Striding Edge

A photo diary of Lake District fell walks

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Herdus

Height: 562 metres / 1844 feet Grid reference: NY 11759 16344

Herdus summit

Herdus summit

Starling Dodd

Walked on 25/01/2010

Start point: Bowness Knott Car Park (NY 109 153)

Bowness Knott Car Park – Herdus – Great Borne – Starling Dodd – Little Dodd (Ennerdale) – Bowness Knott Car Park

Distance: 7.2 miles    Total Ascent: 735 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Cold wind, snow. 2°C

Today was a typical January day – cold and windy with snow and a grey, dull and flat light. There was fresh snow above 500m and the wind was raw yet the walk was still enjoyable. I can scarcely believe it is 3 years since I walked over these fells – where does the time go?

25.01.10-005

Crag Fell over Bowness.

25.01.10-008

Following the road towards Herdus - I followed the wall beyond the far trees directly ahead before climbing the path through the bracken to the left of the photo. From there the climb was a steep one.

25.01.10-011

Crossing Rake Beck.

25.01.10-016

Crag Fell and Anglers' Crag across Ennerdale Water.

25.01.10-025

There was a lot of forestry work going on around the car park at Bowness and Bowness Knott looks a bit more accessible now than it was with all the trees gone.

25.01.10-030

Up above the snowline at the top of Herdus. The snow was constantly falling now and throughout the walk.

25.01.10-038

Heading for Great Borne across an icing sugar topped Herdus, Casper and Dougal try to blend in with the background.

25.01.10-045

The frozen summit of Great Borne with the pointed Red Pike in view.

25.01.10-050

Mellbreak and Grasmoor from Great Borne. Dougal has the bit between his teeth now and leads the way.

25.01.10-051

Looking back to Great Borne from the climb to Starling Dodd.

25.01.10-054

Red Pike and High Stile from the familiar twisted ironwork cairn on Starling Dodd.

25.01.10-060

Any old iron? Casper and Dougal on Starling Dodd.

25.01.10-063

Starling Dodd cairn.

25.01.10-064

A photo of contrasts - Grasmoor and Crummock Water from Starling Dodd.

25.01.10-067

Monochromatic Red Pike.

25.01.10-082

Moonscape at the top of the descent.

25.01.10-089

Gillinter Beck.

25.01.10-094

Pillar across Ennerdale.

25.01.10-096

A closer view of Pillar with Pillar Rock prominent.

25.01.10-098

A view into Windgap Cove across Ennerdale to Scoat Fell and Pillar.

25.01.10-109

Pillar dominated this view along Ennerdale with Green Gable and Great Gable in view.

25.01.10-116

Ennerdale reflections.

25.01.10-129

25.01.10-134

Crag Fell.

Great Borne

Walked on 15/02/2007

Start point: Bowness Knott Car Park (NY 109 153)

Bowness Knott Car Park – Herdus – Great Borne – Starling Dodd – Little Dodd (Ennerdale) – Bowness Knott Car Park

Distance: 7.2 miles    Total Ascent: 735 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Windy! 10°C.

The mountain weather forecast was for high winds today which would ‘make walking impossible’. Well, they were pretty much right with that one! All seemed so calm and tranquil at valley level too – I feared for Angus and Casper on the Great Borne ridge overlooking Ennerdale as they were getting blown around so much. That aside, I don’t think we did so bad with the weather really. It was good to have Angus back up on the high fells too; I think he had missed it.

Great Borne

15.02.07-003

Crag Fell and Anglers Crag across Ennerdale Water from the steep climb up to Herdus.

15.02.07-006

Looking to Floutern Cop, Hen Comb beyond, Mellbreak beyond that and Whiteside and Grasmoor beyond that! Once onto the flat top of Herdus, the wind was really strong - no, make that really, really strong!

15.02.07-012

I could hardly stand up and the two lightweights of the group were getting blown all over. Here's Angus standing his ground for a minute.

15.02.07-026

Still in strong wind up onto Great Borne. This photo looking to Gavel Fell was taken from the safety of the wind shelter - it was the only way I could keep the camera still!

15.02.07-039

Heading for Starling Dodd, beyond is Red Pike and the High Stile ridge.

15.02.07-051

Grasmoor manages to catch the only sunshine of the day.

15.02.07-053

Looking into Mosedale, Hen Comb to the left and Mellbreak to the right. In the distance are the Loweswater Fells.

15.02.07-061

Mellbreak with Grasmoor across Crummock Water.

15.02.07-065

A close-up of Grasmoor.

15.02.07-084

The cairns on Starling Dodd. Where was this photo taken from?...

15.02.07-080

...well, we were lying on the floor - of course!

15.02.07-094

Red Pike and High Stile over the small bump of Little Dodd where we made a hasty exit from the high ridge down to the right.

15.02.07-097

Robinson and Red Pike from Little Dodd.

15.02.07-101

Pillar, Scoat Fell and Steeple from the descent to Ennerdale.

15.02.07-107

Still windy on the descent, though not half as bad as it was up there.

15.02.07-115

A gloomy looking Pillar, Pillar Rock silhouetted below the cloud.

15.02.07-118

Ominous looking Green Gable and Great Gable at the head of Ennerdale

15.02.07-131

Ennerdale.

15.02.07-144

Crag Fell and Anglers Crag across Ennerdale Water just before the heavens opened - fortunately I was back in the car by then.

 

Ennerdale Circuit

Walked on 09/05/2005

Start point: Bleach Green, Ennerdale (NY 085 153)

Bleach Green – Bowness – Brown How (Ennerdale) – Herdus – Great Borne – Gale Fell – Starling Dodd – Little Dodd (Ennerdale) –  Red Pike (Buttermere) (357) – High Stile (358) – High Crag (359) – Haystacks (360) –  Looking Stead – High Level Traverse – Shamrock Traverse – Pillar – Black Crag (Pillar) – Scoat Fell – Steeple – Haycock – Little Gowder Crag – Caw Fell – Ennerdale Fell – Crag Fell – Bleach Green

Distance: 23.6 miles     Total Ascent: 2864 metres     Time Taken: 10 hour 20 minutes

Weather: Mainly sunny with lots of snow (!) showers. 7-11°C, valley level – much colder on the tops.

Today’s walk is a long, high level circuit of the beautiful Ennerdale Valley with virtually the whole route being completed at an elevation in excess of 500m. I have had this one on my list of ‘to do’ walks for a while so it was satisfying to complete the walk on a mainly clear day. The photo’s here actually belie the conditions somewhat as the clouds came in when I was crossing from Haystacks to Pillar and there was an icy blizzard. The snow showers continued to come and go throughout the rest of the walk and conditions remained very cold.

Ennerdale Circuit

Ennerdale Circuit route map.

Ennerdale Circuit - 9th May 002

An early morning silhouette of Ennerdale.

Ennerdale Circuit - panorama2

The sunlight on Crag Fell.

Ennerdale Circuit - 9th May 020

A good view from Red Pike of the round completed last Thursday.

Ennerdale Circuit - 9th May 023

Crummock Water from Red Pike.

Ennerdale Circuit - 9th May 025

High Snockrigg and Robinson over Buttermere with Bleaberry Tarn in the foreground.

Ennerdale Circuit - panorama3

Looking from High Stile across Bleaberry Tarn and Red Pike to Mellbreak and Crummock Water. Loweswater is visible in the distance.

Ennerdale Circuit - 9th May 041

The sun lights up Pillar Rock across Ennerdale on the north face of Pillar - from High Crag.

Ennerdale Circuit - panorama4

Ennerdale Circuit - 9th May 048

Fleetwith Pike and Dale Head from High Crag.

Ennerdale Circuit - panorama6

High Crag from Haystacks with Ennerdale to the left and the Buttermere Valley to the right.

Ennerdale Circuit - 9th May 062

Green Gable, Great Gable and Kirk Fell at the head of Ennerdale from Haystacks. The clouds were ominously creeping up behind me now and minutes later this view was obliterated by a blizzard.

Ennerdale Circuit2 - 9th May 001

Thankfully it had cleared up again by the time I reached the High Level Traverse of Pillar. This is a view of Pillar Rock from Pillar.

Ennerdale Circuit2 - 9th May 009

Ennerdale Circuit2 - 9th May 012

The east face of Steeple from Black Crag.

Ennerdale Circuit2 - 9th May 018

Steeple again, from Scoat Fell across Mirk Cove.

Ennerdale Circuit2 - 9th May 021

Pillar from Steeple. Steeple is a lofty, airy pinnacle and it's shape makes it feel as though you are in mid-air - one of my favourites.

Ennerdale Circuit2 - 9th May 025

Steeple, Pillar and Scoat Fell from Haycock.

Ennerdale Circuit2 - 9th May 028

The barren Caw Fell from Little Gowder Crag.

Ennerdale Circuit2 - 9th May 029

Pillar, Scoat Fell, Little Gowder Crag and Haycock from Caw Fell.

Ennerdale Circuit - panorama8_small

Ennerdale from Crag Fell.

Starling Dodd

Walked on 02/09/2004

Start point: Bowness Knott Car Park (NY 109 153)

Bowness Knott Car Park – Bowness Knott (148) – Brown How (Ennerdale) (149) – Herdus (150) – Great Borne (151) – Gale Fell (152) – Starling Dodd (153) – Little Dodd (Ennerdale) (154) – Bowness Knott Car Park

Weather: Dull and overcast with the odd sunny spell.

Today’s walk takes in part of the High Stile group of fells from Ennerdale Water.

Starling Dodd

2nd September - Starling Dodd 003

Herdus looms ahead from the Bowness Knott car park - it looks a daunting prospect from here.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 009

The sun shines! Crag Fell across Ennerdale Water from the summit of Bowness Knott.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 012

Sun Rays across the head of Ennerdale Water from the summit of Brown How.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 022

Looking along the Ennerdale valley from the summit of Herdus; Great Borne and Starling Dodd to the left, Great Gable in the cloud, centre, and Pillar to the right.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 031

Fellbarrow from the summit of Great Borne.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 036

Starling Dodd from the top of Gale Fell, the summit being marked by the fence corner post. This summit is un-named on O.S maps.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 041

Mellbreak, Whiteside Pike and Grasmoor from the summit of Starling Dodd.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 051

Looking back to Starling Dodd from the summit of Little Dodd.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 061

Ennerdale Water and valley from the descent of Little Dodd.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 063

Pillar, Scoat Fell and Steeple across Ennerdale.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 073

Rowan berries caught in the sunshine.

2nd September - Starling Dodd 001

Crag Fell and Anglers Crag from the shore of Ennerdale Water.

Walking Diary

  • The Mosedale Horseshoe 01/03/2022
  • Caw 18/01/2022
  • Coniston sunset 17/01/2022
  • Blencathra 15/01/2022
  • Scafell Pike 14/01/2022

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