Windermere to Ambleside off-road

Monday 18th December 2023

After coming back from the Lake District last summer, I had a difficult autumn that saw me doing hardly any walking for various reasons and this had a negative impact on my mental health, so I made the decision to start walking again as often as possible even it was only locally for just an hour like in lockdown and this had a hugely beneficial effect on my mental health as well as my physical health. The benefit seems to start almost as soon as I walk out of the door as it is not long before my heartrate slows and I am suddenly feeling more relaxed, but I was still not walking for more than an hour or two, so I was desperate for the chance to be out for longer. Being outdoors is a huge boost for me, so it is ironic that I work in an office all day in front of a computer and the pressures of work tied me up all autumn until the week before Christmas when I finally broke free and was able to experience the freedom that I so desperately needed. There was only one place I wanted to go and that was the Lake District even though the weather was now much worse than when I had left it at the end of August, but just being in the Lake District, no matter the weather, was all I needed. Unfortunately I didn’t reach Windermere until two o’clock and at this time of the year it would be dark by four, but I was keen to do a walk in the available time.

When I arrived in the Lake District four months earlier, I immediately set off along a footpath that crosses the western slopes of Orrest Head and now I followed in my footsteps until I reached High Hay Wood where I had lingered previously wishing I could explore before reluctantly returning to the path. Now, despite the drizzle and rapidly approaching lack of daylight, I came off the main path to take a permissive route through the wood, across several grassy fields and into St Catherine’s Wood. The view up Whinless Beck, between the woods, was captivating and began the work that had prompted me to come to the Lake District and revitalise me after the long autumn. After passing through St Catherine’s I crossed a road and followed tracks across sodden grassy fields that brought me into the Trout Beck Valley. I came this way in 2016, after visiting the top of Orrest Head, and on that occasion I discovered that the bridge over Trout Beck had been washed away. Now, I found that splendid, substantial bridges have been installed that took me easily across the valley and steeply up the path to Town End. Eventually, I managed to drag myself up the hill to Holbeck Lane where I had great views, despite the dwindling light, across the fields and down the length of Windermere.

Branching off onto Skelghyll Lane, I crossed the hillside and climbed to meet the track that crosses the southern slopes of Wansfell and I have taken many times while staying at the Ambleside Youth Hostel. This track took me into Stelghyll Wood and with the light failing I made my way along the wet path, across Stencher Beck and down the hill to the northern end of Windermere and the Ambleside Youth Hostel. This has been a tricky year for me when I have had difficulty motivating myself to get out for a walk, but whenever I have gone for a walk I have found that the benefits were tremendous. It was great to be back in the Lake District and although the ground may be saturated after the huge amount of rain we’ve had this autumn and the weather may not been good, it was just the recuperation I needed and that nowhere else could provide.

Return to the Churnet Valley

Saturday 1st April 2023

At the start of spring this year I was feeling frustrated at the poor weather that had kept me at home for much of the winter and right through to the end of March, so I was desperate for a good walk and on this day I finally forced myself to get out despite the drizzle outside. I went to the Churnet Valley, in Staffordshire, which I had visited many times over the winter of 2021/22, but I had not been back since October, which despite being only six months ago felt like forever given how frequently I had been to the area in the twelve months previously. I parked at Froghall Wharf and immediately came across a problem as I had not come with any plan of where I was going to be walking, so I found myself repeating the same walk that I had taken a year earlier from Froghall. It was not a bad route, but after all the rain over the winter it was not the firmest underfoot. I started by joining the route of the tramway that used to carry limestone from Caldonlow Quarry to the limekilns at Forghall Wharf before being loaded onto the Caldon Canal, but I didn’t stay on the track for long before branching off into Harston Wood where the thick garlic smell of ramson filled the air while wood anemones decorated the banks of the stream. Eventually, I climbed out of the valley on a steep, muddy path that brought me to outskirts of the village of Foxt where, as in 2022, I took a path that descended through some grassy fields before plunging into a valley clothed in Whieldon’s Wood.

This was filled with many small green plants, including bluebells, which in a month’s time will produce a wondrous display, but not at this early point in the season, nevertheless the abundance of wild plants that filled the verdant valley was uplifting and stayed with me as I headed downstream. Eventually I came to the outlet of a lake where a landslide has closed the path, so I had to carefully make my way around the difficulties before reaching the main footpath where I turned left to continue to follow the Blackbank Brook downstream, and found the path to be just as phenomenally muddy as I had seen over the winter of 2021/22. There was nothing I could do about it except to just brave the mud and somehow find my way down the path until with Froghall Wharf in sight through the trees I turned off the path to climb up to a road where a short walk brought me to Hermitage Farm and after crossing several grassy fields I reached Booth’s Wood, but this was nothing like I remembered. On previous visits this dell has been thoroughly overgrown with the path severely blocked by fallen branches, but now the path has been cleared, which greatly benefited me and hopefully, by clearing the ground, will also benefit the bluebells which grow in abundance in this dell.

At this early point in the season it was celandines and wood anemones that filled the woodland and they were no less welcome than the bluebells that I knew from last year would come to dominate in a month’s time. After taking loads of pictures I eventually moved on from there and up to the relative mediocrity of Booth’s Hall Farm where I wanted to turn left onto a path that would take me back down into the Churnet Valley, but I couldn’t find it. I was mindful of the fact that I was still following my route of twelve months earlier so I wanted to go somewhere new, but I couldn’t find the path past the farm building so I resigned myself to following the familiar path over waterlogged fields that took me past Greenwood House and eventually down to the bottom of the Churnet Valley. Since I had turned right at this point twelve months earlier, this time I turned left to walk beside the canal for a short spell before crossing over the valley to enter Consall Nature Park. A steep climb took me up Far Kingsley Banks to a fantastic viewpoint across the park that I have come to love over my previous visits. After admiring the view, which wasn’t at its best, I followed the path down to the bottom of the valley and after passing the pools proceeded to head back out of the park and onto the towpath beside the Caldon Canal that brought me all the way back to Froghall Wharf. I really needed this walk after a difficult winter, and it shows the importance of getting out for a walk.

Stony Cove Pike and Red Screes

Thursday 31st August 2023

Unfortunately I had to end my holiday in the Lake District two days early due to train strikes and tragically, after the wet start to the holiday, the weather was now fantastic so I was going miss out on two good days, but the Lake District will still be there for the next time. Before I left I had time for one last walk, if only to get me from Patterdale to the train station. When my plan for this day had been to get to my next overnight accommodation in Coniston, I was going to climb Red Screes via Middle Dodd, but with this being my last day in the Lake District, and with good weather, I wanted to prolong the walking for as long as possible, so the previous evening I poured over maps of the Lake District and considered my options, until eventually I decided to go over Caudale Moor, whose summit is known as Stony Cove Pike, before climbing Red Screes. So, in gorgeous weather, I left the Patterdale Youth Hostel and followed the path down the eastern side of the valley, which provided me with a relaxing walk in the morning sunshine that eventually brought me to the village of Hartsop where I didn’t have good memories. Two years ago, I did an unnecessary descent to the village at the start of my holiday followed by a gut-destroying ascent up Hartsop Dodd and onward to Caudale Moor, however, after almost two weeks of fabulous walking in the Lake District, my negative memories from that holiday have almost been expunged so I was not too glum to be back in Hartsop.

After that walk in 2021, I had camped on Caudale Moor and when I woke the following morning the weather was poor, so I came straight back down via Threshwaite Mouth and through the glen. I have fond memories of a descent that took me through somewhere I’d never been before, so I was keen to see it in better weather. A steady climb took me through Threshwaite Glen, past grass-covered glacial mounds and through a boulder-field into Threshwaite Cove before an exhausting climb brought me to the top of the pass at Threshwaite Mouth where I turned right to begin a glorious scramble up to Stony Cove Pike. As I approached the summit, clouds came over and smothered all the views, which was a shock after the sunny start to the day but the cloud soon cleared. After traversing the summit plateau, a wall provided me with a clear guide that was unnecessary in the clearing weather and with a good path underfoot gave me a gentle descent to the head of Woundale before a short climb brought me to St Raven’s Edge where I had great views down the valley of Stock Ghyll to Ambleside and the northern tip of Windermere. A steep descent brought me down to the Kirkstone Pass and after passing the Inn and over the road, I started to climb Red Screes on an ascent that I have taken twice before, but since the last time was in 2009 I thought it would be a good idea to take it again.

It wasn’t long before this steep ascent had worn me out and I had to stop and rest. This climb is unrelentingly steep and I remember previously struggling on it, though the path is excellent and passes through some great mountain scenery. Eventually I gave up on the struggle and stopped for a prolonged rest while I had my lunch, though I later discovered that I was now not far from the summit and after a short, steep scramble I finally reached the Ordnance Survey column that marks the top of Red Screes, Exhausted from the strenuous climb, I clung to the trig point for support and to try and catch my breath. It wasn’t until I had my breath back that I was able to take in the tremendous views all around me that included those over Middle Dodd down to Brothers Water and Patterdale, but of course the most arresting view was towards Fairfield and the Helvellyn range. Everywhere was looking glorious, but I was gutted that this was the last fell of my holiday and I was going home. Eventually I turned my face away from the fabulous views and the summit and headed down the grassy south ridge towards Ambleside on a path that I had previously taken in 2005 in poor weather when I wouldn’t have been able to see anything, though a path like this is always best in descent.

With hazy views ahead of me towards Windermere and dark clouds coming over the Coniston Fells I descended the gentle slopes of the grassy ridge keeping my pace up to ensure I caught the bus I wanted. The path eventually brought me onto the Kirkstone Road still some distance above Ambleside so my descent continued along the road until I was back in Ambleside and able to catch a bus to the railway station and begin my journey home. I was very tired by the end of this walk, so maybe it was good that I was going home, but maybe part of the problem was the heat that had developed during the week, which hadn’t been a problem earlier in the holiday when it had been cold and wet but the heat had begun to make the walking very draining and tiring. Overall, this was a fabulous holiday as is any in the Lake District. At the start I was feeling very stressed and needed some rest and recuperation and the Lake District definitely gave me that, refreshing me in both mind and body.

The Knott and Loadpot Hill

Wednesday 30th August 2023

On this walk I headed into the Far Eastern Fells to reach places that I had not visited in a long time, but first I joined the route of the Coast to Coast Walk. I had planned to climb up the Knott from Hayeswater, but since I was staying at the Patterdale Youth Hostel I realised that the Coast to Coast would be better, more direct, despite having climbed that way in 2021, as far as the Angletarn Pikes. The Coast to Coast path took me from Patterdale up to Boredale Hause and around the Angletarn Pikes in gorgeous weather that soon had been sweating as I toiled up the path. I ignored the pikes and enjoyed the rest on level ground while passing around Angle Tarn, but soon I was sweating again as I climbed up over the top of Satura Crag. At that point I branched off the Coast to Coast to climb towards Rest Dodd on much fainter paths, but even those I branched off to follow the wall that traverses the northern slopes and from a gap in the wall I turned north to cross the horrendously boggy saddle that defends the Nab. This isolated fell lies in the middle of the Martindale Deer Forest and the only access route is from the col with Rest Dodd. No one would have bothered with it if Wainwright hadn’t highlighted the fell in his guides and so I obediently followed his steps across the saddle that was saturated with water after the rain that I had endured over the last week.

I previously visited the Nab in 2010 as part of my first round of the Wainwright fells and now as I attempted to complete a second round I cursed him every time I had to jump across peat hags with the knowledge that I would have to cross them again on the way back. My efforts had little reward with a tiny cairn at the summit and views that were nothing special, though there was some appeal west with the Helvellyn range in the distance and Heck Crag across the valley. After successfully crossing the boggy col again, I climbed up to the top of Rest Dodd and followed a wall down to another saddle before climbing steeply up the other side eventually crossing the Coast to Coast path and reaching the summit of the Knott. This is a curious fell that must be crossed by hundreds of people, but with very few of them actually visiting the summit. The Coast to Coast path passes close by but does not actually reach the top and I must have also passed by on many occasions without visiting the summit. The only time I had previously done so was in 2006, so now I finally returned before dropping the short distance onto the busy path and straight across up to Rampsgill Head. The views north down Ramps Gill were sensational and with a brisk wind blowing I sailed over the top and along the ridge towards High Raise, overjoyed at the feeling of being up high.

I continued over High Raise and along the route of the Roman road, High Street, on a broad grassy ridge that took me over the minor tops of Raven Howe and Red Crag before finally reaching the top of Wether Hill where I had my lunch. The last time I had been at the top of Wether Hill was in 2006, the same walk that took me onto the Knott, but the hill further north along High Street, beyond the inevitable bog, had not been visited since 2004. When I climbed Arnison Crag the day before I wondered if there was a fell that I had not climbed even longer and Loadpot Hill was the answer, which makes me wonder why. It lies on the eastern edge of the Lake District and in 2004 after visiting the grassy hill I had descended the vast northern slopes across Moor Divock to the village of Askham, but this time instead of following my walk of 2004 out of the Lake District, I headed towards the western edge of the grassy slopes to Bonscale Pike and Arthur’s Pike, which I had previously visited in 2009 when I was also heading out of the Lake District to the village of Askham. The recognised summit of Bonscale Pike is very unsatisfying with higher ground a short distance away towards Loadpot Hill, but the real star of the fell is the elegant column of rock known as Bonscale Tower and the tremendous views across Ullswater.

Arthur’s Pike was a short distance away, across Swarth Beck, and is more clearly defined with a bigger cairn and views that were best looking out of the Lake District towards the Pennine range. Despite wanting to head back to Patterdale I had to go in the other direction at first crossing the top of steep crags until I reached a clear bridleway where I turned left and headed back towards the fells with Ullswater to my right along a path that I had never taken before and enjoyed the opportunity. I was astonished at the progress I had made on this walk and had even planned an option to bypass Bonscale Pike and Arthur’s Pike, but that had been unnecessary as I had been so quick on the Roman road of High Street. I couldn’t believe I had already reached the top of nine Wainwrights so the sensible thing to do was to take it easy for the rest of the day and follow the Ullswater Way back to Patterdale, but ahead of me were two Wainwrights that I hadn’t visited in a long time and I couldn’t resist them. When I reached Howtown I crossed Fusedale Beck and began to climb the bracken-covered slopes of Steel Knotts, which I had previously climbed in 2006 on the aforementioned walk. When the gradient eased I reached a cairn that gave me good views over Ullswater and was highlighted at the start of lockdown in 2020, but the summit, known as Pikeawassa, was much further along the ridge and there my best views were in the other direction towards the remote valleys of Ramps Gill and Bannerdale with the Nab rising between them.

Turning around, I headed back along the ridge and branched left towards Lanty Tarn and St Peter’s Church at the top of the pass descending very steep crags on a narrow path and when I eventually reached the church I crossed the road and began to climb my eleventh Wainwright on this walk, Hallin Fell, which I had previously climbed in 2008. Echoing that walk, I ignored the wide path that leads up to the summit and headed across the eastern slopes to a cairn that affords good views across Ullswater before climbing up the ridge to the crowded summit where a tall obelisk sits proudly over the landscape. I quickly moved away from the crowds steeply down grassy slopes to the perimeter path and into Hallinhag Wood where I found the Ullswater Way and followed it through Sandwick and along the awesome path that skirts Place Fell. The heat and strenuous walking had worn me out by this time so I wasn’t tempted to add a twelve Wainwright to my tally with Place Fell. This was an epic walk, especially considering that at the start of the holiday I was very tired and had come to the Lake District for some rest and recuperation. It seems to have worked as I was now feeling better than I had all year and marvelled at the huge number of fells that I had reached on this walk, which surpasses my previous record in one day of ten from back in 2009 and I could so easily have added the Angletarn Pikes and Brock Crags to the start of the walk.

Arnison Crag and Hartsop Above How

Tuesday 29th August 2023

The weather did not look good when I got up, so I put on all my waterproofs before setting off, but by the time I walked out of the door of the Patterdale Youth Hostel the rain had stopped and the sun was beginning to break through the clouds. With improving weather I set off to climb a hill that I’ve not visited for a long time, ever since 2006 on a very memorable holiday when I came off the fells over Arnison Crag, which overlooks Ullswater and while at the top I took a picture of the stupendous view. Ever since, that has been one of my favourite pictures and was highlighted in 2020. I have tried to make a return visit on several occasions but the weather was never good enough to provide me with a good view again. This time, I wasn’t to be put off, so despite wet conditions underfoot I set off up the path through thick bracken, slowly climbing the hillside and soon I had great views over Ullswater that prompted me to take many photos. These views developed as I climbed until eventually I reached the top of Arnison Crag where that memorable picture was taken, but the overcast skies meant this picture was never going to be so good, though the flashes of sunlight touching the end of the lake did add some charm. The view in the other direction was perhaps more appealing as the sun shone on the village of Hartsop while the fells surrounding lay shrouded under dark clouds.

I wondered if there was any other fell that I had not visited in such a long time, so because I love spreadsheets and I have a register of every time I have visited the top of a fell in the Lake District, I immediately checked and discovered that I had not visited Loadpot Hill since 2004. Nevertheless, since I had not been to the top of Arnison Crag since 2006 I was glad to have finally returned so I could see that awesome view of Ullswater, even though Wainwright shockingly stated that it was not the best view of the lake. Eventually I tore myself away from the views and along an undulating, grassy ridge to Trough Head and from there up to Birks, while it briefly rained but had stopped by the time I reached the top. Ahead of me was St Sunday Crag and this drew me on, across the tedious, undulating ridge of Birks, retracing my steps of 2006. By the time I reached the foot of the steep climb up St Sunday Crag the sun had come out again and since I was now sheltered from the strong wind I took off my waterproofs for the ascent, but when the gradient eased I was exposed to the winds again and it started to rain, so my waterproofs came back on. Such is hill walking. It felt like a long time since I had been this way and a quick check revealed that it was in 2006 on the aforementioned walk, which is shocking. Why has such a significant fell been neglected for so long?

I battled against the strong winds across the fabulously craggy top to the summit of St Sunday Crag before heading down the long, gentle slopes off the fell while the sun came out revealing stunning views ahead of me, despite the strong, cold winds. While admiring the views north towards Helvellyn and west across Grisedale Tarn, I continued down the ridge to Deepdale Hause and up to the rocky peak of Cofa Pike. Beyond, I avoided the scree slope that defends Fairfield, crossing the northern slopes before joining the path that climbs up from Grisedale Hause to the windswept summit plateau of Fairfield where I had stunning views in all directions with all the fells, except for the Scafell Pikes, clear of clouds. I hid from the wind in the summit shelter and had my lunch in, relative, peace before setting off again into the wind across the summit plateau. As the wind eased I was able to enjoy the views in all directions that now included those to the south, across Windermere and all the way to Morecombe Bay. I slowly made my way over the fabulously craggy ground that led me down to Link Hause while the eastern views now drew my eye.

The ground in this area is gloriously rocky and I loved crossing Link Hause over those rocks and up to the top of Hart Crag, still retracing my steps of 2006. My next fell should have been Dove Crag, but instead I turned left at the col to head down into Dovedale, however, my target was not in the valley. Despite ignoring Dove Crag, I was still echoing my walk of 2006 when I had visited the Priest’s Hole, a small cave high up on the side of Dove Crag. I had never been back so I was keen to return, but first I had to find the path. The walkers’ edition of Wainwright’s guide reveals that the turning is beside a small tarn and a big boulder, but the path is very faint, hard to follow and leads into treacherous ground. After an abortive attempt that took me too low down, a second attempt seemed to also be leading me into a dead end, but eventually I came upon the tiny opening of the cave. After looking around the tiny cave and taking a few pictures, I made my way back along the precarious path, which led me again into difficult ground so I was relieved when I finally reached the main path that leads into Deepdale.

Rather than descend that way, which would echo 2006, since it was still quite early I crossed Houndshope Cove and onto the ridge of Hartsop Above How that descends from Hart Crag. After a brief darkening of the skies while I sought the Priest’s Hole, the weather brightened again for my descent over Hartsop Above How. This is merely a long ridge and unsatisfying on its own, but it makes a great, prolonged descent from Hart Crag with the slight rise to the top of Hartsop Above How as an irrelevance compared with the relaxing descent while ahead of me were tremendous views across Patterdale and towards the Angletarn Pikes. I slowly made my way down the ridge, taking my time and making sure that I stayed on top of the ridge all the way down to Bridgend. When I reached the bottom of Patterdale I crossed the valley and followed the relaxing path along the eastern edge that led me back to the youth hostel. This walk could be described as a Deepdale Round, though the valley rarely got a look-in as I followed the top of the hills that surround. This was a fabulous walk in weather that was poor at first, but later produced some stunning views and brought me back to places that I had last visited more than sixteen years ago.

High Rigg and Watson's Dodd

Monday 28th August 2023

I was disappointed by the walk the previous day that was heavily affected by the rain and I came back to the hostel just as the weather began to improve, so I really needed a good walk now to wipe out those bad feelings and, with an improvement in the weather, I was in the right place to do it. So I set off from the Skiddaw House Hostel, branching left to take the bridleway to Threlkeld and after passing over Roughten Gill I branched off that onto a path that descends to the Glenderaterra Beck. I have never taken this path before, although I’ve travelled along the bridleways either side of the valley many times and it was rather pleasant, with blue skies appearing that promised a good Bank Holiday Monday. The path eventually joined a road and after passing through the small community of Westcoe I reached the outskirts of Threlkeld and contemplated my route for the day. I was going to be staying at the Patterdale Youth Hostel, so I had to find a way over the mountains to get there, but my planned route didn’t appeal to me. Ahead of me was St John’s in the Vale with the high mountains on the left and on the right was the range of low hills known as High Rigg, and I remembered that on all of my previous visits there, most recently in 2016, I had walked from south to north and at Christmas, so I thought it would be a good idea to now traverse High Rigg from north to south and in the summer. Footpaths across many grassy fields brought me to St John’s Church and youth centre where I turned left onto the fell climbing steeply through bracken and passing a slowworm on the way.

From the summit I surveyed the scene around me that looked great despite the clouds that had now smothered the blue skies that I had enjoyed earlier in the day. It had been my intention to stick to the main path, but I immediately branched right to the small cairn at the top of Shawbank Crag where I had a view across the Naddle Valley and towards Keswick, which afforded me with a mobile signal that I needed to research my onward route. Turning south, I followed the path across the fell, which initially was rather dull, but improved as the ridge began to narrow over Long Band with views ahead of me towards the tree covered hill of Great How and the reservoir of Thirlmere while purple-flowering heather was at my feet. Eventually I descended through the trees at the southern end of the fell and down to Smaithwaite Bridge where the imposing crag of Castle Rock sits at the foot of the high mountains. I had previously climbed this on New Year’s Day 2009, so when I came up with the idea of climbing it, while approaching High Rigg, I leapt at the opportunity and my route up took me initially through a gorgeous field of wild flowers and then on a good path that climbed cleverly around the crags, past rock climbers and all the way up to the top. I would have thought that a prominent hill like this with a car park at the foot would be swarming with day trippers on a Bank Holiday Monday, but there was no one at the summit.

After eating my lunch I found that it was difficult to get down the back of Castle Rock because of thick bracken, but eventually I managed to find a way through the obstacles and onto a faint path that climbed the high fell behind. This path soon disappeared and I was left with an unrelenting climb up steep, grassy slopes all the way to the top of Watson’s Dodd. The weather had improved immensely since I had traversed High Rigg as the sun shone during my ascent which provided me with great views over High Rigg and towards the awesome mountains in the distance. These compensated for the long, tedious climb and prompted me to take loads of photos, stopping every couple of steps to catch my breath and take another picture. Eventually the summit of Watson’s Dodd came into view and I dragged myself slowly up to the broad cairn that marks the top where I was greeted by awesome views in all directions. As I headed south it was the views east that mesmerised me, all the way to the Pennine range far in the distance, while in the other direction rain could be seen smothering the highest fells in the Lake District. The winds picked up as I approached the top of Stybarrow Dodd and I gazed in awe at the views east from the summit before returning to the main path, through the strong winds and down to the Sticks Pass.

I have crossed this pass many times, from Helvellyn heading north, or south heading towards Helvellyn, but only once had I ever descended from the pass, in 2003 in bad weather. I was a little hesitant to start the descent now since it was still quite early, but the approaching rain convinced me that it was time to descend, and I was keen to take this path down. The path over Raise and down the pony track was too familiar compared with this great, little path beside Sticks Gill with plenty of rock around, though little sign of the mining that used to happen in the area. The rain caught up with me before I reached Glenridding, but it was never heavy. I took a course around the lower slopes of Birkhouse Moor from Glenridding to Grisedale that I must have taken many times before, though it must have been a long time ago as I was unsure on the route. Repairs to the bridge over Bleacove Beck forced me onto a diversion and from Mires Beck the path was so sketchy that I had to check my map, but eventually I found my way into Grisedale and again I had to check my map. Once I was on the right path, through Glenamara Park, I tried to remember when was the last time I’d taken this route from Glenridding to Patterdale but I could not remember doing it in the last ten years. It had taken me so long to descend from the Sticks Pass and around the hill that it was after five o’clock by the time I reached the youth hostel, so not too early after all.

Considering this walk was largely unplanned, it was very enjoyable with weather that was a little mixed, but when it was good I had fantastic views. The recommended route across High Rigg is south to north, but I liked doing it north to south as it leaves the best bit to the end and the views south are in no way inferior to those north. I liked the opportunity to return to Castle Rock and then to do an ascent that I’d never done before, up Watson’s Dodd, so by the end the walk had performed wonders on my mind and I was no longer the depressed soul who had left Skiddaw House.

Meal Fell and Brae Fell

Sunday 27th August 2023

After a spending a night at Skiddaw House Hostel, I set off across the vast heathery landscape of Skiddaw Forest, leaving the hostel that seems to lie in the middle of nowhere, certainly with no civilisation in sight, surrounded by purple-flowering heather and, on this day, low clouds. The weather looked ominous with rain surely not far away, but for now it was not raining so I was happy while walking along the access track, over the young River Caldew and beside the foot of Great Calva to reach the waterfall of Whitewater Dash. Frustratingly, the waterfall was not visible from the track until after I had passed below Dead Crags and by then it was too far away to be seen clearly. Despite losing the height that is the benefit of staying at Skiddaw House, this was a great walk through awesome scenery with the low clouds adding an atmospheric and moody feel to the surroundings that I quite enjoyed. I had only once before been on this track, at the beginning of 2008, so I was keen to do it again, but after a while the track became tarmac, passed through dull farmland and went on a bit too long until finally I reached the public road where I turned right. After passing Cassbeck Bridge and Horsemoor Hills Farm, I turned right onto a bridleway by which time it had started to rain, which was a problem as it was so warm and humid I soon began to sweat inside my waterproofs.  

The track slowly climbed across the western slopes of Great Cockup while ahead of me, up the valley, Whitewater Dash could be seen in the distance. I climbed Great Cockup from this direction in 2015, so, instead of repeating myself, I kept to the bridleway passing around the southern slopes, over Brockle Crag and down to Burntod Gill. I was now completely surrounded by clouds and it was raining, so navigation was very tricky. The landscape ahead of me was confusing so I checked my map which revealed that although the bridleway crosses the stream and heads up alongside Hause Gill into the surround of hills ahead of me, I needed to turn left to follow Burntod Gill through a narrow, steep-sided valley. I loved walking through this valley where loose rocks covered the slopes to my left and heather decorated the hillside elsewhere while the path, though tricky and eroded in places, was always interesting and eventually brought me to that amazing gap in the hills known as Trusmadoor. With the weather showed no signs of improving, I left the confines of Burntod Gill and climbed the hill on the far side of the pass to eventually reach the summit of Meal Fell.

Despite thinking that I must be the only one stupid enough to be out in this weather, I found quite a few people in the shelter at the top of Meal Fell and there were more on the eastern ridge heading towards Great Sca Fell. Perhaps the Bank Holiday had attracted everyone. Before reaching the top of Great Sca Fell I turned left and headed up a grass shelf to Little Sca Fell where I found even more people. From there I headed north across the broad, featureless hillside to the top of Brae Fell, which I had previously visited just once before, in 2008. The other fells in the area had been revisited in 2015, but on that occasion I had missed out on Brae Fell, so I corrected that oversight now even though I couldn’t see anything from the summit. After lunch I retraced my steps back to Great Sca Fell even though I had planned to descend the eastern slopes into the valley of Dale Beck. The weather was not right for that plan, however the rain stopped briefly soon after I left Brae Fell and I even thought I saw the sun trying to burn through the clouds. Nevertheless, I followed the clear tracks back across the broad hillside, somehow finding myself on a path that keeps to the eastern edge of the fell and bypasses the summit, so when this became obvious I ploughed through the grass to reach the low cairn that marks the top of Great Sca Fell.

With a much wider and clearer path now under my feet and the weather closing in again, I headed south across a broad muddy col that was well-remembered from when I passed this way in 2015. Eventually I passed beyond the bogs and began to climb towards Knott following the path which veered to the left to reach the cairn that is at the summit. It was still quite early in the day at this point, but I had run out of hills to do. In 2015 I had crossed a very boggy saddle to Great Calva and, in the other direction, High Pike was climbed in 2021, but I don’t like to repeat myself, especially from relatively recent walks. So instead I kept to my planned route of descent, heading east from the top of Knott along a clear path before veering right to descend past the cairn on Pike. The skies now began to clear, just as I was coming off the fells, which was very frustrating, but I could not see what else I could do. What I should not have done was to try descending over Pike as there is no path and the slopes are defended by thick heather so it was very tough trying to make my way down. With hindsight, I should have stayed on the east ridge of Knott until I reached Coomb Height and descended from there over Cocklakes where there is a clear path.

Eventually I reached the bottom of the valley where I was able to join the clear path that crosses Wiley Gill and heads back to Skiddaw House reaching there about three o’clock despite much better weather. I had been rained on too much in this walk so I was glad for it to end. I loved the start along the Hostel access track, past Whitewater Dash falls, but once it started to rain this walk, more than anything else, was just a navigational challenge. There was no view, just grassy hills and the occasional cairn, with the path beside Burntod Gill being the solitary highlight. I was quite happy to finish the walk early.

Great Borne and Starling Dodd

Saturday 26th August 2023

On my eighth day in the Lake District I left the Ennerdale Youth Hostel, where I had just spent my second night, and headed down the forestry track, beside the shores of Ennerdale Water and out of the valley. Soon after joining a road I branched off onto a footpath that climbs through thick bracken on a route that I had previously taken in 2011 and I saw no reason not to repeat the route that I had taken then. On that occasion the small hill of Bowness Knott that overlooks Ennerdale Water had recently been cleared of conifers whose fallen branches prevented me from reaching the top, but now, after branching off the main path, I was able to take a path that led me through heather and past small conifer trees to a small cairn that marks the summit. The sun was shining on Bowness Knott and out of the Lake District, towards the sea, but dark clouds lingered over the fells either side of Ennerdale. The heather was very thick on the ground and had encroached on the path meaning that it was quite an effort for me to wade through, in both directions. Once safely through the heather, rather than retrace my steps all the way down to the junction, I tried to force a way through the bracken that lay between me and the main path, but this was foolish as the bracken was far too thick and, although I did eventually manage to reach the path, it would have been easier to have descended to the junction. With views behind me over Bowness Knott and Ennerdale Water, I climbed past a circular sheepfold and up a steep, rocky path beside Rake Beck.

It hadn’t looked possible to climb this way, but the path ingeniously finds a way through the steep, craggy ground and deposited me at the top of the rake some distance away from the summit, so I followed the path through heather and onto the pathless, bouldery summit plateau where a trig point and shelter marks the top of Great Borne. It had been my intention to descend from there down Steel Brow to the top of Floutern Pass, but instead, on the spur of the moment, I decided to continue to echo my walk of 2011 and traverse to the neighbouring Starling Dodd. These two fells were my last Wainwrights and after bagging them in 2011 I had successfully completed my round. I am now close to a second round, but there are still a few Wainwrights that I have not done twice, or since I completed my first round in 2011. The low clouds that had clung to the fells cleared as I left Great Borne so with sunshine and increasing amounts of blue sky I made my way along a clear path beside a fence that led me from Great Borne and up to the top of Starling Dodd. The views in all directions were mesmerising so it was disappointing that I already needed to descend just as the weather was coming good.

I now had to find a route down from Starling Dodd and I thought the best way down would be alongside Scale Beck, so at the col with Little Dodd I branched off the path and dropped down the heather-covered slope and as the sides of the valley steepened the walking became quite tricky. Eventually an excellent path, coming down from Red Pike, came alongside the stream and took me into a wonderland as the valley closed in and trees appeared within the confined surroundings while the rocky path weaved an interesting route through. I wish I’d taken this magical path before as the abundance of trees was a welcome change from the bare, treeless slopes on top of the fells, as it took me through the gorge, past the top of Scale Force and steeply down to the mouth of the ravine that leads to the great waterfall. There were many people clustered around the foot of the waterfall so I didn’t stop and instead headed off down the path that runs beside Scale Beck. I was also mindful of the time and hopeful that if I kept going I would be able to catch a bus that was scheduled to leave Buttermere soon, so I hastily made my way down the tourist-thronged path, pausing only briefly to take a picture of the stunning views down the stream in the now fantastic weather.

Eventually I reached Buttermere with just a minute or two to spare before the scheduled departure time of the bus, but as I ate my lunch the bus failed to appear on time and was quite late when it finally arrived. This should not have been a surprise on a Bank Holiday Weekend and during the journey I saw why it had been so late with difficulties getting past the many parked cars near Gatesgarth, at the foot of Honister Pass, and in negotiating the oncoming cars on the narrow road. While booking my accommodation for this holiday I had found that the large youth hostels did not have any beds in shared dormitories available, so I was not able to stay at the youth hostels in Buttermere, Borrowdale or Keswick. My bus took me from Buttermere, through Borrowdale and eventually brought me into Keswick, but none of these places had beds for me in the youth hostels. Therefore, after buying some food, I set off walking again, through the crowded streets of Keswick and onto the path that climbs around Latrigg and Lonscale Fell following the route of the Cumbria Way. Since my rucksack was now much heavier and in the warm weather, this was quite an exhausting climb and then after dark clouds came over, it started to rain, but eventually I reached Skiddaw House Hostel where I finally found a bed for the night. Most of this walk was before lunch and although the views were sensational from the top of Starling Dodd, the best part of the walk was through the tree-filled gorge of Scale Beck, despite being unplanned.

Caw Fell and Lank Rigg

Friday 25th August 2023

After two days of fantastic weather, during which I did two very strenuous walks, it was actually a relief to get some poor weather on this day as I had come to the Lake District for some rest and recuperation, so now I was being forced to take it easy because of the change in weather. The clouds were now low, there was a cold westerly wind and it was raining, so normal service in the Lake District was resumed. Fortunately it wasn’t raining when I left the Ennerdale Youth Hostel, passed the Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre and crossed the valley onto a path that passes between the trees beside the Woundell Beck. I had come out of the hostel wearing waterproofs, ready for the bad weather, but since it wasn’t raining I had soon taken them off, which was a great help as I climbed up a steep path on the tongue between the streams of Silvercove Beck and Deep Gill. Just as I neared the edge of the forestry plantation it started to rain again so my waterproofs went back on as I climbed up gentler slopes through purple-flowering heather. This is a great route up to the ridge south of Ennerdale and the rain now falling did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of it, although as the rain got heavier later on I did begin to question my sanity of going for a walk in this weather. There were moments when I stopped and just stood with my back to the wind and rain wishing it would ease and eventually, as I approached the top of the climb, it finally did and I made my way around the top of Silver Cove up to the top of Caw Fell.

In stark contrast to the rugged, craggy fells to the east, further up the valley, Caw Fell is a sprawling pasture of grass and sheep with little to interest me, but whose gentler gradients were perhaps safer in the poor weather than the steeper, rockier ground elsewhere. It is still a Wainwright so I branched up to the cairn that marks the summit before following the wall and fence west that runs across the top. A direct course towards Lank Rigg from Caw Fell would involve a big descent to the bottom of the valley of Worm Gill before a steeper climb would take me back up the hill and that had been my plan, but when I reached a right turn in the wall I decided to take the easier option and follow the wall north rather go straight ahead down the western slopes of Caw Fell. I minimised the unnecessary descent by following the ridge over Iron Crag, which is a broad grassy fell that some people consider to be a separate fell, but Wainwright disregarded it. I passed over Iron Crag in 2013 but on this occasion I took a different path to the one that runs along the top of the ridge and instead crossed the western slopes, though this did nothing to minimise the long distance that I had to walk through weather that was not much better even though it had stopped raining. After coming down from the top of Iron Crag, I rounded the top of the valley slowly making my way towards Lank Rigg, but first I had to negotiate the wet ground in the saddle before Whoap.

After going around the insignificant top of Whoap I dropped down to the col before climbing steeply up to the top of Lank Rigg, which I had previously visited just once before, at Christmas 2010, so I was eager to do it again as it is one of a dwindling number of fells that I’ve only done once. This grassy hill feels far removed from the rest of the Lake District, sitting as it does on the western edge and perhaps its best appeal is the views it affords over West Cumbria and out to sea. Wainwright tried to add some appeal to the fell by burying hidden treasure near the summit and others have followed his example, but I couldn’t be bothered to look. Instead I stopped by the trig point with my back to the cold, westerly wind and had my lunch before setting off again back down the hill. I had gotten quite cold while sitting at the top, so the sun coming out as I set off was a welcome addition, but it was fleeting and it was the climb over Whoap that really warmed me up again. When I was previously in the area, in 2010, trees filled the banks north of the young River Calder, and are still shown on Ordnance Survey Maps, but these have now been felled and provided me with unrestricted views towards Grike while heather covered the ground formally shrouded by trees.

With the sun now trying to break through the clouds I strode on towards Grike crossing the southern slopes of Crag Fell on a bridleway that Wainwright reveals is an old mine road, but it was a trap as it does not reach the top of Grike so I had to climb over a locked gate beside a communications mast. A wet path on other side of the fence took me up to the top of Grike, which is another Wainwright that I have visited only once before, back in 2009, and I now found the summit to be generously decorated with shelters and cairns, and also afforded me with good views across West Cumbria and out to sea. It had been my intention to descend from here, but Crag Fell was too close to ignore, even though I have done it a few more times than Grike or Lank Rigg. I was last there in 2013, but the real reason I wanted to get to the top of Crag Fell was to get an uninterrupted view up Ennerdale, which at the moment was blocked by Crag Fell. With the improving weather since lunch it seemed to be a no brainer, but when I got there dark clouds cast a shadow over the bottom of the valley so the views were not as good as I had hoped. Heavy rain had been forecast for the afternoon, but it seems I got that in the morning instead during my ascent, so I now had good weather for my descent off Crag Fell, across Ben Gill and into an area of recently felled conifers. At the bottom I turned right to reach Ennerdale Water and join the route of the Coast to Coast along the shore of the lake. This is quite a craggy path, particularly around Robin Hood’s Chair where some scrambling was required, and provided me with an enjoyable and relaxing walk all the way back to the Youth Hostel. 

Kirk Fell and Pillar

Thursday 24th August 2023

Whenever I am at the Wasdale Hall Youth Hostel I find it hard to resist the temptation to cross the Wastwater Screes, however as I set off I realised that the last time I crossed the Screes was in 2010, so it was definitely time for another traverse. Eagerly, I passed through the grounds of Wasdale Hall, along the edge of Wastwater and around Low Wood until I finally reached Lund Bridge where I was able to cross the River Irt and follow it back out to Wastwater, heading off onto the path that crosses the boulders above the lake and below the steep rocky ground of the Screes. Initially it was relatively easy, but soon much larger boulders blocked my path and the going got tough and very slow as I clambered around the large rocks that lay in my path. Crossing a scree slope is usually quite easy as the stones are small enough to have been beaten into a flat path but the rocks on parts of these screes were enormous and refused to yield to anything. There was no path so I had to slowly find my way around the large boulders and hope that the going would soon ease, but when it did more boulder fields soon blocked my path and had to be negotiated. Meanwhile the views across Wastwater and towards the mountains at the head of the valley were sensational with Yewbarrow particularly drawing my attention while clouds topped the mountains beyond. Heather decorated the ground between the scree runs and, once I was safely through, bracken began to dominate while my attention continued to be distracted by the awesome mountains that surround Wasdale Head.

With the weather slowly improving I made my way along the rest of Wastwater and twenty-four hours after I was last there I crossed the valley with the huge bulk of Kirk Fell dominating the landscape. The word “masochist” came to mind as I surveyed the path that climbs straight up the southern flank of the mountain with hardly any easing in the gradient until the summit is reached, but for some reason I had a desire to take that path. Not long after passing the Wasdale Head Inn I turned off the path that I had taken the day before and began the relentless climb up the path through low bracken. The ascent was not as unbroken as it had looked from further away with a brief, slight easing of the gradient occurring soon after I started, but the first proper rest was at the top of a small outcrop where I was able to sit down and survey the scene across Wasdale Head and towards Wastwater including the Screes that I had crossed earlier. Reluctantly I got back up and struggled step by step up the grassy path and eventually after a long time I reached the next resting place, on Highnose Head, which I felt after all that effort must be almost at the summit but a look at the surrounding mountains revealed the cruel truth that I still had a long way to go. Beyond a grassy slope the ascent now climbed a scree slope where the path zigzagged back and forth across the screes, however soon the path deteriorated and I had to find my own way up the loose rocks until eventually I reached a cairn and the third resting place.

It was a relief to see that beyond this point the gradient was much easier while small cairns marked the route all the way up to the summit of Kirk Fell after a long relentless climb that I have wanted to do for a long time, though I’m not sure I’m going to want to do it again. The weather was fantastic and afforded me with stunning views, including towards the Scafell Pikes, which made the climb thoroughly worthwhile so I was ecstatic to finally reach the top of Kirk Fell, a mountain where I have often encountered poor weather. The only other time that I have enjoyed good weather on Kirk Fell was in 2006, however, despite the bright sunshine, on this occasion a cold wind was blowing which I noticed particularly while stopped to have my lunch, but soon I warmed up again as I set off across the fell. There is not much of a path but a line of old boundary posts provide a sure route in any weather and these led me to the top of Kirkfell Crags where the posts plunged straight down the rocks. An easy, but steep scramble took me down the crags to Black Sail Pass where I frustratingly turned right down the hill to the Sail Beck as I had ran out of water so I needed to replenish my water bottle and after doing that I tiringly climbed back up to the top of the pass. Now I followed the path, bypassing Looking Stead, heading towards Pillar, but as the ground steepened, beside a cairn, I turned off the main path and onto the High Level Route across the steep, northern slopes of Pillar.

I have attempted to do this path many times starting in 2005 when I lost the path part way along and emerged at the top of the ridge. In 2006 I successfully traversed the path in the other direction but ever since whenever I have attempted to do the High Level Route from Black Sail Pass I have always encountered poor weather and decided that it would be prudent to keep to the top of the ridge. Now that I have done the route I am glad that I had avoided it in poor weather as it is a terrible path, virtually non-existent at first and with some tricky descents because of damp conditions. Eventually a path emerged, but a line of cairns would help as it was very difficult for me to know where the path went and I may not have been going the right way. I expected a terrace path that maintains a constant contour, but it has never been described as a terrace even though I often thought of it as such, so I was really frustrated by what I found of the route. Later the path became clearer and took me to Robinson’s Cairn where I was finally able to relax and enjoy the views down into Ennerdale. After crossing the top of Pillar Cove the path improved as it climbed a scree slope to the start of the Shamrock Traverse, which was not too difficult apart from one point where I had to cross a sheet of wet, potentially slippery, rock that was quite scary. Beyond there the path continued around the hillside towards the Pillar Rock, which I turned my back on to attempt the climb up Pillar on generally good paths, though with a lot of loose rock.

By this point in the day I was very tired and this strenuous climb up from the Pillar Rock was very exhausting, but eventually I reached the edge of a plateau and crossed it to the trig point and rock shelter that marks the summit of Pillar. Since the time was getting on and I was tired I decided to take the quickest route down into the valley, past White Pike and into Ennerdale Forest. The descent continued beside Low Beck until I reached a forestry track which I followed for a while. A walk through a conifer plantation doesn’t sound exciting but the views across the River Liza were inspiring as the river has been allowed to meander and find its own route creating a scene of gorgeous wild beauty that I wish was echoed in the woodland that clothes the banks of the valley. Sadly that sort of transformation from a conifer plantation will take many more years, but this was a still a relaxing stroll and after reaching the Woundell Beck I crossed the valley and walked back up to the youth Hostel. This was an exhausting and challenging walk that reminded me that I’m not in my thirties anymore! The good weather over the last two days had encouraged me to do some very strenuous walking including some that I have wanted to do for a very long time. It was gratifying to finally do the High Level Route across Pillar, but it was also a relief to see that the weather was not going to be so good the next day, which would encourage me to take it easy.

Red Pike and Yewbarrow

Wednesday 23rd August 2023

After two days of rain, it was a relief to walk out of the Eskdale Youth Hostel and find good weather with the cloud breaking to reveal a fabulous day for walking. My planned walks on the previous two days had been abandoned, but with sunshine and, for the first time on this holiday, light winds, I was now able to do my planned walk. First I needed to get to Wasdale Head so I took the path that starts from the Woolpack Inn and climbs the hillside through bracken that was already starting to go brown. I have not done any walking in the Lake District at this time of the year before but I go always walking elsewhere at this time of the year, so I am surprised that I had not before noticed bracken browning at this time. It is perhaps significant to note that the higher the bracken was up the side of the hill, the more likely it was to have already turned brown. Eventually I reached the shores of Eel Tarn and followed the sketchy path around it and across the broad slopes below Great How. The usual route between Eskdale and Wasdale Head, known as the Corpse Road, is a bridleway that starts in the small village of Boot, but in 2016 I took this path via Eel Tarn for the first time and it is much more convenient for the youth hostel so I was eager to take it again, though the path is rather sketchy. Thanks to the good weather, however, I was easily able to navigate across the hillside to Lambford Bridge where I joined the Corpse Road and after passing Burnmoor Tarn descended into Wasdale Head.

With the stunning view of the mountains that surround Wasdale Head before me I slowly descended into the valley, past the National Trust campsite and across the valley to Wasdale Head. After passing the Inn I made my way along the path into Mosedale, which is somewhere I have not been many times and no further than on the path up to Black Sail Pass. Now, I veered off that path to follow the Mosedale Beck into the best of the Lakeland Mosedales. The tiny yellow flowers of tormentil decorated the grass and with the sun shining overhead this was becoming a very beautiful day in the Lake District. The route I wanted to take out of the valley was up Black Comb, but there is also a route up to Wind Gap that I have never taken before and I was wary about straying onto that path, however there didn’t seem to be a clear path up to Wind Gap and soon I lost all trace of a path. Wainwright describes this route for an ascent of Scoat Fell, but his guide to the Western Fells shows that I should have been south of the stream, but since there is no path indicated beyond a split boulder it probably doesn’t make much difference. Slowly, I followed the stream up into the cove where rock surrounded me and provided no way of escape. Screes lead one up to Wind Gap, but there seemed to be no way out of Black Comb.

This was a tiring climb, but the stunning rock scenery all around me enthralled while at my feet were many wild plants, though only tormentil was in flower and at one point I spotted a lizard basking in the sunshine. Wainwright’s route takes to a boulder-strewn rake that leads into a narrow rock gateway, but from where I was standing this seemed to be too difficult so instead I veered right towards a scree slope that led me after many slips and slides on the shifting stones to the path that bypasses Scoat Fell between Wind Gap and Red Pike. There I turned left and followed the path down to the col where Wainwright’s route would have deposited me. My first thought after reaching the top was that I didn’t want to do that ascent again, but since I didn’t use Wainwright’s precise route of ascent then perhaps a return visit could be argued. Now on much easier slopes I skirted the edge of the corrie and climbed up to the top of Red Pike to stunning views in all directions with Pillar dominating the view north, Kirk Fell east with the dome of Great Gable peaking over the top and the Scafell Pikes south east while to the south Wastwater sat serenely at the foot of the hill. Red Pike is a fell that I have visited three times in the last ten years but on none of those occasions did I link it with Yewbarrow, which I last visited in 2011 so that was my primary goal for this walk.

Broad, craggy slopes led me down to Dore Head, though I did make a point of stopping to sit upon the Chair, a cairn made into the shape of a chair that commands awesome views, however by this time it was beginning to cloud over. After crossing Dore Head I tackled the climb up Stirrup Crag which involved some surprisingly serious scrambling, though not too difficult, and eventually I reached the top of the crag and proceeded along the ridge with stunning views across Wasdale Head to reach the central top of Yewbarrow, which is the summit. The ridge continued to what I knew was a tricky descent so it was with some trepidation that I passed over Bull Crag and finally branched off the ridge down a zigzagging path into a rock-filled gully whose loose stones provided me with another challenge. I’m sure it was not the seriousness of the scrambling up and down Yewbarrow that had kept me away from the fell for more than twelve years and was perhaps more due to its isolation from other fells. Eventually I reached the bottom of the chute where a good path took me through heather and past Bell Rib, at the southern end of Yewbarrow, where a long descent down a dirt path led me down to the road beside Wastwater. A lengthy walk along the road, accompanied by light rain, took me to the Youth Hostel. This was a strenuous, but exhilarating walk through some fabulous rocky scenery that took me through some of the best terrain in the Lake District.

Langdale to Eskdale via Red Tarn

Tuesday 22nd August 2023

After getting soaked the day before, the weather forecast for this walk seemed to be no better so I was not looking forward to starting and as I left the Langdale Youth Hostel for the last time on this holiday it was raining again, although as I descended into Langdale it was very intermittent. When I reached Chapel Stile I branched off the road and passed the Baysbrown Campsite, where I had stayed in 2021 echoing the walk that I had done two days earlier so for some variation I turned off the Cumbria Way at Oak Howe onto a bridleway that took me along the bottom of the valley to the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel where I rejoined the Cumbria Way and followed it to the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. My original plan for this day, assuming fantastic weather, was to ascend Rossett Pass on my way to Esk Hause and over Scafell Pike, however in view of the bad weather my goal was now solely to get to Eskdale. Therefore instead of heading down Mickleden I turned towards Stool End and after passing through the farm I headed down Oxendale. I walked from Langdale to Eskdale two years ago taking a route from Stool End up the Band to the Three Tarns pass and I didn’t want to repeat myself so I decided I would climb up to Red Tarn on a path that I had descended two years ago but never actually climbed.

The rain was more persistent as I made my way down Langdale and with strong winds near Stool End it was definitely not the weather for climbing a mountain, especially the highest mountain in the Lake District, but I would still need to climb over the mountains to get to Eskdale. By the time I reached the bridge over Oxendale Beck the sun was beginning to break through the clouds which prompted me to take many pictures of the stone-filled river, both towards the waterfall, Whorneyside Force, and back down Langdale, and soon after I started to climb I was prompted to take my waterproofs off. A well-made path of laid stones led me steeply up the hill and long before I reached the top the weather closed in again and it started to rain. By the time I reached Red Tarn I was in the clouds and my waterproof trousers were back on. I turned right at the junction near the tarn and headed up the path towards Crinkle Crags between Cold Pike and Great Knott. Cold Pike is a Wainwright and I had planned on visiting it on this holiday, but the wind, rain and low clouds was enough to convince me otherwise, so I just kept my head down and slowly climbed up the path. This is a tedious ascent at the best of times across featureless grassy slopes on a wide, stony path, so in this weather I just soldiered on until the terrain finally started to become steeper and craggier just before the first of the Crinkle Crags and I took this as the point to come off the path.

This is not a common route between Langdale and Eskdale, although it is quite direct, and features a tricky, pathless traverse. Wainwright describes a route up Crinkle Crags from Eskdale through Adam-a-Cove and I was trying to find that route down even though there is not a path. I came this way in 2015 in good weather but this time I was not so fortunate so I had to be careful to avoid the ravine that Swinsty Gill falls through or the crags in the area. Slowly, I crossed the southern slopes generally veering to my left to avoid difficulties, checking the terrain ahead of me before proceeding until eventually the clouds parted to reveal a very steep, but grassy descent all the way down into the valley far below. I was grateful that I had safely traversed the pathless hillside and now I carefully made my way down the hill until eventually I reached the Lingcove Beck. It was now 1.30 in the afternoon and potentially there was not much left of the walk to do, but I wasn’t worried about this and decided to take my time and the opportunity to relax, slowly meandering beside the beautiful stream. I took loads of photos of the Lingcove Beck, with Pianet Knott in the background and enjoyed the feeling of being in this amazing part of the Lake District.

Eventually I reached Lingcove Bridge and after lingering to take in the awesome scene that I have probably not seen since 2015 I proceeded down the valley beside the River Esk branching left at a junction to pass below Yew Crags and partially up the side of the hill. I’m sure I have previously kept to the path beside the river so I enjoyed exploring this more interesting path as the weather slowly began to improve with no more rain though it was still quite windy and overcast. I ignored the path down to the farm buildings of Brotherikeld and kept above the fell wall to eventually reach the road and Jubilee Bridge. I was more than happy to slowly wander along Eskdale, which I would definitely rank as my favourite valley in the Lake District, and since the last time I was there was in 2016 I was glad of the return visit. North of Lingcove Beck is stunning for its mountainous scenery, but south of Brotherikeld is also breathtaking for its tranquillity and abundance of trees. I had a blissful walk through this delightful valley, which did much to help me relax and shake off my remaining stresses from work. When I reached Doctor Bridge I kept going along the path on the northern side of the river until I reached St Catherine’s Church where the whistles from the little railway not far away could be clearly heard. After seeking out the distinctive gravestone for Tommy Dobson that Wainwright featured in his “Walks from Ratty” booklet, I returned beside the river back to Doctor Bridge and thence to the Youth Hostel. Even though I didn’t reach the top of any mountain on this walk, though I did climb very high, my primary goal had been to walk to Eskdale, and after doing that I had a wonderful walk through a fabulous valley that was a highlight of my holiday.