Striding Edge

A photo diary of Lake District fell walks

Back O’ Skiddaw

Walked on

Start point: Bowscale (NY 358 317)

Bowscale – Bowscale Tarn – East Top on Bowscale Fell (387) – Bowscale Fell (388) – The Tongue (389) – Bannerdale Crags (390) – Blencathra – Mungrisdale Common – Cloven Stone – Lonscale Pike (391) – Lonscale Fell (392) – Jenkin Hill (393) – Skiddaw Lesser Man (394) – Skiddaw Little Man (395) – Skiddaw – Bakestall – Whitewater Dash – Little Calva (396) – Knott – Coomb Height (397) – Little Lingy Hill (398) – Great Lingy Hill (399) – Hare Stones (400) – High Pike (401) – Miton Hill (402) – Round Knott (403) – Carrock Fell (404) – Mungrisdale – Bowscale

Distance: 25.8 miles     Total Ascent: 2447 metres     Time Taken: 10 hours 50 minutes

Weather: Sunny and warm with a slight breeze. 25°C.

Today’s walk was a long circuit of the quiet fells known as ‘The Back o’ Skiddaw’. The weather was very pleasant, not as hot and muggy as it has been recently with a slight, welcome, cooling breeze. The views were absolutely superb at times and I was glad I chose today to do this long walk. The only problem was I forgot my food and 26 miles is a long way without any fuel…

 

Stickle Pike

Walked on

Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)

Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross

Distance: 1 mile     Total Ascent: 153 metres     Time Taken: 30 minutes

Weather: Sunny and very warm. 27°C.

After a short break, it was nice to get back home and back to even hotter weather here than abroad! Of course, there were lots of things to do today but I managed to escape for an hour for a quick walk up to Stickle Pike with Angus who was glad to be free again and to have a nice cooling swim.

Fusedale Circuit

Walked on

Start point: St. Peter’s Church, Martindale (NY 436 191)

St. Peter’s Church, Martindale – Hallin Fell (378) – Martindale Hause – Steel Knotts (Pikeawassa) (379) – Brownthwaite Crag (380) – Gowk Hill (381) – Wether Hill (382) – Loadpot Hill (383) – Arthur’s Pike (384) – Bonscale Pike (385) – Swarth Fell (386) – St. Peter’s Church, Martindale

Distance: 9.1 miles     Total Ascent: 1002 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 45 minutes

Weather: Overcast, hazy and warm, 20°C.

Today’s walk was a round of remote Fusedale on the eastern side of Ullswater. It was a steep pull onto the High Street ridge from Steel Knotts, but once on the top, the going is easy and I followed the old Roman Road for part of the route. Although it was warm today, it remained overcast virtually throughout with the odd sunny moment and a heavy shower towards the end.

High Raise

Walked on

Start point: Stonethwaite (NY 262 137)

Stonethwaite – Eagle Crag (374) – Sergeant’s Crag (375) – High Raise –  Low White Stones (376) – Lining Crag (377) – Stonethwaite

Distance: 7.9 miles     Total Ascent: 837 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Sunny and warm, 26°C.

It was a warm one today, 22°C when we set off and getting warmer all the time. Every step was a step towards heaven, one of those days you dream all winter about. The climb up to Eagle Crag is very steep from Stonethwaite and the sun beating down did nothing to ease that, once up there it is a great walk with lovely views along Langstrath to the Scafells.

Arnside Knott

Walked on

Start point: Arnside Knott NT car park (SD 449 774)

Arnside Knott

Distance: 1 mile     Total Ascent:50 metres     Time Taken: 20 minutes

Weather: Grey and overcast, 19oC.

Sleepy Arnside lies just outside the south-eastern boundary of the Lake District National Park (think Grange-over-Sands on Mogadon) so I thought I would pay a visit as I was over that way this morning. Arnside Knott has come to prominence since May this year when it was promoted to Marilyn status (Marilyn’s are a list of hills which have a relative height of 150m, regardless of absolute height or other merit. The name is a pun from the Scottish Munroe’s) and is indeed the lowest summit in England at 159.1 metres. How did it become a ‘new’ summit? – read here.

Grange Fell

Walked on

Start point: Rosthwaite (NY 258 149)

Rosthwaite – Dock Tarn – Great Crag (371) – Grange Fell  (Brund Fell) (372) – King’s How (373) – Bowder Stone – Grange – Castle Crag – Rosthwaite

Distance: 9.3 miles     Total Ascent: 990 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 20 minutes

Weather: A lovely summer’s day, 21°C.

Today’s walk takes place in ‘the loveliest square mile in Lakeland’ according to Wainwright, in Borrowdale up to Grange Fell and across the valley to Castle Crag (incidentally the lowest Wainwright and the only one less than 1000′). It certainly was lovely today as the sun shone and it was very warm with the merest breeze; a real English summer’s day.

Woodland Fell

Walked on

Start point: Woodland (SD 248 895)

Woodland – Yew Bank (OF) – Beacon Tarn – Wool Knott (OF) – Green Moor Farm – Woodland

Distance: 5.3 miles     Total Ascent: 464 metres     Time Taken: 2 hours

Weather: Dull and drizzly, 12°C.

Today’s walk is over little known and little frequented Woodland Fell which lies between Torver and Broughton. It is a lovely secluded place, very quiet, with great views to the Coniston fells in clear weather. Today, the weather was not kind with constant drizzle and grey skies – it felt like November, not June! Here is a snippet of how A.Wainwright described Woodland Fell ‘….the walk here described is a connoisseurs piece, every step an uninhibited joy, every corner a delight. No footmarks, no litter…’. I must say I agree with him.

This walk follows Wainwright’s Woodland Fell chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 102.

Branstree

Walked on

Start point: Sadgill Bridge, Longsleddale (NY 483 057)

Sadgill Bridge, Longsleddale – Gatesgarth Pass – Branstree (364) – Artlecrag Pike – Selside Pike (365) – High Howes (Mardale) (366) – Tarn Crag (Longsleddale) (367) – Harrop Pike (368) – Grey Crag (Longsleddale) (369) – Great Howe (Longsleddale) (370) – Sadgill Bridge, Longsleddale

Distance: 10.1 miles     Total Ascent: 972 metres     Time Taken: 3 hour 45 minutes

Weather: Overcast and hazy, a warm 17°C.

Today’s walk was a visit to some of the far eastern fells that I haven’t visited for a good while, starting from Longsleddale. Longsleddale is a lovely valley which is very quiet and Sadgill seems very remote at the end of the long valley road. The weather promised much but failed to deliver any sunshine although it was warm. Indeed, there were more than a few spots of rain towards the end.

Devoke Water

Walked on

Start point: Birker Fell road (SD 171 977)

Birker Fell Road –  Rough Crag (Birker Moor) (OF) – Water Crag (OF) –  Seat How (Birker Moor)  (OF)  – Birker Fell Road

Distance: 3.5 miles     Total Ascent: 300 metres     Time Taken: 1 hour 30 minutes

Weather: Warm but hazy, gradually clearing, 18°C.

This afternoon I had a short and slow walk on Birker Moor, completing a circuit of the Devoke Water shoreline. It was warm today with a slight breeze; the conditions were hazy so it wasn’t so good for views until the end of the walk. Nice to see a little bit of summer though!

Coniston Old Man

Walked on

Start point: Walna Scar road (SD 289 970)

Walna Scar car park – Boo Tarn – The Old Man of Coniston – Brim Fell – Brim Fell Rake – Low Water – Walna Scar car park

Distance: 4.7 miles     Total Ascent: 645 metres     Time Taken: 2 hours

Weather: Overcast with sunny spells, 15°C.

This morning’s walk was an ascent of The Old Man of Coniston using a less popular route via Boo Tarn up the south face which I can highly recommend; similarly the descent from Brim Fell was using a less popular route from Brim Fell down to Low Water. It was quite warm this morning and the sun shone on occasions – it was nice to get onto the tops early enough to be on my own.

Duddon Iron Furnace

Walked on

Start point: Corney Fell road (SD 197 883)

Duddon Iron Furnace and Ash House Standing Stones

Distance: 2 miles     Total Ascent: 140 metres     Time Taken: 1 hour

Weather: Grey and overcast, 14°C.

There was no chance of any decent views from anywhere today as it was so grey with lots of low-lying cloud and plenty of rain about. I ended up having a low level walk from Duddon Bridge and visited the excellently renovated Duddon Iron Furnace and walked through ancient woodland to find the Ash House Standing Stones, one of the many megaliths in the area; the Wordsworth mentioned Swinside Stone Circle is less than a mile away, as is the Lacra megalith complex.

Beacon Fell

Walked on

Start point: Brown Howe car park on the Torver – Greenodd road. (SD 290 910)

Beacon Fell (OF) from Brown Howe

Distance: 3.75 miles     Total Ascent: 382 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 30 minutes

Weather: A warm, sunny day, 18°C.

The schools are on holiday again this week, so I was joined on this lovely, sunny walk up to Beacon Fell by Connie, my 4 year old daughter. With promises of ‘treasure’ at the top (thanks to Liz Lemal for telling me about it) it made for an interesting walk with great views on such a nice day.

Lower Eskdale

Walked on

Start point: Woolpack Inn, Eskdale (NY 190 010)

Woolpack Inn, Eskdale – Dawsonground Crags (361) – Whin Crag (Eskdale) (362) – Goat Crag (363) – Woolpack Inn, Eskdale

Distance: 4.2 miles     Total Ascent: 543 metres     Time Taken: 2 hours

Weather: Grey skies, clearing to give sunny intervals. A warm 17°C.

This morning’s walk was a fairly round of Lower Eskdale which brought a mixed bag of weather with the greyness clearing towards the end with a fair amount of warmth. Even though these fells were small in stature for Eskdale, there were superb views to the head of the valley, especially from the lowly Goat Crag. The valley was very quiet today, a scene which will change for sure next week during the school holidays.

Wansfell

Walked on

Start point: Ambleside (NY 376 043)

Ambleside – Stockghyll Force – Wansfell Pike – Wansfell – Ambleside

Distance: 4.9 miles     Total Ascent: 554 metres     Time Taken: 1 hour 50 minutes

Weather: Miserable – no, worse – it was absolutely miserable. 10°C.

The morning started off sunny and bright, right until I reached Ambleside when the clouds came in and it wasn’t long before the heavens opened. That’s the way it stayed right through this walk, the highlight being Stockghyll Force; the rest of the walk saw no views. I think Angus was wishing for his hair back on top of Wansfell Pike as it was decidedly chilly. There was me thinking it would soon be summer when I had his hair cut..

Blawith Knott

Walked on

Start point: Woodland Fell road (SD 256 879)

Woodland Fell Road – Blawith Knott (OF) – Lang Tarn – Tottlebank Height (OF) – Woodland Fell Road

Distance: 2.5 miles     Total Ascent: 245 metres     Time Taken: 1 hour 40 minutes

Weather: Cloudy with sunny spells. 14oC.

Today we had a family outing to the virtually unfrequented Blawith Knott which lies between Broughton-in-Furness and Torver. This is another fell that is small in stature and is easy going, yet offers magnificent views to the Coniston fells.

This walk follows the one described in Wainwright’s Blawith Knott chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 108.

Caw

Walked on

Start point: Seathwaite, Dunnerdale (SD 228 960)

Seathwaite – Park Head Road – Caw (OF) – Pikes (OF) – Green Pikes (OF) –  Seathwaite

Distance: 4.1 miles     Total Ascent: 532 metres     Time Taken: 1 hour 40 minutes

Weather: Grey and overcast. 12oC.

This morning’s walk was part of the Wainwright Society’s celebratory week commemorating 50 years since the first publication of the famous ‘Pictorial Guides’. The Great Lakeland Challenge records the ascent of all 214 Wainwright fells and 56 ‘Outlying Fell’ walks in one week by Society members who have nominated their choice. I chose Caw as it commands an outstanding view along the Duddon Valley and it has a great pyramidal shape when viewed from the valley below.

Unfortunately, it was a bit of a grey day today and the clarity of last week has gone although it is still felt chilly on the tops. This walk follows Wainwright’s Caw chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 120.

Grey Friar

Walked on

Start point: Troutal, Duddon Valley (SD 234 983)

Troutal – Seathwaite Tarn – Fairfield – Grey Friar – Troutal Fell – Troutal

Distance: 6.5 miles     Total Ascent: 961 metres     Time Taken: 2 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Sunny with a strong, cold wind. 14°C.

The sun continued to shine for this morning’s ascent to the north-west cornerstone of the Coniston fells, Grey Friar. There was a strong, icy breeze blasting down from the fells across Seathwaite Tarn and it felt a lot colder than yesterday.

Grey Friar, standing apart from the main Coniston fells, gives magnificent, uninterrupted views of the Sca Fells and  a great view of Harter Fell and westwards out to the coast and the Irish Sea.

Dow Crag

Walked on

Start point: Torver (SD 285 945)

Torver – Bleaberry Haws – High Pike Haw – White Maiden – White Pike – Walna Scar (OF) – Walna Scar Road – Brown Pike – Buck Pike on Seathwaite Fell – Dow Crag – Goat’s  Haws – Tranearth – Torver

Distance: 8.9 miles     Total Ascent: 992 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 20 minutes

Weather: Sunny and hazy. 17°C.

The sun was shining again today, with temperatures up to a pleasant 17°C at valley level, although at times it was quite chilly in the cold breeze on the tops. I had a walk up to the Coniston fells from Torver, using the gradual ascent up to Walna Scar via the ‘ignored by Wainwright’ south western fells. The view becomes increasingly better using this route with unrivalled views of the southern Coniston fells and great views along the Duddon Valley to Harter Fell and the Sca Fells beyond.

Stickle Pike

Walked on

Start point: Kiln Bank Cross (SD 215 933)

Kiln Bank Cross – Stickle Tarn – Stickle Pike (OF) – Kiln Bank Cross

Distance: 1 mile     Total Ascent: 153 metres     Time Taken: 30 minutes

Weather: Sunny and hazy. 14°C.

I had a much shorter walk today than my previous excursion to Ennerdale, with a visit to a pleasantly sunny Stickle Pike which lies between the Lickle and Duddon valley’s. Angus, fresh from the barbers, certainly enjoyed his new non-hairy freedom!

Stickle Pike is described in Wainwright’s Stickle Pike chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 126.

Ennerdale Circuit

Walked on

Start point: Bleach Green, Ennerdale (NY 085 153)

Bleach Green – Bowness – Brown How (Ennerdale) – Herdus – Great Borne – Gale Fell – Starling Dodd – Little Dodd (Ennerdale) –  Red Pike (Buttermere) (357) – High Stile (358) – High Crag (359) – Haystacks (360) –  Looking Stead – 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: 23.6 miles     Total Ascent: 2864 metres     Time Taken: 10 hour 20 minutes

Weather: Mainly sunny with lots of snow (!) showers. 7-11°C, valley level – much colder on the tops.

Today’s walk is a long, high level circuit of the beautiful Ennerdale Valley with virtually the whole route being completed at an elevation in excess of 500m. I have had this one on my list of ‘to do’ walks for a while so it was satisfying to complete the walk on a mainly clear day. The photo’s here actually belie the conditions somewhat as the clouds came in when I was crossing from Haystacks to Pillar and there was an icy blizzard. The snow showers continued to come and go throughout the rest of the walk and conditions remained very cold.