Walk Report: Red Pike, Yewbarrow & The Screes
More of my holiday in the Lake District last Easter:
Monday 28th March
The weather today was much better than yesterday with clear views all day even though some hills were in the clouds they were never the ones I was on. It was a lovely, though overcast morning as I set off from the Ennerdale Youth Hostel across the same fields as yesterday but continued straight into the wood and didn't cross the Woundell Beck. After an initial climb I descended to cross the Silvercove Beck but without crossing Deep Gill as I headed up the long tongue between the two streams. This was an enjoyable climb in the cold morning air with stunning views all around and proved to be a much better way of getting onto the ridge. I got to the top considerably earlier than I did yesterday, and I don't the weather was to blame.
Once at the top I veered to the right and walked to the cairn on top of the bare grassy plain of Caw Fell before doubling back on myself. Following the stone wall, and I must admit having a whale of a time in the glorious weather and stunning views, I went over Little Gowder Crag, Haycock, Great Scoat Fell and Little Scoat Fell. I then veered south-east down hill and up to Red Pike, a hill I have missed out on several times, and consequently was the highest hill in the Lakes I had never been up. Chatting merrily to myself I passed over Red pike and descended to Dore Head.
To my left was the infamous Dore Head Screes, a steep descent into Mosedale, now a muddy slope rather than a scree slope. I shuddered at the though of going down it and instead ascended the cliff wall of Stirrup Crag ahead of me. Larger and more technically difficult than the Kirk Fell Crags of yesterday (which I'd only been wary of because I had gone completely wrong attempting them a couple of years ago), it was still not too difficult to climb up them, even if I had to change my line of attach a couple of times. At one time, a couple of years ago, I wasn't too keen on scrambles, but now I can't get enough of them. Funny old bod, aren't I?
After lunch on Yewbarrow I descended the hill finding the scree slopes by the Great Door extremely tricky. I had heard that Yewbarrow had an infamous reputation but wasn't prepared for how difficult it would be. Finally I reached the bottom by the side of Wastwater and began a circumnavigation of the deepest lake in the Lake District. Rounding the north-eastern end by the (closed due to a bridge being rebuilt) National Trust Car Park I headed along the south-eastern shore. Most of the walk is rather pleasant especially in the increasingly sunny afternoon weather, however the second half of the walk was across some fearsome scree slopes (so infamous they are called simply The Screes). At one point you have to literally hop from one boulder to another in an attempt to get across; it was almost with regret that I completed the walk along the shore, it was such great fun. The final stage of the walk was to follow the River Irt to Lund Bridge and then follow the woodland path back along side the river to the lake and around to the youth hostel at Wasdale Hall (with tremendous views over the lake up to Wasdale Head). Tomorrow, Scafell Pike.
Monday 28th March
The weather today was much better than yesterday with clear views all day even though some hills were in the clouds they were never the ones I was on. It was a lovely, though overcast morning as I set off from the Ennerdale Youth Hostel across the same fields as yesterday but continued straight into the wood and didn't cross the Woundell Beck. After an initial climb I descended to cross the Silvercove Beck but without crossing Deep Gill as I headed up the long tongue between the two streams. This was an enjoyable climb in the cold morning air with stunning views all around and proved to be a much better way of getting onto the ridge. I got to the top considerably earlier than I did yesterday, and I don't the weather was to blame.
Once at the top I veered to the right and walked to the cairn on top of the bare grassy plain of Caw Fell before doubling back on myself. Following the stone wall, and I must admit having a whale of a time in the glorious weather and stunning views, I went over Little Gowder Crag, Haycock, Great Scoat Fell and Little Scoat Fell. I then veered south-east down hill and up to Red Pike, a hill I have missed out on several times, and consequently was the highest hill in the Lakes I had never been up. Chatting merrily to myself I passed over Red pike and descended to Dore Head.
To my left was the infamous Dore Head Screes, a steep descent into Mosedale, now a muddy slope rather than a scree slope. I shuddered at the though of going down it and instead ascended the cliff wall of Stirrup Crag ahead of me. Larger and more technically difficult than the Kirk Fell Crags of yesterday (which I'd only been wary of because I had gone completely wrong attempting them a couple of years ago), it was still not too difficult to climb up them, even if I had to change my line of attach a couple of times. At one time, a couple of years ago, I wasn't too keen on scrambles, but now I can't get enough of them. Funny old bod, aren't I?
After lunch on Yewbarrow I descended the hill finding the scree slopes by the Great Door extremely tricky. I had heard that Yewbarrow had an infamous reputation but wasn't prepared for how difficult it would be. Finally I reached the bottom by the side of Wastwater and began a circumnavigation of the deepest lake in the Lake District. Rounding the north-eastern end by the (closed due to a bridge being rebuilt) National Trust Car Park I headed along the south-eastern shore. Most of the walk is rather pleasant especially in the increasingly sunny afternoon weather, however the second half of the walk was across some fearsome scree slopes (so infamous they are called simply The Screes). At one point you have to literally hop from one boulder to another in an attempt to get across; it was almost with regret that I completed the walk along the shore, it was such great fun. The final stage of the walk was to follow the River Irt to Lund Bridge and then follow the woodland path back along side the river to the lake and around to the youth hostel at Wasdale Hall (with tremendous views over the lake up to Wasdale Head). Tomorrow, Scafell Pike.
posted by David Keates at 4:32 pm
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