Hardknott Pass

Start Point: Hardknott Pass summit (NY 230 014)

Hardknott Pass – Border End – Eskdale Needle – Hard Knott – Hardknott Pass

Distance: 3.2 km
Total Ascent: 237 metres
Time Taken: 1 hour
Start Time: 14:45
Weather: Partly cloudy. 3ºC
Finlay’s Wainwright count: 17/214 (1 new this walk)

I did think it would be clearer this afternoon after a cloudy start but that never quite materialised. I can’t complain as the views from Hard Knott are always good, some of the best views of the Scafells and Upper Eskdale that can be had in my view. I love these frozen winter days when it really does give the feeling of peace and solitude.

The long and winding road – Wrynose Pass.

A breathtaking sight of the Scafells comes into view as the top of the small col between Border End and Hard Knott is reached.

Ask Pike has a sprinkling of snow on the top. Everything above the 500m level was frozen up here and the silence was deafening.

Eskdale with Hardknott Roman Fort visible below.

Once on top of Border End, the view really opens up and the full Scafell range comes into view and look superb across this frozen pool.

Seatallan and Haycock catch the last of the sun with a little bit of Yewbarrow visible beyond the Slight Side ridge.

The view from the summit cairn on Border End. I had a five minute conversation with someone that had climbed up from the fort and first time visiting the area – not a bad time to do it!

Fading light and the last of the sunshine on the slopes of Slight Side and Scafell.

I dropped off piste a little to find Eskdale Needle – always a treat to see this rugged rock tower with its even more rugged surroundings! This gave young Finlay a little taste of the rough stuff as we traversed towards it and a bit of ‘follow me closely’ training (plus of course ‘leave the sheep alone’ training – OFF!)

The light was fading fast now so it was on with the climb up to Hard Knott and just made it for the final part of the sunset, here looking towards the West Cumbrian coast.

Well done Finlay, Hard Knott is Wainwright #17.

The summit of Hard Knott.

A final shot of the sunset from the descent, the point towards the right is the cairn on Border End. On the descent I was thinking how good it was to have the frozen ground to walk across rather than finding a way across the bog – of course I thought too soon when I broke through an icy section and got a good boot full of freezing water. It was like quicksand. -I thought I was going to be dragged down to the icy depths and never be seen again 9thankfully I made it out alive!).

Start Point: Jubilee Bridge, Eskdale (NY 213 011)

Jubilee Bridge – Harter Fell (Eskdale) – Hardknott Pass – Mediobogdum (Roman Fort) – Jubilee Bridge

Distance: 8.6 km
Total Ascent: 539 metres
Time Taken: 3 hours 15 minutes
Start Time: 10:00
Weather: Wet. 4ºC
Finlay’s Wainwright count: 12/214 (1 new this walk)

Route Map – GPX download available (this is the cleaned up version where I should have walked, my navigational issues are not included!)

I had picked out Harter Fell as a possibility today and the intention was to do it from the Duddon valley side…but…the Duddon Valley road was closed beyond the Birker Fell turning. That meant initiating plan B and walk from Jubilee bridge at the foot of Hardknott Pass. Eskdale was deserted as I drove along the valley and apart from a couple of walkers at the start ion the walk I saw no one all day (but neither did I see much else given the weather!). All more experiences in Finlay’s fell walking journey though, he’s coming along well.

A view into Upper Eskdale looking back along the path from Jubilee Bridge.

The view in the opposite direction along the length of Eskdale. The weather was changing quickly with some bright spells appearing, albeit fleetingly. Looking up to higher ground it didn't look so great with the tops shrouded in mist.

Sometimes it looked as though it might clear...but then any views were soon gone again as quickly as they appeared. You have to be optimistic if you are a fell walker!

Once we rounded the corner to climb steeply to the summit, the weather really did take a turn for the worse with quite strong winds and constant drizzle. Here's a 'quick on the draw' type shot of the trig. column and the true summit beyond. As I descended from here I slipped on a sloping section of rock, banging my left arm and hip quite badly - ooh yah!!

There were some navigational issues leaving the confusing summit of Harter Fell - initially I set off down the wrong way heading for the Duddon valley side then had to double back, climbing to the summit again to get my bearings before heading off down to Hardknott Pass. Even that wasn't straightforwardd in the mist and boggy mess as I seemed to be veering off the path. On the map it shows a lot more forest than there actually is these days and that threw me off a bit as well. It wasn't too bad in the end though, one final navigation mistake was around the un-named tarn below Peathill Crag. I found the right way after a little bit of wandering around and there was a stile with barbed wire which was not dog friendly. I followed it back until I came to a gate I had spotted earlier. From then on it was an easy descent to the pass.

Then out of nowhere the mist finally parted, this is looking across the road to Border End.

Hardknott Pass looking down into Eskdale.

I walked through the Roman parade ground to the fort (Mediobogdum) and had a little look around, what a place!

Hardknott - Fort and Pass.

Finlay - the centurion!

It was very atmospheric with the cloud swirling over the fells and not a soul around. I tried to imagine what it was like here 2000 years ago, I wonder what those stationed here thought of it?

Ready for action - sir!

Heading back to the car at Jubilee Bridge - let's go and get dried off Finlay my lad!