Walk Report: Ennerdale Round (almost!)

With a royal wedding today and a papal funeral yesterday totally ignored I'm continuing with the account of my holiday in the Lake District over Easter:

Sunday 27th March
The weather was worse today staying overcast with a cloud cover no higher than 2,000 feet all day. The plan had been to walk all the way around Ennerdale but as will be seen events conspired against me. Leaving the hostel I crossed the fields to the east of Ennerdale Water, passed over the Woundell Beck and climbed up the firebreak in the forest up onto Ling Mell. This was a very steep and exhausting climb that probably much delayed me. Heading east over Ling Mell I crossed the Low Beck and started to climb the Long Crag ridge all the way up into the clouds and onto Steeple and the top of Scoat Fell. It took me a long time to get onto Scoat Fell and I think this must have been a major factor in failing my original objective.

Heading east along the ridge I passed the Wind Gap and ascended Pillar, which I was visiting for the second day running this time in much less agreeable weather. Continuing eastwards I went down the hill, past Looking Stead to the Black Sail Pass with Kirk Fell, which I had bypassed yesterday, directly ahead of me. Taking a deep breath I tackled the Kirk Fell Crags trying to remember to follow the rusting boundary posts all the way up. That is without doubt the easiest way up but I still managed to go the wrong way though I soon realised my mistake and returned to the posts. The wind and rain didn't make the scramble any easier either, but eventually, on my hands and knees, I reached the top. Totally exhausted I staggered to the summit following the boundary posts all the way.

After lunch I headed down to Beck Head and then followed the Moses' Trod path below the Gables until I hit the fence coming off Brandreth. Turning left I followed the fence until it turned sharply left, where I crossed over it and continued straight on towards the top of Warnscale Beck. When I hit the main path to Hay Stacks I turned left and headed over Wainwright's favourite hill. Despite it's diminutive stature it is indeed a magical place where the path ducks and weaves around the crags and tarns with stunning views below the clouds across Buttermere.

From the summit of Hay Stacks I descended to the Scarth Gap Pass and discovered that it was already quarter past four and far too late to begin the High Style ridge. My slow ascent in the morning and the inclement weather had conspired together to mean the High Style ridge would have to wait for another year (I wasn't too disappointed, I have been over the ridge before). So I descended into Ennerdale and walked the four miles along the forest road all the way back to the youth hostel. Tomorrow it's back over Scoat Fell and then over Red pike and Yewbarrow to Wastwater.

Walk Report: Fleetwith Pike, Great Gable & Pillar

This continues the account of my walking holiday in the Lake District over Easter:

Saturday 26th March
This day I felt rather tired and weak; I didn't really feeling like I had the energy for a full Lakeland walk but somehow I still managed to do a fairly strenuous walk even though I might have enjoyed it more in better circumstances. The walk started with a pleasurable stroll along the shore of Buttermere before beginning the seemingly unending ascent of Fleetwith Pike. There were tremendous views behind me as I undertook the great climb with good weather following me up but they weren't to last.

From the summit I headed past the quarry to the Drum House on the dismantled tramway onto the path opposite heading across the western slopes of Grey Knotts. Crossing the fence near Brandreth I bypassed the top of the hill and followed the cairns to Green Gable and brilliant views across the Borrowdale Fells all the way to the Langdale Pikes. I don't think I have ever been up here in such clear weather, even Great Gable was clear, which I have never been on in clear weather. I was really looking forward to enjoying the extensive views from the top but my curse was soon to strike. As I ascended Great Gable the clouds swept in, the temperature dropped and the wind picked up. What do I have to do to see anything from Great Gable?

I was able to get see the impressive views from the Westmorland Cairn but that did not make the descent to Beck Head any warmer or less windy. Bypassing Kirk Fell by the northern traverse I took the path from the Black Sail Pass over Looking Stead. My goal, even though I was very tired by this point, was the Shamrock Traverse to the Pillar Rock, which I have planned to do many times but never done. And still not done. Before I got to the Robinson Cairn I lost the path and eventually found myself ascending the hillside to the top of the ridge near Hinds Cove. When I realised my mistake it was too late to do something about it; I should have stayed on the level or even descended the hill side a little. Maybe I'll try the walk again some time (but not during this trip).

Following the main path I climbed onto the top of Pillar and admired the view from the northern edge looking out over the Pillar Rock and into Ennerdale. I decided that it was now time to leave the hilltops so I descended into the valley over White Pike (a steep stony descent, I don't suggest ascending it!). At the valley floor I was faced by the wide River Liza and no bridge for miles, so instead of walking a long way around I found a good spot and tried crossing the river. When my foot inevitably slipped into river on the wet rocks I decided to get across the river as fast as possible, no matter how wet I got. My socks and trousers are now drying! I am now in Ennerdale Youth Hostel, which is a much more basic hostel than Buttermere and much more to my liking.

Walk Report: Grisedale Pike and Hopegill Head

Over Easter I spent over a week in that most gorgeous of places, the Lake District. I have been going there every year for four years and enjoyed the walking every time, this year was no exception. As a report of the week I wrote accounts of my walks in the youth hostel each day at the end of the walk. The first report follows:

Friday 25th March
Once more I am back in the Lake District and as always it's a pleasure to be here; there is no where quite like the Lake District for it's wide opportunities for great walking. Everywhere you turn there is a great walk to be had with stunning scenery. I always look forward to coming here and this has been no exception, the Lake District is never disappointing.

The journey up here was rather longer than it needed to be, it took me six hours to get here, but that includes ¾ hour in Nuneaton station, ½ hour in Crewe and an hour in Penrith. Everything in my travel arrangements this year has seemed to conspire against me with the return journey being even worse. C'est la vie. Eventually I arrived in Braithwaite with the whole afternoon to enjoy the hills so I immediately set off up the hill at the western end of the village quickly gaining the top of the ridge. So began the slow climb over Sleet How and onto Grisedale Pike in near perfect weather, the warm sun alternating with a cool wind when the sun went in. The views as I made my ascent were, as ever, magnificent with a gloriously rocky final section to enjoy before I reached the summit. The climb to the top of the first hill of the day is always a drag, especially if it's the first day of your holiday :-), but this one was as pleasurable as it could be.

During lunch on Grisedale Pike the clouds descended putting a cold spin on the day that remained for the rest of my afternoon in the hills. Proceeding along the ridge around Hobcarton Crag I arrived at Hopegill Head where I attempted the rocky descent north towards Ladyside Pike. This proved to be rather tricky in the damp misty conditions but I was soon on the path towards and onto Ladyside Pike, which awarded me with glimpses of the scenery to the north through the clouds. Most importantly, however, I had the hill all to myself, the crowds on Grisedale Pike had been left far behind. Returning towards Hopegill Head I found conditions less slippery than before so had great fun tackling the rocky scramble head on keeping to the highest point on the ridge, but soon found myself back on Hopegill Head.

Now I had a straight route ahead of me all the way to my overnight in Buttermere, over Sand Hill, across Coledale Hause, between Grasmoor and Crag Hill, and over Whiteless Pike. As I descended the coulds began to lift and the sun came out resulting in a very warm end to the afternoon. As a diversion in the glorious weather I decided to end the walk by passing over Low Bank and Rannerdale knotts. These may be tiny hills compared with the giants around about me but there was still a lot to keep my interest with a path that was full of adventure particularly during the steep descent to the road; I thoroughly recommend it. A bit of road walking brought me to Buttermere Youth Hostel, which was rather crowded (well, it is Good Friday) and a little over stylised for me, but I prefer more basic hostels, which is what I'll be staying in for the rest of my holiday. Tomorrow I'll be going over Fleetwith Pike and down Ennerdale to Gillerthwaite Youth Hostel.

Walk Report: Win Hill & Kinder from Castleton

Before Easter I did a walk around Castleton, Hope and Edale before heading off to Sheffield to spend the weekend with my sister. I have done so much walking in this area I don't really need a map, but on this walk I managed to do bits I'd never done before including some of quite significant interest. The walk began in Castleton, so after parking the car I headed off along the footpath at the eastern end of the village heading towards Hope. Passing the resevoir and crossing the branch line to the cement works I arrived in Hope (literally and figuratively! I just love the name of this village, where can you find hope? It's in the Peak District!). Walking along the Edale road for a while brought me to a track spuring off to the right that descends to a bridge under the railway line. Bearing right after passing under bridge I climbed up the hill to Twitchill Farm and continued climbing up to the top of Win Hill. Win Hill has tremendous views of the surrounding countryside down into Edale, the Hope valley, the Woodlands valley and the viaducts carrying the roads over Ladybower reservoir.

Heading back west I stayed on the top of the ridge going towards Kinder eventually climbing the eastern edge of Kinder over Crookstone Hill. Staying on the southern edge of kinder I headed west enjoying the views of Edale and the Great Ridge beyond. At the top of Ollerbrook Clough I took the path off Kinder onto the Nab continuing around the side of the hill descending slowly into Ollerbrook Clough. I have never been on the path beside the Oller Brook so here was a short venture into the unknown, pity it didn't last very long!. At Ollerbrook Booth I continued south crossing the railway line and with jink to the right across the road and up the path to Hollins Cross. I have been here many times with its views over Edale and Castleton but I'd never actually descended towards Castleton so here was my chance. I took the path passing Mam Farm to reach the old road from Castleton. I have heard about this road and it's infamous landslip and seen it from a distance many times but never had a chance to actually walk over it; this was now my chance and I relished every step. It seemed to me to be a testimont to the invincibility of nature over anything that man can do. Man tries to build a road below Mam Tor and Mam Tor says "No you're not". There are some parts of the countryside that man should leave well alone. You can't improve on perfection, you'll just ruin it.

At the end of the landslip I took the track past Blue John Cavern and continued past Treak Cliff Cavern and Speedwell Cavern. I didn't have time to visit these caves, which is a pity because I'm sure they would have been fun. Passing below Cow Low I returned to Castleton to complete the walk. It was a fun walk in sunny weather (it seems I was lucky there, the early mist cleared where I was. It didn't in Sheffield) and was good practice for the following week, for on Good Friday I took the train up to Penrith for my now annual holiday in the Lake District. More on that later.