onto a very faint path right on the top of the ridge and this took me over the short arête and down to White Stones. Although I had passed this way last May I don’t remember it leaving much of an impression on me, but I made up for that now as I explored the various quartzite outcrops before heading down the excellent footpath that brought me steeply down into Millbeck. Rather than retrace my outward route I went straight across the fields onto the A591 road and followed that all the way into Keswick. The weather on this walk was not as bad as I had feared, which enabled me to have a thoroughly enjoyable walk that worked wonders on the malaise that I had been feeling at the start of the day following my poor night’s sleep. Only when I tried to go high did the weather finally intervene in the strong winds that forced me back down. The man who returned to Keswick was a much happier person that the one who had left it six hours earlier.

High Doat and Castle Crag

Wednesday 19th December 2018

After the persistent rain and high winds of the day before this walk, it was great to enjoy the Lake District with the absence of either and to even see some blue sky and sunshine, however during the afternoon normal service was resumed with bands of rain again passing through the National Park. Setting off from the Borrowdale Youth Hostel I headed straight into Johnny Wood, which covers the eastern slopes of the small hill, High Doat, and sits above the hostel. I had passed along the edge of this wood for the first time just one year ago and I was eager to return so I could spend longer in this magical place. Therefore, partway along the path from the hostel that skirts the edge of the wood, I turned left through a gate on a path that climbs steeply through the damp, moss-covered woodland.

The rich, brown bracken made a stark contrast to the bright, green mosses that covered the ground below the dark, leafless trees while an excellent, cleverly designed path weaves through it all eventually emerging from the wood at the southern end as it heads towards Seatoller. Immediately after leaving the wood I turned right and slowly made my way up the slopes of High Doat, which dominates Borrowdale even though it is not very high at less than a thousand feet, and is not a Wainwright, therefore most people avoid it, as I have done until this moment. That is a shame as it has stunning views towards the high hills to the south while the view to the north is dominated by the similar height of Castle Crag. The map, and Wainwright, claims there is a cairn at the highest point on High Doat, but this has now vanished as indicated on the second edition of Wainwright’s guide. There are a number of outcrops that vie for the accolade, and after a hunt around I found what I thought must be the summit before setting off down the steep western slopes.

A south-west ridge joins the higher fells after about forty metres of descent, but my attention was on Castle Crag to the north so I turned in that direction dropping at least a hundred metres to reach the path that skirts the edge of Johnny Wood passing Scaleclose Force. I had failed to see this waterfall last year because I had turned off the path earlier, but since it is situated in a deep ravine it is hard to see, so instead I continued north through some fields until I reached the path that follows Tongue Gill up from the River Derwent. Crossing the stream onto the Rigghead Quarry road I followed this track to the foot of Castle Crag, turning off early to skirt a line of crags that extends a south-west ridge in a similar vein, though less craggy, as High Doat. Joining the path that comes up from Rosthwaite I climbed through the spoil left behind from disused quarries to finally reach the summit of Castle Crag where there is a war memorial and stunning views north over Derwent Water.

Even though there was still a lot of cloud the sun was now beginning to break through with the weather slowly improving. Once I was back on the old quarry road I had a decision to make as my targets for this walk had already been met and all I needed to do now was head towards Keswick, but it was far too early for that and the sun was beginning to come out. Coming down from Castle Crag I saw an almost perfect ramp on the slopes up to High Spy and speculated that it must be possible to walk up that way, so I decided to investigate. Initially I had a look into the water-logged depths of a couple of disused levels, remnants of the Lake District’s mining past, and continued to climb following a stream that heads steeply up towards Lodstone Band Door. You could call this ramp Lodstone Band, but according to the map the band is on the far side of the door and not the slopes that lead towards the door. I was wary that in pioneering this untrodden route up High Spy I might be leading myself into danger, but the sunshine that was now shining on me was all the encouragement I needed as I continued to climb. This was not the first time I’ve tried to climb the eastern slopes of High Spy as on my first day in the Lake District at Christmas, in 2006, I followed a faint path up to Nitting Haws (that is marked on the Walker's Edition of Wainwright's guide to the North Western Fells).

This is a much better way up, but just as I was beginning to think I had forged a brand new route up High Spy my dreams were shattered when I came across a plastic bottle wedged firmly into the heather. After pocketing the offending article I continued to climb as the gradient slowly eased and revealed the vast hinterland of Goat Crag. There is a top called High Scawdel marked on the map in this area but on the ground, although there are many outcrops, none of them seemed worthy of being summited so I continued to climb the vast slopes until I could go no further. Collapsing behind the shelter of a rock I put on warmer clothing as there was a cold wind blowing and I welcomed the shelter, despite the blue skies overhead. It was great sitting there in the sunshine looking out over the vast eastern slopes of High Spy, and so there I had my lunch. When I set off towards the summit of High Spy I soon discovered that I had not been far from the path that follows the crest of the ridge, though the summit was still some distance north.

It was bitterly cold and dark clouds were already beginning to appear as I passed the fine cairn that sits at the top of High Spy and just as I reached Blea Crag on the northern edge of the hinterland it briefly started to rain, but this failed to spoil the tremendous views that can be seen from this point. Several showers passed overhead as I made my way along the ridge, diverting onto the faint path that passes over the top of Maiden Moor, before continuing along the path down to Hause Gate and up to the top of Cat Bells. I had been reluctant to take this route along the top because I had walked it the Christmas before, but it was still better than any other option. Despite the deteriorating weather I enjoyed the walk and after carefully negotiating the rock bands down Cat Bells I took the Cumbria Way route through Fawe Park and Portinscale that I have taken many times before, but is still always enjoyable. The sunshine at midday was welcome, even though I was rather busy at the time to take a picture, as I pioneered a route up High Spy from Castle Crag. It was great to visit the two tops that guard the western edge of Borrowdale, and especially to reach the top of High Doat, which I had never visited before.

The Stake Pass

Tuesday 18th December 2018

When I saw that the weather forecast for this walk was persistent rain and strong winds with gusts up to eighty miles an hour my heart sank as I knew I would not be reaching the top of any of the fells and just getting to Borrowdale would be a challenge. I was going to get wet, or if my waterproofs were any good they will get wet, but there is nothing that can be done about strong winds. In my experience once the winds start gusting above fifty miles an hour you don’t want to be in their way. My original planned walk was actually able to proceed with only the slight alteration of no discursions onto the neighbouring fells as I made my way over the Stake Pass from Great Langdale to Borrowdale. I caught a bus from Ambleside, where I had stayed the night, down Langdale as far as the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, which is where I have finished a couple of walks in the rain in the past and happily sat in the Hiker’s Bar waiting for the bus, most recently last May. On this occasion I didn’t have an excuse to have a drink as I was starting from this point, so after wrapping myself up in waterproofs I set off onto the bridletrack that heads through Mickleden to the head of the valley.

I had been on this path just last May in considerably better weather conditions when under blue skies I climbed the Rossett Gill path, but now it was raining, the wind was pushing me along and the clouds were low and thick with moisture. This was going to be a challenging and adventurous walk despite merely going over the Stake Pass as these were interesting weather conditions. The path was already waterlogged with large puddles that blocked my way and forced me to wade through the waters, which was a foretaste of what was to come. Eventually I reached the junction where the Rossett Gill path diverges off to head towards Esk Hause, which was the route I took last May, while a path that I have never taken before heads steeply up the hillside on many zigs and zags all the way up to the Stake Pass. This is a well-constructed path that meanders through the fabulously rugged, boulder-filled terrain below Black Crags following the route of an ancient packhorse trail with flagstones underfoot faithfully guiding the weary traveller through all thirty-nine turns that lead the way up the steep fellside eventually easing when the path crosses Stake Gill.

The wind became increasingly ferocious as I neared the top and made just standing upright difficult, but as the gradient eased the wind also abated to reveal the scenery of Langdale Combe before me. The excellent, well-made path now disappeared and I initially had difficulty locating the continuation until I realised I needed to cross the stream and follow a narrow path around the eastern edge of the wide bowl that lay before me. Slowly the path climbs as it passes the bed of what must have, at one time, been a small lake, similar to Angle Tarn, and eventually I reached the pile of stones that mark the highest point on the Stake Pass. The stake that once gave the pass its name has long since gone and now there is a junction of paths with one heading towards the Langdale Pikes and another towards Rossett Pike, which I had hoped to visit on this walk, but even while planning I’d known I would need good weather for that to happen. With no such luck I headed over the Stake Pass on a delightfully well-weathered path across the top and upon reaching the northern edge of the pass I was once more battered by strong winds until I began the descent into Langstrath.

With the view into the valley before me I stopped to have my lunch and hastily put on my fleece that had been taken off before the climb over the pass. It was really unpleasant taking my waterproofs off while it was raining, but it was only for a brief time and once my fleece was on I could put my waterproofs back on, so that now I finally felt that I was snug and warm. After eating my lunch I changed my gloves for a dry pair and headed down the relatively recently constructed zigzags as I remembered a time ten years ago before this path was ‘fixed’. These zigzags are a poor shadow of the excellent path on the Mickleden side of the pass mainly because they are too obviously manufactured. Rather than blending into the landscape the path on this side of the pass has loose gravel underfoot with rigid, identical zigzags all the way down. The grassy surroundings means this path was never going to be able to match the majestic zigzags on the other side, but I wish it wasn’t so uniform, although time may be the healer and with a little deterioration the path may acquire some appeal. The path improved near the bottom where the terrain is stonier and the path is more uneven, though it always feels better to have solid rock underfoot.

Across the raging torrent of Stake Beck I veered off the clear path to descend to the bridge over Langstrath Beck where I had good views back up to the Stake Pass and down the valley past the rocky ravine of Tray Dub. Langstrath is better known in Britain as that valley from Countryfile and there is good walking along the lengthy valley in any weather. I decided I would take the path on the western side of the valley as I thought it would be easier in these conditions, but I have no way of knowing whether I was right, although on the only other occasion that I have taken this path, in 2009, I thought it was easier. The path certainly wasn’t dry and when the path becomes an enclosed track, half way along the valley, there were many occasions where I had to wade through surprisingly deep water, but my boots worked well to keep my feet dry. Eventually the track improved and I passed through the hamlet of Stonethwaite and along a road that led me straight to the Borrowdale Youth Hostel. My waterproofs did a fabulous job on this walk with the warden at the hostel expressing his surprise at how dry I looked considering I had just walked over the Stake Pass whereas people who had just been out to their car had looked as they’d jumped in the river. In these conditions prudence had kept me off the tops of the fells, but with good waterproofs I was still able to have a fabulous and enjoyable walk despite the challenging weather.