Thursday 15th July 2004

Start point: Hartsop (NY 410 130)

Hartsop - Gray Crag (110) - Thornthwaite Beacon (111) - High Street - The Knott (112) - Rest Dodd (113) - The Nab (114) - Satura Crag -  Angle Tarn Pike South (115) - Angletarn Pike North (116) - Brock Crags (117) - Hartsop

Route Map

Weather: Overcast, some rain later.

Another walk chosen by my 13 year old son today, principally to take in some wildlife; the promise of wild ponies on Thornthwaite Crag, a Golden Eagle over Riggindale and deer in the Martindale Deer Forest spurring him into action. Of course, there was also the lure of walking in the footsteps of Roman soldiers across High Street.

From the car park through the hamlet of Hartsop, we followed the old mine road along Hayeswater Gill and over Wath Bridge.

Threshwaite Mouth from the Hayeswater Gill path.

We decided to ascend Gray Crag by the direct route - straight up the sickeningly steep nose leading directly to the summit.

The Eastern Fells from the summit of Gray Crag, Catstycam is the conical peak on the right.

From the summit, it is a simple stroll along the grassy undulations to Thornthwaite Crag, sometimes referred to as Thornthwaite Beacon due to the distinctive 14 feet high column on its summit.

Thornthwaite Beacon.

From the beacon the path U-turns on to the Roman road and follows the gentle rise to the summit of High Street.

Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick and Windermere from the Roman road on High Street.

We then left the Roman road to cross the wall which traverses the summit plateau and headed for the trig. column that marks the highest point.

The summit of High Street looking to Fairfield and Dollywagon Pike.

From the summit, we headed over to the Eastern side of the fell to look over Haweswater and along Riggindale with binoculars out trying to spot the Golden Eagle. Oh dear, no wild ponies and no eagle!

Blea Water from High Street, left and looking along the Roman road to The Knott and Rest Dodd.

A view along Riggindale to Haweswater.

After returning to the Roman road, it was a simple climb to the summit of The Knott.

The Knott summit with Rest Dodd near left and The Nab to the right.

From The Knott, a steep descent/ascent following the wall took us to the summit of Rest Dodd.

Rampsgill Head from the summit of Rest Dodd.

Again from Rest Dodd, it was straight over the nose and onward over the difficult peat hag terrain of the Deer Forest to The Nab.

The peat hags of the Martindale Deer Forest and The Nab.

Rest Dodd from the summit of The Nab.

Then it was back along the same peaty path to the wall - at last we were rewarded with the sight of a deer herd. We then followed the wall over to Satura Crag and then skirted Angle Tarn to ascend the northern top of Angletarn Pikes quickly followed by the southern top as the rain set in.

Hayeswater from Satura Crag, left and Place Fell from the northern top of Angletarn Pikes.

Angle Tarn from the southern summit of Angletarn Pikes.

Skirting around the other side of Angle Tarn, we ascended directly to the summit Brock Crags with views over Hartsop and Brothers Water.

Brothers Water from the summit of Brock Crags.

From Brock Crags, we followed the old wall straight down to Hayeswater Gill and picked up the grassy path between two walls which led us back to Hartsop.

Did we really climb straight up the face of that! - Gray Crag from the descent of Brock Crags.

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