Kirkstone Pass – Red Screes – Smallthwaite Band – Middle Dodd – Smallthwaite Band – Kirkstone Pass
Start Point: Kirkstone Pass (NY 401 080)
Distance: 4.5 km Total Ascent: 455 metres Time Taken: 2 hours 30 minutes Start Time: 10:25
Weather: Murky and grim below the cloud, blue skies and sunshine above! 10C
Finlay’s Wainwright count: 3/214
The weather appeared to be favourable for a temperature inversion today given a high pressure had been sitting over the whole country for the week. As always, you never can be 100% sure until you get there and even then it is a question of where and which fell will be high enough. Bearing in mind I had young Finlay with me, I chose Red Screes starting from the top of Kirkstone Pass – good choice it turned out in the end and it was a fabulous walk soaring above the clouds.
Route Map
Made it! I talked to a couple who were descending as I climbed and they confirmed I would get up above the cloud today - and this is the first breakthrough to stunning blue sky and clarity.
The views were just fabulous as I came through the cloud, whetting my appetite for the rest of the walk.
Caudale Moor and High Street across Kirkstone Pass. The prominent rock in the foreground is known as The Horn.
A wider view as I climbed.
The Kentmere fells..
Finally I was up on to the summit and there was a magnificent view across the sea of cloud to Crinkle Crags, the Scafells and Great Gable.
The Coniston fells across the summit tarn.
Red Screes.
Red Screes Tarn.
What a day!
Wainwright #2 for Finlay. He's a good lad climbing with aplomb - every walk is a learning experience for him at the moment and we are taking gentle steps.
Wall to wall sunshine and in shirt sleeves for the descent to Middle Dodd along Smallthwaite Band. As I descended I could see the summit of Middle Dodd was back down in the cloud but not worry, it was too close to miss out whilst we were up here.
Lovely!
Middle Dodd, Wainwright #3 for Finlay.
When I was on the summit of Red Screes, I talked to a couple of young ladies and discussed Brocken Spectres and the fact there would be a great chance of them on the way to Middle Dodd with the sun behind and the cloud below. I left them and descended and there were Brocken Spectres everywhere I looked and fogbows of varying quality. As I climbed again I asked them if they had spotted them but no, they were sure there were none to be seen. I looked back as I climbed above the cloud again and sure enough there were great fogbows...
...and Brocken Spectres.
The view across to Helvellyn from Smallthwaite Band.
Close up on the Scafells, Harrison Stickle in front of them.
The cloud seems to be rising now as the heat of the day warms up the clouds.
Froswick and Ill Bell looking just great.
As I looked back, Middle Dodd finally appeared from the cloud! Oh well, I can't really grumble on a day like this.
John Neate says
Good afternoon Paul
As always, fabulous images and report. And great to see that young Finlay is now on his Wainwright bagging journey. Which hopefully means we’ll be seeing regular reports and stunning images just like in the ‘old days’!
It’s really good to see you have a new companion joining you on the fells. And a reminder (if we ever do need reminding) of just how quickly time flashes by. I remember back to the days of Angus. Then young Casper, Dougal and Fletcher. One minute youngsters learning the ropes before becoming ‘old hands’ passing on their knowledge to the enthusiastic novices!
I’ll now look forward to following Finlay’s adventures (and of course yours!) over the coming years.
Very best wishes
Sean McMahon says
Hi John, thanks yes hopefully a return to the good ‘ole days! There are plenty of walks to go at for Finlay as he grows and hopefully I will improve the site as we go along! Thanks,
Sean