Height: 612 metres / 2008 feet Grid reference: NY 35599 08300 Category: The Eastern Fells
Fairfield Horseshoe
Start Point: Rydal (NY 365 062)
Rydal – Nab Scar – Heron Pike – Rydal Fell – Great Rigg – Fairfield – Hart Crag – Dove Crag – High Pike (Scandale) – Low Pike – Low Sweden Bridge – Rydal Park – Rydal
Distance: 10 miles Total Ascent: 1180 metres Time Taken: 5 hours Start Time: 07:35
Weather: Beautiful, warming up nicely to 17°C
The weather experts weren’t wrong today, it was an absolutely gorgeous morning for a walk around the Fairfield Horseshoe – one I haven’t done (unbelievably) since 2007. There wasn’t anyone around either until two thirds of the way when we met one or two people. I think this is the last day of the long hot summer as the weather is set to turn over the next few days…
Heron Pike
Start point: Grasmere (NY 341 083)
Grasmere – Grey Crag – Alcock Tarn – Heron Pike – Butter Crag – Grasmere
Distance: 2.75 miles Total Ascent: 524 metres Time Taken: 2 hours Start Time: 10:30
Weather: Lots of wintry showers. 3° (when will I see you again!) C
The weather was supposed to brighten up later, but I guess you’ve got to get out whilst you can and it didn’t look so good when I set off in pouring rain. I made this walk up as I went along, I didn’t really know where I was heading apart from Alcock Tarn but when I looked up to Heron Pike it seemed so close I decided to go for it. The weather was constantly changing again today and as I climbed the rain soon turned to snow backed by a strong wind.
The Fairfield Horseshoe
Start point: Rydal (NY 365 062)
Rydal – Nab Scar – Heron Pike – Rydal Fell – Stone Arthur – Great Rigg – Fairfield – Hart Crag – Dove Crag – High Pike (Scandale) – Low Pike – Low Sweden Bridge – Rydal Park – Rydal
Distance: 10.5 miles Total Ascent: 1180 metres Time Taken: 5 hours
Weather: Clear at lower level, tops in mist. 4oC.
It was lovely and clear first thing this morning for a walk of the Fairfield Horseshoe with which I added a slight detour out to Stone Arthur above Grasmere. It was interesting to watch the weather almost constantly changing with clouds forming in the valleys before they lifted as I reached the top of Fairfield. The descent of Hart Crag and Dove Crag was done in very wintry mist with a covering of snow on these higher fells. By the time we got through that, the high cloud had come in to dull conditions somewhat and make it feel even cooler out of the sunshine.
Fairfield Horseshoe
Start point: Rydal (NY 365 062)
Rydal – Nab Scar – Heron Pike – Rydal Fell – Great Rigg – Fairfield – Hart Crag – Dove Crag – High Pike (Scandale) – Low Pike – High Sweden Bridge – Ambleside – Rydal Park – Rydal
Distance: 12.9 miles Total Ascent: 1281 metres Time Taken: 5 hours
Weather: Sunny and warm. 27oC.
I knew it was going to be a warm one today – it was 23oC when I set off from Rydal this morning! It was hot and muggy with a welcome breeze on the higher parts, and very quiet up on the Fairfield Horseshoe. Angus and Casper kept themselves cool by wallowing in mud, glorious mud that baked on in the sun, and is proving impossible to get off.
Fairfield Horseshoe
Start point: Ambleside – Rydal Road Car Park (NY 376 046)
Ambleside – Rydal Park – Nab Scar (118) – Heron Pike (119) – Rydal Fell (120) – Stone Arthur (121) – Great Rigg (122) – Fairfield – Hart Crag (123) – Dove Crag (124) – High Pike (Scandale) (125) – Low Pike (126) – High Sweden Bridge – Ambleside
Weather: Very warm, mainly overcast.
After a short lay off, it was good to get back out on the fells today with a classic round – The Fairfield Horseshoe. The weather looked promising but the haze never lifted although it was lovely and warm
From the car park at Ambleside, I followed the A591 to the delightful Rydal Park and walked through here to Rydal Mount.
Fairfield
Ambleside – Nab Scar (39) – Heron Pike (40) – Stone Arthur (41) – Great Rigg (42) – Fairfield (43) – St Sunday Crag (44) – Birks (45) – Patterdale – Kirkstone Pass – Ambleside