Striding Edge

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Pinnacle Ridge

Walked on 22/06/2004

Start point: Patterdale (NY 390 160)

Patterdale – Pinnacle Ridge – Gavel Pike (72) – Saint Sunday Crag (73) – Cofa Pike (74) – Fairfield (75) – Seat Sandal (76) – Grisedale Tarn – Patterdale

Weather: Sunny and warm.

Another fine and warm day today for a climb up to Saint Sunday Crag using a new route (for me) to the summit, Pinnacle Ridge, a serious and quite challenging technical grade 3 scramble.

The route begins following the Grisedale Valley path until the far edge of Elmhow Plantation is reached.

Pinnacle-Ridge

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 001

Nethermost Pike, Dollywagon Pike and Helvellyn from the entrance to the Grisedale Valley. Following the zigzag path up the slopes of St. Sunday Crag from Elmhow Plantation, a grassy terrace is reached. From here it is a right turn to traverse across the horizontal terrace. On reaching a scree fan, Pinnacle Ridge can be seen above with a large, smooth prominent slab clearly visible. This is known as 'The Cannon'.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 005

Ullswater from the horizontal terrace.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 006

Climbing 'The Cannon'...

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 008

and the view from the top of The Cannon.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 013

Onwards and upwards from the Cannon

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 011

...and again - don't slip! Past The Cannon, the ridge continues over further prominent pinnacles until a difficult rock pitch is reached.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 019

Climbing the difficult rock pitch. Once this is climbed, its virtually home and dry to reach the lower slopes of Saint Sunday Crag. This is truly an exhilarating way to reach the summit.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 022

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 028

Looking down Pinnacle Ridge to the Grisedale Valley below. Once onto St Sunday ridge, it is eastwards first to the 'thumb' of Gavel Pike offering a great view of Ullswater.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 029

Ullswater from Gavel Pike. Then an easy ascent to the summit of Saint Sunday Crag itself.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 034

Crinkle Crags and Bowfell from the slopes of Saint Sunday Crag.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 037

Fairfield from Saint Sunday Crag summit. A descent to Deepdale Hause then another ascent to Cofa Pike before the final rocky ascent to Fairfield - a flat, bouldery plateau.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 041

Seat Sandal and Grisedale Tarn from the descent to Deepdale Hause.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 043

Looking back to Saint Sunday Crag and Gavel Pike from Cofa Pike summit.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 052

Bowfell, The Scafell range and Great Gable from the bouldery summit of Fairfield. From Fairfield it's a steep descent westwards and then a very steep ascent to the summit of Seat Sandal which offers good views over Grasmere.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 053

Seat Sandal summit. From Seat Sandal, a steep descent to Grisedale Tarn and follow the Grisedale Valley path back to Patterdale.

22nd June - Pinnacle Ridge 059

Saint Sunday Crag from Grisedale Valley. Pinnacle Ridge is up there somewhere.

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