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.