Height: 784 metres / 2572 feet Grid reference: NY 43154 10039 Category: The Far Eastern Fells
sometimes referred to as Thornthwaite Beacon, instantly recognisable by the large summit column.
Just beautiful on Thornthwaite Crag.
Thornthwaite Beacon
Windermere from Thornthwaite Beacon
Looking south-west from Thornthwaite Crag with Bow Fell distant centre
Start point: Kentmere (NY 456 041)
Kentmere – Garburn Pass – Yoke – Ill Bell – Froswick – Thornthwaite Beacon – High Street – Mardale Ill Bell – Nan Bield Pass – Harter Fell –Kentmere Pike – Shipman Knotts – Kentmere
Distance: 13 miles Total Ascent: 1161 metres Time Taken: 5 hours Start Time: 07:00
Weather: Overcast, 10C
The good weather certainly deserted me this morning and the walk from Kentmere to the top of the Garburn Pass was completed in pouring rain. The weather improved by drying up but the tops were shrouded in mist throughout the walk, although the sun did have a good attempt at trying to burn through but never quite made it. There were no views and no other people around today.
Kentmere Horseshoe route map.
Badger Rock in the rain.
Looking back to Kentmere.
A bit brighter now but still raining climbing the Garburn Road.
Heading for Yoke - what's that over there boys?
A glimpse of Windermere from the 'motorway'.
Yoke.
Ill Bell - there are only two cairns standing now...
...although there are three 'monuments' in this photo. Cheer up Dougal, it might never happen.
Casper checks out Kentmere Reservoir below.
Froswick.
Lingmell End on Mardale Ill Bell across Upper Kentmere.
Thornthwaite Beacon.
The summit of High Street.
Looks a bit clearer over on The Knott and Rest Dodd from the Roman Road.
Hayeswater.
In the absence of any views whatsoever, here is another dog/summit photo of Dougal on Mardale Ill Bell!
This is how to grade a path so that packhorses can get up them - the ancient track across Nan Bield Pass from Kentmere.
Kentmere Pike.
Shipman Knotts across the stile.
Kentmere Pike from Shipman Knotts.
Longsleddale from Shipman Knotts.
It looks a bit brighter now looking towards the Ill Bell ridge from Stile End.
Kentmere Pike and Shipman Knotts from Low Lane.
Crossing a sunny River Kent.
Sunshine over Green Quarter.
Kentmere Church.
Start point: Hartsop (NY 410 130)
Hartsop – Gray Crag – Thornthwaite Crag – High Street – Straits of Riggindale – The Knott – Hayeswater – Hartsop
Distance: 7 miles Total Ascent: 770 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 15 minutes
Weather: Mostly clear. 2°C.
I managed to get over Kirkstone Pass this morning even though it was pretty icy again. This is the fourth walk in a row in the same area, I guess I am just drawn over that way at the moment for some reason. The weather prediction was for great clarity today and it was indeed clear all morning, but the sun did not quite manage to get through the cloud although there were some quite amazing skies over the snowy fells.
Hayeswater route map.
Sun rising over Gray Crag from the corrals at Hartsop.
Looking back to Hartsop from the path to Hayeswater, St Sunday Crag beyond the Hartsop above How ridge.
Threshthwaite along Pasture Bottom.
Hayeswater Gill and the climb up to Gray Crag in view.
Hartsop from the first wall on the steep climb to Gray Crag.
Despite not being sunny there was great clarity today, looking across to Helvellyn with a corner of Brothers Water visible below. Blencathra is visible on the far right.
Strange light over Gray Crag from the start of the plateau as the sun was trying to break through the great sheet of cloud that hung over the fells.
Heading for the summit ridge.
Distant Blencathra.
The Knott above Hayeswater, the route of return.
Casper was not keen on the soft new snow today as it kept balling up on his fur, as he demonstrates here with his snowball beard!
Heading for Thornthwaite Crag from Gray Crag. The sky was amazing as the sun continue to try and burn through the cloud. It looked like sunrise even though it was 10.15 when this photo was taken.
Caudale Moor, the scene of yesterday's walk.
The view through Threshthwaite Mouth into Troutbeck.
What a slog it was to get this far in the deep, virgin snow (apart from the fox tracks in this photo that is. These tracks went all the way round to High Street so perhaps Fantastic Mr Fox was doing the same round as me!) but well worth it. It was a great day to be up here.
The Knott and High Street.
The view back along mine and Casper's tracks to Gray Crag.
Just beautiful on Thornthwaite Crag.
Ill Bell and Froswick.
Windermere from Thornthwaite Beacon.
The sun was starting to shine through now, here looking to the north-west where it is still lovely and clear.
Harter Fell and Kentmere Pike from the wall heading out to High Street.
Ill Bell and Froswick from further along the wall.
The route of return along the High Street ridge.
The Ill Bell ridge and Windermere from High Street Roman Road (well, I think I was on it - I couldn't make out any paths!).
High Street summit.
Looking over the eastern side of High Street to Rough Crag and Haweswater.
Harter Fell and Mardale Ill Bell over Blea Water.
Kidsty Pike and High Raise across Riggindale.
Heading for the Straits of Riggindale, the weather took a decided turn for the worse with an arctic blast blowing in from the west. Time to put another layer on here for me.
Not as bright now across Hayeswater to the eastern fells.
Looking back to High Street from the Straits of Riggindale.
Viewing the circuit just walked from The Knott.
Casper, weighed down with about 3 tons of snow now.
Rest Dodd and The Nab from The Knott.
A last gasp of sunshine on the descent towards Hayeswater.
Hayeswater is part frozen today.
Reflections and ice.
Heading back to Hartsop and the snow is blowing in from over St Sunday Crag and was heavy by the time I reached Hartsop.
Start point: Kentmere (NY 456 041)
Kentmere – Garburn Pass – Yoke – Ill Bell – Froswick – Thornthwaite Beacon – Mardale Ill Bell – Nan Bield Pass – Harter Fell – Kentmere Pike –Shipman Knotts – Kentmere
Distance: 12 miles Total Ascent: 1100 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes
Weather: Sunny and clear with high cloud. 3°C.
Another fine and sunny day! It was even colder than ever in the valley this morning as temperatures struggled to get above zero – once up onto the fells however, it was really quite warm again in the sun. Only Casper for company today; Angus had a day off for a good sleep after the previous few days excursions!
Blue sky climbing the Garburn Road.
Heading across to Yoke.
Looking back to Windermere, the early morning mist still hanging on the lake.
The Coniston fells from the southern end of Yoke.
Looking west to the Scafells.
The route ahead is Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick and Thornthwaite Crag.
Ill Bell from Yoke.
A lovely panorama from Yoke with Black Combe on the distant left, the Coniston fells over to Crinkle Crags and the Scafells with Great Gable and Pillar distant right.
Harter Fell from the frozen summit tarn on Yoke.
The route of the return leg - Mardale Ill Bell, the Nan Bield Pass and Harter Fell over Kentmere Reservoir.
The view from Ill Bell.
Climbing to Froswick, Thornthwaite Crag beyond.
Red Screes over Caudale Moor with Lingmoor Fell, Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell beyond.
Mardale Ill Bell and Kentmere Common across Kentmere.
Harter Fell from Froswick.
Heading along the frozen Thornthwaite Crag summit plateau.
Looking south-west from Thornthwaite Crag with Bow Fell distant centre.
Fairfield and Helvellyn.
Striding Edge and Helvellyn.
Bow Fell with the Langdale Pikes in front and the Scafells.
Fairfield and Dollywaggon Pike.
High Street.
Rest Dodd and The Knott across Hayeswater.
Casper on the summit of Mardale Ill Bell, Haweswater and The Pennines beyond.
Haweswater and the easterly view from Mardale Ill Bell.
Looking back to Thornthwaite Crag.
The flat top of Harter Fell ahead.
Small Water in shadow.
The climb to Harter Fell across Nan Bield Pass.
Looking back to Mardale Ill Bell and High Street.
High Street and Rough Crag with a glimpse of Blea Water from Harter Fell, Rampsgill Head and Kidsty Pike to the right.
The westerly view from the summit of Harter Fell.
Heading to Kentmere Pike.
Kentmere from Shipman Knotts.
Longsleddale from the descent of Shipman Knotts.
Kentmere from Stile End.
Fell ponies in Kentmere.
Kentmere Horseshoe.
Hollow Moor, Green Quarter and Low Bridge from Kentmere.
Start point: Kentmere (NY 176 011)
Kentmere – Garburn Pass – Yoke (313) – Ill Bell (314) – Froswick (315) – Thornthwaite Beacon – Mardale Ill Bell – Nan Bield Pass – Harter Fell – Kentmere Pike (316) – Goat Scar (317) – Shipman Knotts (318) – Kentmere
Distance: 13.7 miles Total Ascent: 1436 metres Time Taken: 5 hours
The day started off brightly for today’s long Kentmere Horseshoe walk with the grey clouds gathering by lunchtime and taking the edge off the fine views. There is still plenty of snow on the tops although it was warmer than of late. This is a fine round with great views in all directions.
The Kentmere Horseshoe route map.
Elevation profile of the route.
3D image of the walk route.
Yoke ahead, with Ill Bell and Froswick appearing to the left.
The Coniston Fells from Yoke.
The view along Windermere from the summit of Yoke.
Panorama of the way ahead from Yoke.
The three summit cairns on Ill Bell.
The sun shines on Yoke from Ill Bell.
One man and his dog on Ill Bell.
Ill Bell from the approach to Froswick.
The head of Kentmere from Froswick.
Looking north-west towards Helvellyn from Thornthwaite Crag.
The view north on the way to Mardale Ill Bell.
A glittering Kentmere Reservoir with Yoke - Ill Bell - Froswick to the right.
Small Water and Haweswater from the descent to the Nan Bield Pass.
Yoke - Ill Bell - Froswick from Harter Fell.
No need to use the stile with all the snow drifting against the wall on Kentmere Pike.
Longsleddale from Goat Scar.
The wild ponies have come down to the valley for winter.
The Kentmere Horseshoe. Select on the image for a full size version.
Start point: Hartsop (NY 410 130)
Hartsop – Gray Crag (110) – Thornthwaite Crag (111) – High Street – The Knott (112) – Rest Dodd (113) – The Nab (114) – Satura Crag – Angle Tarn Pike South (115) – Angletarn Pike North (116) – Brock Crags (117) – Hartsop
Weather: Overcast, some rain later.
Another walk chosen by my 13 year old son today, principally to take in some wildlife; the promise of wild ponies on Thornthwaite Crag, a Golden Eagle over Riggindale and deer in the Martindale Deer Forest spurring him into action. Of course, there was also the lure of walking in the footsteps of Roman soldiers across High Street.
From the car park through the hamlet of Hartsop, we followed the old mine road along Hayeswater Gill and over Wath Bridge.
Threshwaite Mouth from the Hayeswater Gill path. We decided to ascend Gray Crag by the direct route - straight up the sickeningly steep nose leading directly to the summit.
The Eastern Fells from the summit of Gray Crag, Catstycam is the conical peak on the right. From the summit, it is a simple stroll along the grassy undulations to Thornthwaite Crag, sometimes referred to as Thornthwaite Beacon due to the distinctive 14 feet high column on its summit.
Thornthwaite Beacon. From the beacon the path U-turns on to the Roman road and follows the gentle rise to the summit of High Street.
Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick and Windermere from the Roman road on High Street. We then left the Roman road to cross the wall which traverses the summit plateau and headed for the trig. column that marks the highest point.
The summit of High Street looking to Fairfield and Dollywagon Pike. From the summit, we headed over to the Eastern side of the fell to look over Haweswater and along Riggindale with binoculars out trying to spot the Golden Eagle. Oh dear, no wild ponies and no eagle!
Blea Water from High Street
and looking along the Roman road to The Knott and Rest Dodd.
A view along Riggindale to Haweswater. After returning to the Roman road, it was a simple climb to the summit of The Knott.
The Knott summit with Rest Dodd near left and The Nab to the right. From The Knott, a steep descent/ascent following the wall took us to the summit of Rest Dodd.
Rampsgill Head from the summit of Rest Dodd. Again from Rest Dodd, it was straight over the nose and onward over the difficult peat hag terrain of the Deer Forest to The Nab.
The peat hags of the Martindale Deer Forest and The Nab.
Rest Dodd from the summit of The Nab. Then it was back along the same peaty path to the wall - at last we were rewarded with the sight of a deer herd. We then followed the wall over to Satura Crag and then skirted Angle Tarn to ascend the northern top of Angletarn Pikes quickly followed by the southern top as the rain set in.
Hayeswater from Satura Crag,
and Place Fell from the northern top of Angletarn Pikes.
Angle Tarn from the southern summit of Angletarn Pikes. Skirting around the other side of Angle Tarn, we ascended directly to the summit Brock Crags with views over Hartsop and Brothers Water.
Brothers Water from the summit of Brock Crags. From Brock Crags, we followed the old wall straight down to Hayeswater Gill and picked up the grassy path between two walls which led us back to Hartsop.
Did we really climb straight up the face of that! - Gray Crag from the descent of Brock Crags.
Hard Knott Roman Fort – Hard Knott (25) – Hard Knott Pass
James on Hard Knott summit.
The Eskdale valley from Border End.
The next walk was 27th May 2003 as follows:
Hartsop – Hayeswater – The Knott (26) – Rampsgill Head (27) – High Raise (28) – Kidsty Pike (29) – High Street (30) – Thornthwaite Crag (31) – Gray Crag (32) – Hartsop