It’s a good while since I have done a full day walk and today seemed like a good opportunity to do a circuit of lovely Ennerdale. The weather was superb, a bit fresher than of late and the air was clearer for it. It was a great day out amongst my favourite fells and it was relatively quiet up there too, although it was good to chat to StridingEdge fans on Scoat Fell and then on Steeple.
It is ages since I have been to Buttermere so I got up at the crack of dawn to get an early start to a predicted nice day. However, that failed to materialise although it did look as though it could brighten up but once I was up on the ridge it worsened and it ended up raining heavily.
Gatesgarth Farm, Buttermere – Fleetwith Pike – Haystacks – Seat – High Crag (Buttermere) – Grey Crag on High Stile – High Stile – Red Pike (Buttermere) – Gatesgarth Farm, Buttermere [8.2 miles, 1260m ascent]
Gatesgarth Farm, Buttermere – Fleetwith Pike – Haystacks – Seat (475) – High Crag (Buttermere) -Grey Crag on High Stile (476) – High Stile – Red Pike (Buttermere) – Dodd (Buttermere) (477) – Gatesgarth Farm, Buttermere [11 miles, 1400m ascent]
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.
Gatesgarth – Fleetwith Pike (60) – Haystacks (61) – High Crag (62) – High Stile (63) – Red Pike (Buttermere) (64) – Gatesgarth
