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.