Start point: Mardale Head (NY 469 107)
Mardale Head – The Rigg – Rough Crag (Riggindale) – Caspel Gate – Long Stile – High Street – Straits of Riggindale – Rampsgill Head – Kidsty Pike – High Raise (497) – Low Raise (498) – Castle Crag (Mardale) (499) – The Rigg – Mardale Head
Distance: 10.2 miles Total Ascent: 1085 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 15 minutes
Weather: Sunny, a glorious Autumn day. 16oC.
I nearly never bothered today, it was wet and miserable first thing this morning but a chance hearing of the weather report on the radio made me get out as it was supposedly brightening during the day. I could hardly believe my luck as I reached Mardale, for the sun was shining and the skies were blue. This was a really enjoyable round (helped by the weather of course!) taking the direct route to High Street via Rough Crag, walking along the Roman Road, trying and failing to spot the Riggindale Golden Eagles and finishing off on the ancient British Fort on Castle Crag above Haweswater.
The ridge route for today's walk over Rough Crag and up to High Street, here seen over Haweswater.
Harter Fell at the head of Mardale.
Mardale Ill Bell.
Mardale Beck in spate, as were all the watercourses in the area due to recent heavy rain.
Harter Fell from The Rigg.
Looking across Haweswater to Lady's Seat and Castle Crag, the route used in descent from Low Raise later.
Riggindale and the Mardale skyline.
Haweswater from the steep climb to Rough Crag.
Mardale Waters from the Rough Crag ridge - Small Water is in the cirque to the left, Blea Water in the one to the right.
Some warm Autumn sunshine on Rough Crag for Casper and Angus.
Blea Water, High Street above.
Looking across Riggindale to Kidsty Pike.
Haweswater Reservoir and Mardale from Rough Crag - Golden Eagles nest on the crags here, the only pair in England. The valley was flooded in the 1930's to create a reservoir for Manchester and the village of Mardale was lost under the water forever.
Long Stile leading to High Street over Caspel Gate.
Looking back to Rough Crag, Branstree in view over the tarn.
Rough Crag from Long Stile.
A sparkling Blea Water, Harter Fell beyond.
Looking along Riggindale to Mardale.
The summit of High Street, deserted today.
Looking south-west to the Coniston fells in the distance, Red Screes and the Fairfield group in the middle distance.
A closer shot of Fairfield. Great Gable and the Scafell range are in the left distance.
The shadows of the three amigos looking to Hayeswater.
...and the uncluttered version.
Walking along the Roman Road to the Straits of Riggindale.
Kidsty Pike from Twopenny Crag.
Ramps Gill from Rampsgill Head, The Nab to the left.
The eastern fells from Rampsgill Head.
We could hear the bellowing of the stags in Martindale Deer Forest below - they certainly caught the attention of Angus.
Where Eagles Dare - Angus on Kidsty Pike, well known perch of the Golden Eagles.
Looking across to the Helvellyn massif from the path to High Raise.
Fairfield from High Raise, Great Gable on the distant right.
Helvellyn from High Raise. Striding Edge is the ridge in the centre with Swirral Edge and Catstycam to the right.
The rock littered summit of High Raise.
The tumulus and cairn on Low Raise.
Haweswater from Lady's Seat and the magnificently situated ancient British fort atop Castle Crag in the foreground.
Whelter Bottom from Castle Crag.
Haweswater from the ruins of the fort.
Still lots of sunshine for the boys to soak up.
Crossing Randale Beck.