Height: 633 metres / 2077 feet Grid reference: NY 14206 15747 Category: The Western Fells

Red Pike and High Stile from Starling Dodd

Grasmoor and Crummock Water from Starling Dodd
Height: 633 metres / 2077 feet Grid reference: NY 14206 15747 Category: The Western Fells
Red Pike and High Stile from Starling Dodd
Grasmoor and Crummock Water from Starling Dodd
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.
A great panoramic view from High Stile - Red Pike and Dodd to the left, Crummock Water and Grasmoor to the right.
Instead of descending Gamlin End, I decided to go for a route 1 steeper than steep descent to Ennerdale direct (for masochists only this one, a real leg trembler!). I can see the Memorial Bridge from here (to the left of the tree line) where I want to cross and then the route of ascent is up and above the rocky knoll then to the right following the line of the beck before cutting diagonally left beneath Pillar Rock.
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
Time for lunch (even though it is only 10.30!) and a seat with a fantastic view of Pillar Rock towering above. Now all I have to do is climb up there. To be continued...after my lunch...
Looking back across to High Crag from the climb to Pillar. The route I used in descent is the diagonal scree run to the right.
The route to airy Steeple and Dougal and Casper have spotted yet another StridingEdge fan to greet us.
Walked on
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?
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.
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.
Up above the snowline at the top of Herdus. The snow was constantly falling now and throughout the walk.
Heading for Great Borne across an icing sugar topped Herdus, Casper and Dougal try to blend in with the background.
Walked on
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.
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!
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.
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!
Looking into Mosedale, Hen Comb to the left and Mellbreak to the right. In the distance are the Loweswater Fells.
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.
Looking from High Stile across Bleaberry Tarn and Red Pike to Mellbreak and Crummock Water. Loweswater is visible in the distance.
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.
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.
Walked on
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.
Walked on
Scalehill Bridge – Loweswater – Mellbreak (133) – Scale Knott – Starling Dodd (134) – Great Borne (135) – Floutern Tarn – Hen Comb (136) – Gavel Fell (137) – Blake Fell (138) – Burnbank Fell (139) – Holme Wood – Loweswater – Scalehill Bridge
From AW 'The Western Fells' - "A negative signpost (intended to help motorists) Kirkstile Inn road junction.
View from the ascent of Mellbreak looking towards Loweswater with Low Fell to the right. Note the ancient earthworks in the centre.
Wainwrights "...a lovely peep around a corner..." from Mellbreak on the direct ascent from Loweswater.
Starling Dodd summit looking towards Pillar. Note the ironwork has been separated from the stone in the main summit cairn.
Hen Comb summit looking over Buttermere. Background L-R: Robinson, Dale Head, Fleetwith Pike and Starling Dodd.