We must have had the longest spell of glorious weather ever this summer – day after day of wall to wall sunshine and fabulous blue skies, it seemed as though those days would never end. However, I found out they did end and it was today that it would! It was a grey start and I thought it would soon clear and put it down to the extra early start. Those thoughts soon changed though and the clag never once lifted or operated until right at the end of the walk. We certainly had peace, quiet and solitude; I don’t think I would have seen anyone further than 2m from my nose! It was quite warm though so it was very pleasant walking and of course there aren’t so. many photos as nothing to take photos of really. To cap it all there is something on the lens in these photos in case you are wondering what the blurry marks are. I’ll get the hang of it all one day soon.
It took just 15 minutes from the car to reach Blakeley Raise summit. The cairn seems to have grown massively in size since I was last here when it was a solitary rock at the fence corner.It was an easy descent from Blakeley Raise and then the climb up to Grike was also quite gentle. There was a glimmer of weak sunshine through the cloud but alas it was not going to shine through for us today. Wainwright #43 for Finlay.One good thing about the recent dry weather was that the normally boggy areas were very dry so that made the going easier and the walk to Crag Fell was easy enough, but still no view to Ennerdale…or anywhere! Wainwright #44 for Finlay.We dropped down from Crag Fell and crossed over to the Ennerdale Fence and climbed alongside it until turning off and heading for Whoap. There is a spring next to the wall which is always wet and boggy and so it was today. Finlay made good use of it as it was the first water supply we came across today so he had a good drink and also got a bit muddy. On Whoap, the summit is featureless and I couldn’t even see the prominent stone that was drawn by Wainwright on Lank Rigg 3. This is Finlay at Lank Rigg, Wainwright #45,The Wainwright ‘flat stone four feet from the column’ has grown into a large pile of stones now……I had a look around, the cutsomary two shilling piece was nowhere to be found but I did spot a ten bob bit in the cairn. Alas I had no coins with me to leave, such is progress. Perhaps there should be a card reader under there nowadays?! We passed the tarn on the summit and Finlay made use of the water for a quick dip.By heck, the next section of the walk from here cannot be recommended at all. If you are chasing the Birkett fells, my recommendation is not to do Kinniside etc from this direction but to do them separately from the Cold Fell road. The crossing of Poukes Moss was not the easiest as it was still a bogfest despite all the recent dry weather. Crossing the River Calder and the climb to Swarth Fell is ‘interesting’ to say the least! Have you ever done it? Looking back I did this route in 2004 – no wonder I left it 22 years for the second go – I should have re-read my own notes! This is the view from Kinniside looking to Latter Barrow – at least the clouds have parted now and there is actually something to see.Latter Barrow.Finally we made it to Swarth Fell, phew, that was a tough one. At least it is clearing now that I have almost finished the walk (of course!). Grike, Crag Fell and Whoap – all just walked – in view.The flat top of Burn Edge and the car is visible from here so it is an easy and gentle walk for the remainder.
1 thought on “Calder Horseshoe”
Rod Hepplewhite
Hi Sean, the route map of your walk brought memories flooding back to me and not al of them good. It was 2010 when I walked the walk. I followed Bill Birkett’s routes from his Complete Lakeland Fells book for my completion of the Birkett’s, all but complete in 2012, finally completed 2015 on Pillar Rock with a pal and a climbing guide.
I remember the crossing of Poukes Moss being horrendous and I would call the crossing of the River Calder ‘bloody awkward’, not ‘interesting’. My other memory was thinking to myself, when I gor back to the car, ‘why do I feel so knackered after a walk that was only 7.5 miles long?’. Still, it was better than being at work though. ATB, Rod
Hi Sean, the route map of your walk brought memories flooding back to me and not al of them good. It was 2010 when I walked the walk. I followed Bill Birkett’s routes from his Complete Lakeland Fells book for my completion of the Birkett’s, all but complete in 2012, finally completed 2015 on Pillar Rock with a pal and a climbing guide.
I remember the crossing of Poukes Moss being horrendous and I would call the crossing of the River Calder ‘bloody awkward’, not ‘interesting’. My other memory was thinking to myself, when I gor back to the car, ‘why do I feel so knackered after a walk that was only 7.5 miles long?’. Still, it was better than being at work though. ATB, Rod