Tuesday 3rd February 2009

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 187 088)

Wasdale Head - Black Sails Pass - Looking Stead - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - Scoat Fell - Steeple - Red Pike - Dore Head Screes - Wasdale Head

Distance: 8 miles     Total Ascent: 1130 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours 45 minutes

Weather: Cold and clear. 2oC.

Route Map (GPX mapping file download available)

Everywhere else in the country has lots of snow according to the news but locally there is not a great deal at valley level. The high ground is well covered and today defied the expected conditions and was lovely and clear over Mosedale almost throughout the walk. I have had this one on the list of 'to do's' for a while as I really wanted to get to Pillar, my favourite of all fells, in superb winter conditions such as today.

Heading into Mosedale.

Pillar. The path to Black Sail Pass is to the right.

Red Pike.

Heading for Black Sails Pass.

Pillar with the head of Mosedale beyond.

Once up onto the Black Sails ridge it was arctic with a biting wind, here with a view across Ennerdale to the High Stile ridge and the north-western fells.

The route to Pillar across a frozen tarn.

Looking in the opposite direction to Kirk Fell.

Brandreth, Green Gable and Great Gable from the climb to Looking Stead. I had to stop here to put on my windproof hat and 'big' gloves! By the time I got all that sorted out I was frozen and my fingers were numb.

Casper on Looking Stead - not looking at Pillar.

The climb to Pillar.

Kirk Fell and Great Gable from the climb.

A view right through to Helvellyn as well.

Scoat Fell, Black Crag and Pillar.

On the plateau beneath the summit.

Snow cornices looking across to the summit of Pillar.

Fantastic winter mountain scenery looking the other way.

The cold summit of Pillar.

Looking towards Crag Fell.

The frozen trig. column.

The Gables and the Scafells from Pillar -  a superb winter view, this is what I was after.

Ennerdale.

The Pillar.

Casper at the frozen wind shelter.

The climb to Black Crag from Wind Gap. There seemed to be a few big clouds coming over now.

Looking back across Wind Gap to Pillar.

The Scafells along Mosedale.

Scoat Fell.

The descent along the ridge to Steeple - not for the faint hearted this one today as we had to blaze a trail across deep snow and ice.

Ennerdale from Steeple.

Casper leads the way back to Scoat Fell.

Looking back to a sunlit Steeple.

The wall that marks the summit of Scoat Fell.

Lots of virgin snow along here.

Steeple from Scoat Fell.

Great Gable and the Scafells from Scoat Fell.

Kirk Fell and Great Gable across Mosedale.

Heading for Red Pike as the sun came out fully once more.

Scoat Fell from Red Pike.

Looking towards the Irish Sea beyond Middle fell and Seatallan.

Haycock from Red Pike.

Last time we were here, Casper was the Prince of the Fells. Today I think he is King, so this is King Casper in his throne - The Chair on the southern end of Red Pike.

King Casper surveys his kingdom - Wast Water, Middle Fell and Low Tarn.

Descending towards Yewbarrow. There was lots of ice here and I ended up on my backside more than once!

Great Gable.

Scafell Pike, Mickledore and Scafell.

Pillar from Dore Head. I had a few options to descend but decided on the surprisingly un-snowy Dore Head Screes, though I wouldn't recommend anyone else try it in winter conditions...it's a long way down there.

A final view into Mosedale in failing light.

A great plume of cloud from the top of Great Gable, reddened by the setting sun.

Sunset in Wasdale.

Return to top

Previous Walk 26th January 2009 Helvellyn < > Next Walk 4th February 2009 Hobcarton Horseshoe