From: Braithwaite (NY 227 237)
Braithwaite – Kinn – Grisedale Pike – Hobcarton Head – Hopegill Head – Sand Hill – Coledale Hause – Crag Hill – Sail – Scar Crags – Causey Pike – Outerside – Stile End – Barrow – Braithwaite
| Distance: | 17.3 km/10.7 miles |
| Total Ascent: | 1378 m |
| Time Taken: | 5 hours 45 minutes |
| Start Time: | 07:15 |
| Weather: | Beautiful and clear. 3ºC |
| Finlay’s Wainwright Count: | 84/214 (8 new this walk) |
After our long walk on the Fairfield Horseshoe without views on Friday, I was hopeful of making up for that today with a walk on the Coledale Horseshoe and I was not disappointed! Driving through Keswick, the valley was in low lying mist so i new we would easily get above it on this walk. The view today were stunning throughout, a fanbstatsic day to be out on the fells in the glorious Autumn weather and beautiful sunshine. It is 15 years since I last did this horseshoe!
It didn’t take long to start getting the view over the cloud inversion after climbing the steep steps from the car park. The sun was just rising but not yet over the Helvellyn ridge. 
…and there it is! Sunrise over the Helvellyn ridge to the east; what a beautiful morning. 
Climbing higher and basking in the golden glow with the ever present Skiddaw and Blencathra to the north-east. 
On the highest point of Kinn and the climb ahead to Grisedale Pike. 
Looking back along the ridge to Kinn. 
Climbing Sleet How to Grisedale Pike, a steeper pull than I remembered. 
Close up on misty Braithwaite. 
The sun is certainly up now with a beautiful fell silhouette. 
Climbing higher on Sleet How, now into full daylight. 
The summit of Grisedale Pike. In view Crag Hill, Grasmoor, Sand Hill and Hopegill Head. There used to be a beautiful conical cairn on here, alas now it is gone. 
What a great skyline view to the south – the Langdales, left, to the Scafells on the right. 
Skiddaw and Blencathra from Grisedale Pike. 
The view to the solway firth and Criffel whilst looking down on the Loweswater fells, the scene of our walk a couple of weeks ago. 
Descending towards Hobcarton Head. 
Following the wall and not a cloud in the sky, it was the prefect, crisp autumn morning. Along here there was a touch of frost and the puddles were a little icy. There was virtually no breeze to speak of so I managed to walk the whole round in a light fleece top and light gloves to take the edge off early on. 
Grisedale pike from Hobcarton Head. 
Hopegill Head. Hobcarton Crag is in view. 
Hopegill Head summit looking towards Whiteside with the coast beyond and the Isle of Man on the horizon. There are two people coming from the opposite direction, the first I have seen this morning. 
A peep through Gasgale Gill to Crummock Water and Mellbreak. Again, the Isle of Man is in view. 
Sand Hill with Grisedale Pike in shadow and Hobcarton Head. Skiddaw has managed to catch some cloud cover on the summit; that seemed to hang around on there for a while. 
From Sand hill we descended and crossed Coledale Hause. Gasgale Gill provided a good opportunity for Finlay to have a drink and a bathe in the clear water. What he found even better than that was to find a muddy bog to go and lie in instead. Finlay! I decided against climbing the scree slope to Crag Hill and opted to climb the valley to the junction (below in this photo) and climb up from there. This is looking back to Grasmoor – again a consideration was to climb it along with Wandope, all are in touching distance! I decided to keep it pure and stick to the Coledale Horseshoe this time, we will tackle the others another day. 
The trig. column on Crag Hill (or Eel Crag in the Wainwright book). The breeze was picking up a bit now so I didn’t hang around too long up here. 
Wainwright #79 for Finlay (aka the bog monster!). 
Descending to Sail, another path that was steeper and rougher than I remember. I took all the descents really carefully today, mindful of the Kentmere incident and the rolling of the ankle! These boots don’t seem supportive so I made my mind up here that a new pair was required. 
Eel Crag from Sail. 
Sail summit cairn surrounded by a boggy mess. 
The Sail path from Scar Crags. Hmmm. 
Scar Crags summit looking down to Causey Pike. 
Looking down to the final three hills of the day – Outerside, Stile End and Barrow. Firstly though is the walk out to Causey Pike before doubling back then descending down into Coledale. 
Take it all in Finlay, what a view and what a day for a walk! This is the complete opposite of the weather when we did the Fairfield Horseshoe a whole 3 days ago! 
Derwent Water and the Vale of Keswick. 
The summit of Causey Pike on the abrupt end of the ridge, here looking back to the route just walked and the (short) way I’ll be heading back before descending. I took someone’s photo here for them on their phone and we talked a little about dogs. I explained that Finlay is excellent with sheep and 100% trustworthy. Not so with humans though, if he spots you, he will jump on you if you show any interest in him. You have been warned if you ever bump into us! 
This is Outerside from the bottom of the initially boggy descent path. It is straight on from here and then straight up the visible path. 
What a view from Outerside summit Finlay! This scene wouldn’t have been much different a couple of hundred years ago – the scenery is the same, the Bearded Collie is the same. A real herding dog, bred for the high ground and where he is most at home. 
Stile End, surrounded by a high amphitheatre of fells all of which we have just walked. 
Barrow, our 8th Wainwright and final summit of the day and what a beautiful little fell this is with a fabulous view of Derwent Water and Keswick. 
Catbells and the Newlands Valley. From here it was a grassy descent into Braithwaite. Once back to the car it was straight into Keswick to get a new pair of boots from Keswick Boot Co. (opposite our Love the Lakes shop). No messing about, I got a pair of Hanwag Tatra GTX, I think this is the third or fourth pair I have had and they are great. Have you tried them or what are your boot recommendations?
Hi Sean,
Great to see lots of fabulous views and photos on this horseshoe walk, we especially liked the ‘misty Braithwaite’ one. What a shame the cloud was down and you had no views on the Fairfield one. Finlay finding the boggy patch sounded familiar, didn’t one of your previous dogs (or perhaps it was all of them) make straight for boggy patches to lie down in?
How’s your ankle?
Best wishes,
Brenda & John