Wednesday 9th January 2008

Start point: Hopebeck (NY 169 241)

Hopebeck - Dodd (Lorton) (523)- Gasgale Crag  - East Top of Whiteside - Hopegill Head - Ladyside Pike (524) - Swinside (525) - High Swinside Farm - Hopebeck

Distance: 4.6 miles     Total Ascent: 677 metres    Time Taken: 2 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Gale force winds and snow. 3oC.

Route Map

It was really rough weather today with a strong, freezing wind making the going tough for much of the route. The calmest part was surprisingly the high level ridge to Hopegill Head between the outward leg of Dodd and the homeward leg of Ladyside Pike. Coupled with the really strong wind was treacherous ice covered which had a thin veneer of snow on top - that meant we certainly had to watch our step today.

Heading for Dodd - the Lorton one.

Hope Gill and Hopegill Head.

Crossing Hope Beck.

The Hopegill Head - Whiteside ridge at the head of the valley.

On the summit of Dodd the wind started to get stronger.

As we climbed above the snowline it became much stronger making walking quite difficult. Two steps forward, one step back.

Looking back down the route just ascended to Dodd.

Ladyside Pike and Hopegill Head with Grisedale Pike beyond.

Whiteside from Gasgale Crags with Crummock Water and Mellbreak visible.

Casper on Gasgale Crags, Grasmoor beyond.

Grisedale Pike beyond Hopegill Head with the magnificent arête yet to climb.

Sail and Crag Hill over Coledale Hause.

Looking back to Whiteside.

It almost looks like a drawing this photo, climbing to Hopegill Head.

Again from further along the ridge. It was a toss up as to whether I would get blown off by the gale force wind or slip and fall on the ice along here.

Climbing the icy ridge.

Looking back to Whiteside.

Nearly there Casper! (He is not superimposed on there either!).

Dark and brooding Grasmoor from Hopegill Head.

Grisedale Pike across Hobcarton.

Skiddaw from Hopegill Head. The descent from here to the Ladyside Pike ridge was unbelievably treacherous as it was all ice for the initial section, meaning there was lots of zig-zagging and shuffling around.

Looking back to the descent from Hopegill Head. Phew! Finally made it.

Ladyside Pike ahead.

Hopegill Head from the summit of Ladyside Pike.

If anything the wind picked up even more during the descent as Casper ably demonstrates here.

The top of Swinside was a vague one, somewhere around here. The route of descent from Ladyside Pike to here was along the line of the wall.

Lorton Vale and Loweswater get some sunshine with Blake Fell directly ahead and Loweswater Fell to the right.

Looking north from Cockermouth from the steep descent.

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