Dow Crag via the South Rake

Walked on 14/04/2016

Start point: Walna Scar road (SD 289 970)

Walna Scar road – The Cove – Goat’s Water – South Rake – Dow Crag – Buck Pike – Blind Tarn – Cove Bridge – Walna Scar road

Distance: 5 miles Total Ascent: 577 metres Time Taken: 2 hours 30 minutes Start Time: 09:00

Weather: Sunny, 11C

It was a lovely morning this morning, perfect for a walk onto the fells. Any fells are a good day out for me at the moment; as you may have noticed the walks are a little less frequent these days but it is a case of fitting them in wherever I can – sometimes other things have to be done as well! This is a particular favourite and a good scramble if you like that kind of thing – I think The Old Man must have been busy today as I didn’t see too many people but the car park was completely full when I got back.

Firstly, a few photos from a walk around Ennerdale taken last Saturday (9th April) which turned into a rather warm afternoon…

Herdus and Bowness Knott, the gorse glowing in the sunshine.

Looking to Pillar along Ennerdale Water.

Warm enough for a swim today.

Close up on Pillar and Steeple.

It is a fine view along Ennerdale. On with today's walk...

Fletcher leads the way along the Walna Scar road.

Boo Tarn.

The path to Goats Water...

...into The Cove.

Posing on the way to Dow Crag.

Fletcher and Dougal.

Goat's Water.

At the foot of the climb up to the South Rake.

Fletcher has found the path.

Coniston Water from the climb up the scree slope.

Goat's Water and The Old Man.

The south rake.

Easy Gully (despite the name, it's not!).

The view down the south rake...

...and from the top of the rake.

Looking to the west across the Duddon Valley.

Buck Pike to Black Combe and the Duddon Estuary.

The Scafells with their heads in the cloud.

Great Carrs and Swirl How.

The view from the summit of Dow Crag.

Dow Crag from Buck Pike.

Brown Pike and Blind Tarn.

Fletcher surveys the valley below.

Heading steeply down to Blind Tarn.

Coniston Old Man across The Cove.

Down at Cove Bridge.

During this walk we stopped by to say hello to Charmer, his gravestone is still visible if you know where to look.

Fletcher and Dougal said hello to this kindred spirit too.

Buck Pike (Seathwaite Fell)

Height: 744 metres / 2441 feet Grid reference: SD 26232 97219

Buck Pike and Dow Crag

Heading for Buck Pike with The Old Man of Coniston to the right

Coniston

Walked on 17/03/2006

Start point: Coniston (SD 303 976)

Coniston – Walna Scar road – Brown Pike – Buck Pike – Dow Crag – Goat’s Hawse – Coniston Old Man– Coppermines Valley – Coniston

Distance: 9 miles Total Ascent: 1000 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Snow and gale force winds, 3oC

Today’s weather was the most severe I can remember. There was deep snow all along the Walna Scar road with even deeper snow and gale force winds along the Dow Crag ridge. When I eventually reached The Old Man, I bailed out of the intended route along to Swirl How early – conditions were that bad. (Apologies for the quality of some of the photos, conditions weren’t conducive to great ones!).

The Bell from the Walna Scar car park - no chance of getting a car up here today.

Boo Tarn.

Locals not impressed with the weather.

Angus leads the way over Cove Bridge. The snow was knee deep in places up the Walna Scar road with a fresh covering of snow hiding previous tracks.

My favourite shelter says Angus. This is where I stopped to put crampons on - I knew that the wind would pick up as we reached the top of the Walna Scar pass and I didn't fancy trying to get my gear on in the wind and snow.

An icy Walna Scar pass.

The wind really did pick up as we made our way to Brown Pike - it was gale force. Carrying the snow with it, it really began to sting my face and eyes and it was extremely cold.

The top of easy gully on Dow Crag. It was one step forwards, two sideways and two backwards here - extremely severe conditions with a freezing, biting wind.

Frozen nose.

The wind carried on unabated - on Goats Hawse it was ferocious, blowing up the wind tunnel formed by Dow Crag and The Old Man over Goat's Water.

Horrendous!

Goat's Water.

Dow Crag.

Not happy - too cold.

Ascending the ridge to the Old Man it was a complete white out and I knew the game was up. I had intended to carry on to Swirl How but it would be crazy to do so in these conditions. I didn't stop here apart from a quick photo; let's get down.

Low Water - I passed a chap here who was descending after giving up on reaching the summit, despite being less than 100m from the top. A wise move I think.

Coppermines Valley.

The Wetherlam Ridge.

Coniston Water.

Looking back up the Coppermines Valley. Just before I took this photo, I bumped into a chap wearing a leather jacket and open necked shirt with trainers on. I told him how bad it was, but he carried on regardless - not a wise move. I hope he made it back okay. Footnote: Someone died up there that afternoon, fortunately not the inappropriately attired guy I bumped into.