Striding Edge

A photo diary of Lake District fell walks

The Mosedale Horseshoe

Walked on

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 187 088)

Wasdale Head – Black Sails Pass –Pillar – Wind Gap – Black Crag (Pillar) – Scoat Fell – Steeple – Red Pike – Dore Head Screes – Wasdale Head

Distance: 9.4 miles     Total Ascent: 1009 metres     Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes

Clear               
Temperature      4 ℃ 
Felt like        2 ℃
Wind Speed       4.1 mi/h
Wind Direction   NE

What a fantastic day for being out on the fells. February was pretty much a wash out/blow out after a number of named storms and a day of settled and fine weather came as a blessed relief! It’s a good while since I have done this route (12 years!) but I picked the perfect day to visit my favourite fell and area. There was perfect clarity and hardly a breath of wind throughout and I even caught the sun a little too.

Pillar

Height: 892 metres / 2927 feet Grid reference: NY 17126 12101 Category: The Western Fells

Pillar is this author’s favourite fell. On the north eastern face of Pillar lies the mighty and airy Pillar Rock.

The summit of Pillar

The summit of Pillar

The cold summit of Pillar.

The cold summit of Pillar.

 

The Gables and the Scafells from Pillar

The Gables and the Scafells from Pillar

Pillar across Wind Gap

Pillar across Wind Gap

Pillar Rock from Ennerdale

Pillar Rock from Ennerdale

Pillar Rock from the upper part of the Shamrock Traverse with Pisgah in front and High Man behind.

Pillar Rock from the upper part of the Shamrock Traverse with Pisgah in front and High Man behind.

Pillar

Walked on

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

Bowness Knott Car Park -Ennerdale Forest – Pillar Cove – Robinson’s Cairn – High Level Route – Shamrock Traverse – Pillar – Black Crag (Pillar) – Scoat Fell – Steeple – Lingmell – Bowness Knott Car Park

Distance: 11.2 miles     Total Ascent: 1114 metres     Time Taken: 6 hours     Start Time: 07:20

Weather: Wet and warm. 17oC

After all the good weather recently I guess there had to be some bad – it just so happens that this was the only day I could get out so I had to take it as it came. Let’s just say I had some good navigation practice and needless to say, I saw no-one all day! Today’s walk will be a ‘Trail Route’ in a future edition of Trail magazine.

Ennerdale Circuit

Walked on

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

Bleach Green – Bowness – Great Borne – Starling Dodd – Little Dodd (Ennerdale) – Red Pike (Buttermere) – High Stile – High Crag – Memorial Bridge, Ennerdale – 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: 18 miles     Total Ascent: 2183 metres     Time Taken: 10 hours     Start Time: 06:00

Weather: Sunny and warm. 15°C

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. 

Mosedale Round

Walked on

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 187 088)

Wasdale Head – Looking Stead – Pillar – Wind Gap – Black Crag (Pillar) – Scoat Fell – Black Comb – Y Boulder – Wasdale Head

Distance: 7.5 miles     Total Ascent: 1050 metres     Time Taken: 4 hours 45 minutes     Start Time: 07:20

Weather: Cold and clear. 6C

If anyone wondered whether it was winter yet, even after yesterday’s walk, I can confirm it is well and truly here. It felt more like a February day today with views to match – absolute clarity and stunning views is the only way to describe it – a magical day on the fells.

 

Mosedale Horseshoe

Walked on

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 187 088)

Wasdale Head – Black Sails Pass – Looking Stead – Pillar – Wind Gap – Black Crag (Pillar) – Scoat Fell – Steeple – Red Pike – Dore Head Screes – Wasdale Head

Distance: 8 miles     Total Ascent: 1130 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours 45 minutes

Weather: Cold and clear. 2°C.

Everywhere else in the country has lots of snow according to the news but locally there is not a great deal at valley level. The high ground is well covered and today defied the expected conditions and was lovely and clear over Mosedale almost throughout the walk. I have had this one on the list of ‘to do’s’ for a while as I really wanted to get to Pillar, my favourite of all fells, in superb winter conditions such as today.

 

Pillar Rock

Walked on

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 187 088)

Wasdale Head – Black Sails Pass – Looking Stead – High Level Traverse – Shamrock Traverse – Pillar Rock (541) – Pillar – Wind Gap – Mosedale – Wasdale Head

Distance: 6.6 miles     Total Ascent: 960 metres     Time Taken: 7 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Hazy with sunny spells. 16ºC.

It’s been a long journey, much longer than I expected when I started out on a quest to complete the Birketts on 4th May 2004 but today I finally achieved that particular goal. I must admit to losing the will to carry on with them half way through, hence the time taken, but it was all worth it in the end and it certainly got me to places I never would have gone otherwise. Today’s route took in Pillar Rock; no walk this one, it is a climb and not one for the faint hearted. Make sure you take the proper precautions if you want to tackle it. Me? I had the perfect guide today…

You see yon precipice–it almost looks
Like some vast building made of many crags,
And in the midst is one particular rock
That rises like a column from the vale,
Whence by our Shepherds it is call’d, the Pillar.
Extract from ‘The Brothers’, William Wordsworth 1800

Mosedale Horseshoe

Walked on

Overbeck Bridge (NY 168 068)

Overbeck Bridge – Bell Rib – Great Door – Yewbarrow – Dore Head – Red Pike – Scoat Fell – Steeple – Black Crag (Pillar)  – Pillar –Looking Stead – Black Sails Pass – Wasdale Head – Overbeck Bridge

Distance: 10.6 miles     Total Ascent: 1313 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours 15 minutes

Weather: Clear and sunny. 8oC.

It was fantastically clear today with views for miles and miles. Certainly this is one of my favourite walks, it being quite arduous and rough at all times. Coupled with a visit to Pillar, my absolute favourite fell it made for a great day out on the high fells.

Pillar

Walked on

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

Bowness Knott Car Park – Gillerthwaite – Ennerdale Forest – Pillar Cove – Shamrock Traverse – Pillar – Black Crag (Pillar) – Scoat Fell – Steeple– Lingmell – Bowness Knott Car Park

Distance: 11 miles     Total Ascent: 1080 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Sunny, cold wind on the tops. 23oC.

Pillar is my favourite mountain as I think I have said previously but this is the first time I have climbed it from the Ennerdale side and what a route; it is absolutely fabulous! This had everything I desire in a good walk – it is rugged, steep and rocky, remote and wild and it gave something that everyone looks for now and again, namely a jaw dropping ‘wow’ moment at the start of the climb towards Pillar Rock. The scenery is awesome, simply the best there is and in Pillar Cove it feels like no person has ever been there before with that mighty column of rock towering above. Coupled with the fine and clear weather this made it truly a walk to remember and one which I shall definitely repeat.

Mosedale Horseshoe

Walked on

Start point: Overbeck Bridge (NY 168 068)

Overbeck Bridge – Bell Rib – Great Door – Yewbarrow – Dore Head – Red Pike – Scoat Fell – Steeple –Black Crag (Pillar)  – Pillar – Looking Stead – Black Sails Pass –  Kirk Fell – Wasdale Head – Overbeck Bridge

Distance: 11.6 miles     Total Ascent: 2454 metres     Time Taken: 6 hours

Weather: Sultry, but very windy on the latter tops. 24oC.

It was a funny old day today, weather-wise. When I set off from Overbeck Bridge, it was raining and showers continued over Yewbarrow with the odd ominous rumble of thunder. When the rain stopped, it became very hazy and warm and by the time I got to Pillar it was sunny, but with gale force winds which were present until I got back to valley level where it became almost unbearably hot. Angus and Casper were resplendent with new summer haircuts – it takes years off Angus, I think. It was quite an arduous round this one – a new one for Casper as it was very rocky with a few scrambles, Angus of course, took it all in his stride.

Ennerdale Circuit

Walked on

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.

Pillar

Walked on

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 187 088)

Wasdale Head – Black Sails Pass – Looking Stead (192) – High Level Traverse – Shamrock Traverse – Pillar (193) – Black Crag (Pillar) (194) – Scoat Fell (195) – Steeple (196) – Red Pike (197) – Wasdale Head

Weather: Wind, sleet, snow, hail, rain – you name it!

The intention of today’s walk was to ascend Pillar Rock, a climb I have done previously, however the weather conspired against me climbing it today – I made it half way up the ‘notch’ before the treacherous conditions made me see sense and retreat back to the slab. Phil, my walking partner,  managed to make it. No fear! The rest of the walk was beset with bad weather with the first snow of winter seen on Pillar and a howling gale with painful (!) hailstones on the high level walk.

Haycock

Walked on

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 186 088)

Wasdale Head – Black Sail Pass – Looking Stead – Pillar – Scoat Fell – Steeple – Haycock (214) – Red Pike (Wasdale) – Dorehead Screes – Wasdale Head

Weather: Sunny and warm. Generally hazy.

Today’s the day I completed my first round of the Wainwright’s !

Pillar

Walked on

Wasdale Head – Black Sails Pass – Looking Stead – Pillar (18) – Scoat Fell (19) – Steeple (20) – Scoat Fell – Red Pike (Wasdale) (21) – Yewbarrow (22) – Wasdale Head