Start point: Overbeck Bridge (NY 168 068)
Overbeck Bridge – Over Beck – Dore Head – Red Pike – Scoat Fell – Steeple – Scoat Tarn – Nether Beck – Overbeck Bridge
Distance: 8.2 miles Total Ascent: 930 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 45 minutes
Weather: Absolute clarity, 7C
Wow, what a day it was – the clarity was superb with views for miles and miles today. There was a fresh covering of snow on the fells overnight but even so it was really warm in the sunshine – I ended up with a decent tan!
Steeple route map.
Bell Rib on Yewbarrow - we're not going that way today but we are going round to the left along Over Beck.
Red Pike and Yewbarrow.
Middle Fell.
Once into the sunshine it was really quite warm.
There is a fresh dusting of snow on this side of Red Pike.
Wainwright's 'buttresses of a vanished bridge, Brimfull Beck' which has now been rebuilt.
Dore Head from Gosforth Crag Moss.
Looking back across the Moss to the route just ascended with a glimpse of Wast Water.
Pillar from frozen Dore Head Tarn.
The route to Red Pike.
Looking to Wasdale Head.
Stirrup Crag, Yewbarrow.
Kirk Fell and Great Gable with Great End to the right.
What a view today from the climb to Red Pike, absolutely superb clarity.
The Chair on Red Pike, Middle Fell and Seatallan in view.
A rite of passage for Dougal as he is crowned the new 'Prince of the Fells' on The Chair.
Looking down on frozen Low Tarn.
The Scafells.
Heading for the top of Red Pike.
Looking back to The Chair.
A wonderful view of the eastern fells from Red Pike.
Looking the other way to the Scafells.
Dougal and Casper on the summit.
A panoramic view from Red Pike.
Walking the Red Pike ridge.
Looking back to Red Pike from the climb to Scoat Fell, the lone figure to the right was the first of two people I saw today.
The top of Scoat Fell with deep snow drifts.
Scoat Fell summit.
Pillar from Scoat Fell.
Heading for Steeple but someone has beaten me there this morning - he gave a cheery wave before heading down into Ennerdale.
Pillar and Black Crag across Mirk Cove.
The view from Steeple. I did think here that if I only could do one more walk, it would include all the fells walked today and probably in the same conditions.
Ennerdale Water and a clear view across the Solway Firth to Scotland. There seems to be a lot less snow to the north.
Casper on Steeple - 'I like it here too'.
The ridge to and from Steeple was a little tricky in places - not for these two mountain goats though.
The view over Caw Fell to the Isle of Man and snow topped Snaefell.
Great Gable.
Lots of snow, lots of fells.
Blencathra.
Back to Scoat Fell.
No need to climb over the wall with snow this deep, here looking to Haycock, the Isle of Man top right.
The descent to Scoat Tarn and the clouds are building up over Black Combe now.
Seatallan from Scoat Tarn.
Scoat Tarn - the route of descent was the prominent band left of centre.
Wainwright's 'split boulder, Scoat Tarn'.
Nether Beck and Seatallan.
A solitary wind blown tree in Nether Beck.
A glorious view of the Scafells at the end of the Nether Beck path.
Scafell reflections.