Hopegill Head

Walked on 09/01/2008

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. 3°C

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 to Cockermouth from the steep descent.

Grasmoor

Walked on 01/05/2007

Start point: Rannerdale Bridge (NY 163 192)

Rannerdale Bridge – Whin Ben – Whiteside – Gasgale Crags – East Top of Whiteside – Hopegill Head – Sand Hill – Grasmoor – Wandope –Thirdgill Head Man – Whiteless Pike – Whiteless Breast – Low Bank – Rannerdale Knotts – Rannerdale Bridge

Distance: 9.7 miles Total Ascent: 1190 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 15 minutes

Weather: Fine and sunny with a cool breeze on the top again. 21oC.

Today’s conditions were almost perfect. Not a cloud in the sky, which was a beautiful azure, and the sun was shining and warm – warm enough for shorts and t-shirt for the full round. It was just me and Casper today, Angus stayed home and had a lie in whilst Casper gave his new haircut a run out.

Grasmoor from Rannerdale Bridge at the start of the walk.

The Loweswater Fells across Crummock Water.

Whiteside and Whin Benn - that's a steep way up!

Liza Beck and Loweswater.

Mellbreak.

Who is that skinny young thing looking towards Hopegill Head?

The Whiteside ridge.

The path to Hopegill Head with Grisedale Pike beyond from the east top of Whiteside.

Looking back along the Hopegill Head arête to Whiteside.

Grasmoor from Sand Hill.

Skiddaw, Blencathra and the Coledale Valley from the climb to Grasmoor.

Rannerdale Knotts from Grasmoor, the swathes of Bluebells can be seen below it even from here.

Crag Hill and Sail from Wandope.

Grasmoor from Wandope.

Casper was all skin and bone beneath all that hair!

'Who, me?'

Heading for Whiteless Pike.

Looking back to Thirdgill Head and Wandope.

Crummock Water with Loweswater beyond.

Heading down for Rannerdale Knotts.

Buttermere.

The view from Rannerdale Knotts summit.

Mellbreak across Crummock Water - straight in for Casper!

The famous Rannerdale Bluebells are in full force, here looking to Grasmoor.

Whiteless Pike from Rannerdale.

More Bluebells.

All was sweet smelling here with the gorse and flowers.

One more shot of them.

Grasmoor

Walked on 05/05/2005

Start point: Lanthwaite Green (NY 159 208)

Lanthwaite Green – Whin Ben – Whiteside (349) – Gasgale Crags (350) – East Top of Whiteside (351) – Hopegill Head – Sand Hill – Grasmoor (352) – Wandope (353) – Thirdgill Head Man (354) – Whiteless Pike (355) – Whiteless Breast – Low Bank – Rannerdale Knotts (356) – Rannerdale – Lanthwaite Green

Distance: 10.1 miles Total Ascent: 1943 metres Time Taken: 3 hours 55 minutes

Weather: Dull and overcast, rain later. 10oC.

The cloud was lying heavily on the higher tops today, so I knew there wouldn’t be any views from my round of Grasmoor. The wind was howling and quite cold, there was a great moment descending to Whiteless Pike when the mist cleared all of a sudden and I was rewarded with great views; five minutes later the mist and drizzle closed back in. I descended Rannerdale Knotts into Rannerdale to see the famous Bluebells, now in bloom and well worth a visit.