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.