|
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| Red Screes from Kirkstone Pass |
Heading upwards |
As we got ready in the car park and then
visited the toilets we noticed the mountain rescue dogs were out and
about again on the flank of Red Screes. Every time I visit here I always
seem to see the dogs and their handlers ranging about the fell side.
In the past I have always looked on in interest, today I was wondering
why they always use this place, did they know something we didn't? As
we left the car park I could sense their gaze following us, it sort of
made me feel uneasy! They looked on with a sort of look that said “are
you sure you know what you are doing?” Making our way up the grassy slope
I was quite confident that we did! Making our way up through the boulders
I still did, later on I was not so sure but you will have to read on
to understand why! |
|
|
| Having fun, the first bit of scrambling ! |
Looking back down on the Kirkstone Pass Inn |
We followed a small path but this soon headed
to the left and away from the screes and crags, with this in mind we
headed upwards towards the scree runs and the crags. I had seen on a
map Kilshaw Chimney and presumed that it was the large gully that you
can see from the road as you drive up to Kirkstone Pass from the north.
I thought that it would make a good way up but it would mean walking
across the fell side and around the corner for quite a while before going
up, I could see that there was a lot of scree near us and thought that
there might be another gully at the top of it, so we headed right and
up towards the scree. After all the rain that had poured down before
any rock that we found was very slippy, this made us want to walk on
the grass at first, that is until we came across some little rocky outcrops,
cragletts I like to call them. This made it a bit more interesting but
not that much fun as it was still slippy. |
|
|
| The start of the screes |
Looking up the red screes |
| When we eventually reached the scree run we
thought that we would be able to make quicker progress. No chance! It was
two steps up and slide one down. This was a laugh for about five minutes,
then we got hacked off with it! We then tried to keep to the side of the
screes as we made our way upwards. This was a bit better until I managed
to get stuck on a little craglet! I was half way up a section of rock but
found myself in a situation that worried me. I was having to crouch down
to get underneath a bit of an overhang, trying to work my way forwards
when I lost all sensation of grip in my feet (if
you have been there I am sure you know what it feels like!) This was worrying, there must have
been a drop off of at least a foot all around me! Even so I still felt
a bit nervous as the others wondered what I was doing sort of crouched
on and under a craglet. (Hey!, it was serious from
where I was looking at it from OK!) After a few minutes I managed to extricate myself from
my near death experience (a certain amount of artistic
licence is allowed!) and joined the others by walking straight up the scree. |
|
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| Giving the screes a miss! |
until you can't ! |
Either John was not controlling his body
temperature again, or we just wanted a brew, either way we stopped for
a break! John removed his jumper and we all had a drink. Looking back
down I was surprised how far below the pub seemed. Maybe we did deserve
a break after all! By this time we had managed to get up most of the
scree and we found ourselves under some serious looking crags. I could
still make out the mountain rescue peoples eyes on us, or maybe it was
just my fertile mind at work! With a smoke and a brew I was getting over
my “moment” and beginning to feel much better. John seemed happier now
that he had removed his jumper. The only problem now was that it was
beginning to snow a bit! I took the decision to put on my waterproof
trousers now before I got too wet. By the time I had done this it had
stopped snowing and seemed to be getting brighter, oh well! |
|
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| The start of the gully |
The fun really begins! |
When we had finished with the refreshments
it was time to pick a route upwards. I walked back to the scree and was
surprised to see a gully starting to rise straight up the side of the
fell side. I had to call up to John who had already started to go straight
up towards the crags to come and have a look at the gully. At the head
of the scree there was a gully that went straight up. It looked too good
to miss out on, I asked Sarah if this looked OK and was delighted to
see her eyes light up and her say “Yeah!” |
|
|
| Pausing for a quick photo |
before heading up the gully |
| So into the gully we went. At first we were
walking on a stream bed with grassy banks on either side. There was a lot
of water coming down the stream but it was underneath all the rock in the
stream bed, if that makes sense! Soon the grassy banks disappeared and
we were confronted with a narrowing gully that made its way quite steeply
upwards. Most of it was loose scree that had to be walked up carefully,
sometimes we had to make our way up or over big boulders that blocked the
gully and even the odd bit of naked rock. Great fun! |
|
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| Sarah bringing up the rear |
Looking back down to the Kirkstone Pass inn |
As we made our way up I
stayed at the back and Phil or John took the lead up the gully. This
was not the best place for me to be as I kept hearing the conversation
between John and Phil describing the way up, I wanted to be at the front
and see it! Having decided that I was not going to catch them up and
pass them I contented myself with ensuring that Sarah did not fall down
or injure herself. She didn't need any help but it made me feel important! |
|
|
| Higher up the gully it starts to narrow and steepen |
Looking back down from the same point |
| The gully kept changing between scree and rock
that needed climbing up. At the top of every rock bit was loose scree that
managed to be knocked back down every time someone went up. On one occasion
Sarah very nearly had a football size chunk of rock land on her hand! I
guess this acted as a wake up call to everyone and everyone
started to move lumps of rock out of the way before they made upwards progress
just in case it became dislodged and turned into an unguided missile! I
found it quite amusing at some of these rocky sections as Sarah tried making
her way up. In these situations the points where you place hands and feet
is pretty much up to the individual, John for example would choose a different
way to the one I would. When Sarah looked a bit unsure John would tell
her where he had placed his hands and feet whilst I told her where I was
going to place mine. I am sure that she could manage on her own and was
just thinking about placing her foot up our backsides at the time! We only
try to be helpful! |
|
|
| A prominent feature of the gully
today was Sarah's backside ! |
| As we made our way up the more rocky parts of
the gully the water that came down started to become more noticeable. I
was glad that I had my full waterproofs on as standing below a mini waterfall
waiting my turn to get up was wet work! I even had on an old pair of waterproof
gloves that have not seen the light of day for years! I was glad of them
as any hand hold that you used had water running over it! John was using
his bear hands, although this afforded him more grip than me I still had
warm hands! He said it did not bother him but then again he is the all
action hero! I must admit that I had a bit of a moment as I was relying
on friction between palm and rock to aid upwards progress and I started
to feel my hand slide away from the rock, at least they were still warm
and dry though! |
|
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| Slow going on the loose scree |
Phil trying to think a way up! |
| Onwards and upwards we went, this was great
fun! As I was at the back I did not get a clear view of what lay ahead,
I had to do with the comments from John and Phil about it seeming to go
on forever, great! Phil seemed to be waiting up ahead below a section that
had a big choke stone blocking the gully. I shouted up to him if everything
was OK and he answered back about being a bit unsure of the route upwards.
The choke stone did seem to present a problem even from where I was standing! |
|
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| John trying to see what Phil's problem is |
Sunlight breaking through the clouds . Windermere in the distance |
| John went up to have a look and managed to get
up and over it after a while. Just below the choke stone there was an easy
way out of the gully to the right. From where I stood it looked easy enough
to escape from the gully and then walk back about ten feet higher up and
get back into the gully just above the choke stone. For some reason I took
this way out without even looking at the problem! Getting out was easy
enough but trying to find a way back into the gully was more of a problem
than I first thought. Phil and Sarah soon joined me leaving John alone
in the gully. Out here away from the shelter of the gully the snow made
its presence felt, it was even starting to stick on the grass in places.
I tried to get back into the gully but the nearer I got to it the more
intimidating the exposure felt, from below it looked easy but up here it
was too much. |
|
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| Looking back down to Kirkstone Pass from my escape route from the gully |
Whilst John somehow manages to continue straight up the gully! |
| I could sense the eyes of the mountain rescue
people down below in the car park on me. I made my way towards the gully
until I ended up having to rely on grass to hold on to, not good. One slip
or trip, highly likely with the snow lying on the ground and I would have
fallen directly into the gully, no thanks! So with discretion being the
better part of cowardice (or something like that) I
retreated back and started to follow Phil and Sarah (who
had not followed me) up the fell
side by the gully. I stopped to take a photo of John who was standing waiting
patiently in the gully. It does not look much here but when viewed full
size back at home I cannot see how he managed to stay upright. The part
of the gully he was in offered no protection from a fall at all, he needed
a rope! |
|
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| Phil and Sarah making upwards progress out of the gully, followed by
me! |
The head of the gully |
|
Making my way up the gully I began to think
about how one minuet we were having fun and the next we were in a potentially
dangerous situation, maybe we were sensible enough not to cause ourselves
an accident, maybe we were just lucky! Enough of this thinking thing already!
Just a few minutes later and the gully and fell side. flattened out and
the summit came into view. John was waiting for us at the top and even
though the clouds started to come in and the wind picked up a bit we just
stood around and chatted for a while. It was of those times when you get
together and chat about what you have just done, John was a bit subdued
and told us about the climb in the gully after we had left. He even admitted
to having a bit of a "moment" when he was half way up, just one
good hand hold and a sense of not being able to get back down or up from
where he was, then having to go for it in a big way! A bit scary he said. |
|
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| Red Screes summit pops out of the cloud |
Along the big path up to the summit |
| I was absolutely made up with this. It was turning
into one of those magical moments, the clouds left and we could make out
the summit not far away at all. Coupled with a sense of the blue sky's
above it was defiantly a good moment, especially after coming up the
gully. What made it even better for me was the fact
that John had finally, after months and months of me trying, had a "moment",
a scary time when he wasn't sure about what he was doing. Let him tell
me this was a boring walk now! I suppose that a small word of thanks from
him would have been appreciated, a small token just to say that he had
met his match with this way up Red Screes. What did I get? A snowball in
the face! I was waiting for him to say "And that's for making me climb
up that gully!" but it never came, Oh well, at least I know that John
can be tamed now! |
|
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| Nearing the summit |
Red Screes summit cairn and wind shelter |
So after a while we set off up to the summit.
It was strange, only a few minutes before we had been climbing up a gully
with snow coming down all around us. Now we were walking along a wide
path with sunshine and blue sky's trying to come out through the cloud.
There was a covering of snow along the path and I was surprised to see
loads of other footprints in it, perhaps this was a busy summit today. |
|
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| Red Screes summit |
The summit tarn, parts of it still frozen |
| Arriving at the summit I was fascinated by the
place. A summit tarn, a trig point , a wind shelter and a few big cairns
. We decided that it was time for something to eat and started to look
for somewhere out of the wind, the wind shelter looked good of course,
but we had to try out just about everywhere else first and then go back
to the wind shelter! John got out a flask with spaghetti bolognase in it
that did not look very warm, perhaps he had wanted to use my cooker as
well! He seemed happy enough with it though, maybe that was the chili
he had put in it. I know, spag bolognase with chili?, it must be a Skem
thing! Sarah managed to find all sorts of stuff to eat in her bag, I had
a worrying moment thinking that she had carried a can of soup all the way
up here but soon found out that she had left it in the car, phew! Next
time I will bring my cooker just in case, honest!
|
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| The summit trig point |
The terrible trio plus one at Red Screes summit |
There were quite a few other walkers who
came up to the summit but none of them stayed any length of time, perhaps
we were hogging the shelter too much. I started to walk around taking
loads of photos but did not manage to get a 360 degree panorama due to
the cloud that kept coming and going. It was a strange place with the
cloud coming and going the way it was. |
|
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| The wind shelter |
Red Screes summit trig point (again!) |
| One minute a great view over to the Far Eastern
Fells then nothing, the same could be said for the other Eastern Fells,
gone one minute and back the next! I had to content myself with loads of
photos of the summit area, after all it was a nice summit area, especially
with the snow lying around! |
|
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| Heading away from the summit |
Looking back to the summit |
| After taking all the photos we started to head
away from the summit. Well the others did but something about Red Screes
summit today made me want to linger. Maybe it was the snow, maybe I wanted
to wait and see if the cloud would clear long enough for me to get a panorama,
I don't know, but I lingered! |
|
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| Middle Dodd |
High Hartsop Dodd and Middle Dodd |
| Middle Dodd, the next objective, was in sight
just down the ridge. There was a great view of it and I had to stop and
take more photos, lingering again! With the cloud now below us at times
and the sun behind us I stopped to see if I might meet my "broken
specter",
no such luck! The cloud was just not thick enough, I cant believe that
I am complaining about not enough cloud! |
|
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| Middle Dodd |
Little Hart Crag, Hartsop Above How and St Sunday Crag |
| I think that by now the others were getting
a bit fed up with me so I made a conscious effort to tear myself away and
catch them up. As I started to walk down towards them the view over to
the Far Eastern Fells opened up and I could not help myself, I had to stop
and take a few photos of them as well! Linger, linger, linger! |
 |
|
| Caudale Moor |
Looking over to the Froswick and Ill Bell ridge |
| Now that I have a fair amount of photos from
previous walks I have started thinking about how one fell looks like from
another. Here was the perfect example, Caudale Moor looks totally different
from how it felt to walk upon when we did it from Kirkstone Pass. I know
that makes no sense, but to compare the photos of the walks and what they
look like from another fell is interesting (well
it is to me, but I do need to get out more!) Caudale Moor looked massive, I look back and think
that it was just a small walk up from Kirkstone Pass. I think my age is
catching up with me! |
|
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| Middle Dodd |
Looking back to Red Screes summit |
| I guess I was not the only one who was not in
a hurry now, when I caught everyone up I was surprised at the pace we were
walking at, slow! Perhaps it was one of those times when everyone realized
that the best bit of the day was behind us now and the rest of the walk
would be a bit of an anticlimax! John and Sarah were deep in conversation
and soon Phil and myself chatted away, all the time slowly making our
way down to Middle Dodd. |
|
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| Phil looking out over the route to Middle Dodd |
Me and my shadow! |
| It was a nice walk down to Middle Dodd. We were
all full of the joys of spring even though it wasn't! Downhill, easy walking,
the sun behind us, great views in front of us, and a sense of well being
after the scramble up the gully, it was great! As we neared Middle Dodd
we started to notice for the first time that the ridge actually started
to go upwards. Perhaps Middle Dodd was not one of those funny fells that
was just part of a ridge up to a higher fell! |
|
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| Nearing Middle Dodd's summit |
Middle Dodd 's summit |
| Maybe not because before we knew it we were
at the summit cairn of Middle Dodd. Not much effort had been needed to
get here from Red Screes and again I started to feel that it was one of
those funny fells! When I say funny fells I feel like I owe them an explanation.
If we had climbed Middle Dodd directly from the valley floor it would
have been a full on, in your face, lung bursting, leg aching climb! Reaching
the summit via Red Screes meant a gentle walk downhill for most of the
way! The same can be said for many of the summits that we have climbed
so far. For example Great End. The way we did it from Scafell Pike meant
another summit ticked off on the way down. When looking at Great End from
any other direction it seems like a serious proposition indeed! The same
can be said of the Fairfield Horseshoe, 8 summits ticked off on the way
up and down Fairfield! Brim Fell in the Coniston Fells is another, who
has ever climbed Brim Fell without first visiting the Old Man or Swirl
How? (I'm thinking too much again!) |
|
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| Middle Dodd 's summit cairn |
The sun peeping over Red Screes |
| Putting such negative thoughts firmly behind
us (me) I took the usual photos and then got out the map. I tried to explain
about where we were, where the car was and how we would go about getting
back to it. From the summit of Middle Dodd we could see all of the options
that I had planned before hand (was that good planning
or what!) |
 |
| 360degree panorama from Middle Dodd |
| The original plan was to get to where we were
now and then traverse across to Little Hart Crag, down to High Hartsop
Dodd, back up and around to look for the Priests Hole Cave below Dove Crag
and then return to the car via Hartsop Above How (I'm
sure that I have talked about me and plans before!) Another option
was to do Little Hart Crag and then return via High Hartsop Dodd directly
to the car. |
|
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| The terrible trio plus one at Middle Fell summit |
Scandale Pass with the High Pike to Dove crag ridge behind |
| With both of the possible ridges in view we
decided to press on and make a decision later on, it made sense to all
of us at the time. The only difficulty was in deciding whether to retrace
our steps all the way back to Red Screes summit or cut across the fell
side. towards Scandale Pass. As we reached the wall that runs across the
ridge between Red Screes and Middle Dodd we decided that it would make
more sense to make our own way directly across to Scandale Pass. Why waste
time walking up and down when we could plainly see where we wanted to
get to? |
|
 |
| Looking down Caiston Beck towards Brotherswater |
Looking down to Scandale Pass with Little Hart Crag behind |
|
This was a great idea until we started to make our way
across the fell side. and found that progress was both slow and awkward's!
I was amazed at how much water the ground can hold, it was like walking
on a sponge at times! Then there was the odd rocky bit and boulders that
had to be negotiated, this was turning into hard work! John somehow managed
to find an easier route than us and soon ended up waiting ahead whilst
we caught him up. I am sure he was running across when we weren't looking! |
|
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| One of the great slabs near the wall |
Looking up to High Bakestones and Dove Crag |
| Once at the wall it was a sense of relief that
we came across the path. At last, something easy to walk on! Not that this
was any easier as the wall followed some large slabs downhill, all very
very slippy! So we slowly made our way down trying to avoid the slabs,
this usually meant walking in mud! Well you cant have everything can you!
Directly in front of us the next summit of the day looked promising. Little
Hart Crag looked like it could offer a bit of scrambling. This cheered
me up as my toes were starting to hurt with all the downhill walking, this
worried me with the long walk back down to the car still to come! |
|
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| Little Hart Crag |
The stile over the wall at Scandale Pass |
| When we reached Scandale Pass it was time for
a brew again. Phil informed us that it had taken us an hour and twenty
minutes to work our way across from Middle Dodd! This surprised us as it
looked only a short distance away! Now we were on the flat my toes stopped
giving me grief and I felt happier that we were heading up again! The paths
alongside the wall reminded me of the times I spent around the Far Eastern
Fells during the Outward Bound, paths amongst grass and peat that made
for easy but slippy walking! The sun came out for a long time now, everyone
was feeling happy about that and the Crags ahead looked very inviting! |
|
Now don't try
looking for this on the map! I don't know how it came about but as John
and myself chatted away we came across a small pool of water with a small
island in it. As we were surrounded by Dodd's (Middle and High Hartsop)
John decided that this expanse of water needed a name. Once Dodd Tarn
was named I then decided that it was inhabited by Doddy men. I think
that I meant to say Diddy men and Ken Dodd but I got confused! This was
OK by John as he then went onto explain how many a solitary walker had
been ambushed by the Diddy Men, or is it Doddy Men and were never seen
again, held captive by the Diddy or Doddy men |
| Dodd island inside Dodd Tarn, named by John! |
| on Dodd Island in Dodd Tarn. I have never been
infected by altitude sickness before, but I think it was getting to me now!
Leaving the wall and path we made a beeline straight up towards Little
Hart Crag. Again it was not that easy walking as we left the path but we
soon found ourselves under the crags. |
|
|
| Little Hart Crag |
Heading for some more fun! |
| Phil and Sarah decide to miss out on the optional
scramble and made their way around the left of the crags to get to the
summit from that way. John and myself took time to strip off the coats
and jackets that we had been wearing and set about preparing for the crags.
With the sun out it was feeling quite warm. From a distance these crags
looked very good, unfortunately they did not give us more than 5 or 10
minutes worth of fun. At least it broke the day up! |
|
|
| John having fun |
Looking over Scandale Tarn and Scandale Bottom |
| So after a few minutes of scrambling we joined
Sarah and Phil at the summit of Little Hart Crag. I put down my rucksack
and heard a bit of a cracking noise. at first I thought nothing of it but
when I came to mark a way point on the GPS I noticed that the glass face
had a rather large crack across it. Ooops! Amazingly enough the thing still
worked though! Now it is something else to add to my birthday wish list,the
big 4 0 this year! (does that mean I will be one
of those old people!) |
|
|
| Looking back over Scandale Pass to Red Screes |
The northern top of Little Hart Crag from the Southern and higher |
| Trying my best to forget about the broken glass
I started to take the usual summit photos. From here Red Screes looked
big, but not as much fun as the way we climbed it! The other summit of
Little Hart Crag did look lower than the one we were on so at least we
weren't left with the which bit is higher syndrome that can often occur. |
|
| 360 degree panorama from Little Hart Crag |
| As I started on the panorama photos I could
tell that all of the others were itching to be off! There was not that
much to hold the attention up here but I think it was better than Middle
Dodd. |
|
|
| The terrible trio plus one at Little Hart Crag summit |
Little Hart Crag summit cairn |
| A few more photos and we were off. Again I talked
about nipping down the ridge and then back up and around to let us "bag"
Hartsop Above How but time was getting on and the pub was beckoning! I
was a bit disappointed that I wouldn't get to look for the Priests Hole
Cave below Dove Crag but I must admit that I was ready to head back down.
I was thinking that my feet were going to give me some grief on the way
down so I might as well get on with it now rather than later! |
|
|
| Dove Crag |
Looking over towards St Sunday Crag |
| Heading down the ridge towards High Hartsop
How the view over towards Dove Crag started to open up. You do not normally
associate the Eastern Fells with crags and rock faces but below Dove Crag
they were in abundance. It looked well worth a return visit and a bit of
an exploration! AW got it right when he said that Dove Crag was named after
the crags below the summit and not the summit itself. |
|
| A panorama showing Dove Crag, Hart
Crag, Fairfield and St Sunday Crag |
| This area was to
feature in the news only a week or so later. Have a look at the "incidents
2004" page of the Langdale/Ambleside
MRT for an account of what happened, as I have mention accidents
and incidents do happen! Today was totally different from that day and we
headed down the ridge to High Hartsop How without any problems, in fact it
was very easy walking and just what the doctor ordered! |
|
|
| The ridge down to High Hartsop How |
Looking across to Middle Dodd and Red Screes from the descent from Little
Hart Crag |
| It got a bit colder walking down so the jackets
came on again. Very soon we reached the "summit", I have to say
that looking over to Red Screes and Middle Dodd I could see a definite
rise in altitude between the two, perhaps I have been a bit hasty in my
judgment! High Hartsop Dodd was definitely a "silly" summit
though. We must have climbed all of 10 feet up to gain the summit! This
was definitely just a bump on a ridge. |
|
|
| High Hartsop How summit |
The terrible trio at High Hartsop Dodd summit cairn |
| |
 |
| 360 degree panorama from High Hartsop How |
| Again it was a quick snap, snap, snap as the
others were definitely not hanging around! |
|
|
| The sun peeping over Little Hart Crag |
The others waiting for me! |
| I can't say that I was looking forward to the
next bit, downhill! I knew it was going to be steep and I felt that my
toes would br killing me soon so I took a few breath and set off. The
others were raring to go and did not even wait until I had finished taking
the photos before setting off. |
|
|
| The ridge away from the summit |
The ridge starts to drop away from here |
| At first the ridge down to the valley was fine,
but as the ridge seemed to end and the view opened up over Brothers Water
I sort of guessed that it would get steeper and probable mean pain for
me! The view forwards kept me going though, it was getting late and the
sun shone on Angletarn Pikes and the other Far Eastern Fells, it looked
great! |
|
|
| The Stang's, with Dove Crag, Hart Crag and Fairfield behind |
Nearing the wall that cuts across the ridge |
| The view over towards Dove Crag opened up and
I definitely made my mind up to return and spend some time looking around
the area. We made good progress across the grassy ridge, chatting away
and getting that feeling that the end of the walk was near. Every now and
again we would come across another steep descent, I was surprised to find
that my feet did not cause me any problems! I give up trying to figure
out what is going on with my feet now! |
|
|
| Pausing for a photo opportunity before the steep bit |
Looking over Brotherswater to Place Fell, Angletarn Pikes and Brock Crags |
|
Just above one of these steep descents
I arranged everyone for a photo, it was one of those times when you get
a real sense of height. The valley floor was right there below and we
were surrounded by higher ground. With the time of day it was a nice
place to be, but that valley floor still looked a long way down! |
|
|
| The only bit of rock on the descent |
The fence marks another steep bit |
| Passing by a rocky outcrop the path led directly
to a wire fence. Beyond the fence we could see no part of the ridge, it
just seemed to disappear, very strange! It was not until you actually reached
the fence that you could see more of the ridge, perhaps it was there to
prevent the sheep from dropping off! |
|
|
| Looking back up the ridge to High Hartsop How |
Stangs, with Dove Crag, Hart Crag and Fairfield behind (again!) |
| After the fence it was straight down to the
valley floor. Looking behind it was evident how steep we were going down,
I was glad I was not going up! Why I say that does make me think, why do
I always say that! What goes up must come down and usually the two sort
of add up. You go up so far and then come down the same amount, what difference
does it make (altitude sickness again!) I've
really got to stop thinking! |
|
|
| Looking down the final section of the ridge |
and looking back up! (glad I'm not going that way!) |
| With all these steep bits that we had been negotiating
behind us we stopped for a bit of a break. Looking at the map I noticed
that there was a description of a "settlement" directly below
us. From up here we could make out a sort of circle of stones and some
old earthworks under the fields. When I pointed this out to John his interest
quickened, maybe it was something to look around on the way back to the
car. |
|
|
| Late afternoon sun on Caudale Moor |
Looking back up the north ridge of High Hartsop Dodd |
| With a bit of time to look around it was nice
to see some patches of sunlight falling onto Caudale Moor. Looking back
up the ridge we had just descended I was again pleased that we were not
ascending it (haven't I just talked about that) One
day I will ascend all of these fells directly via the hardest way I can
find (just not today. OK!) |
|
|
| Result !. I can still navigate then ! |
The old settlement |
| The path led directly to a barn that had a signpost
pointing the way to Skyeside Camp Site and Patterdale. Immediately after
the barn was the area on the map marked as "settlement". Apart
from a couple of big boulders that had no right to be here there was not
much to see. You could definitely see more from the ridge than down here! |
 |
| A panorama of Middle Dodd and High
Hartsop Dodd, with Dove Crag and Hart Crag visible above Dovedale and The
Stangs |
| With nothing to keep us here we started walking
through the fields towards Hartsop Hall. It was nice to be walking on the
flat again and the views back looked good. Middle Dodd and High Hartsop
Dodd were seen in silhouette now that the sun was going down, very nice!
We came across some farm buildings that John had a quick look around but
soon carried on the track to the Hall. |
|
|
| Looking back to Middle Dodd and High Hartsop Dodd |
Hartsop Hall |
| Now we were on the track that ran past Hartsop
Hall and on past Brothers Water we looked back on an eventful day out.
We had had great fun coupled with a few scary moments going up the gully
to Red Screes, snow and a great summit, a bit more scrambling and 4 summits
in total. |
|
Now walking along the side of Brothers Water
we all agreed that this was an ideal end to the day. The batteries just
about gave up on the camera as I tried to take some photos of the path
alongside Brothers Water. With the sun setting and the fish causing the
odd ripple or two on the lake it was a great way to finnish any walk. Of
course by the time we arrived back at the car park our was about the only
car left, again! A quick change routine for me and we drove back up to
the Kirkstone Pass Inn to retrieve Johns car and allow everyone to get
changed and freshen up in the toilets by the side of the pub. |
| The path that goes along side Brothers Water |
|
| It would have been ideal to stop in the Kirkstone
Pass Inn for a pint and something to eat but as this establishment had
already failed Sarah's"chip test" we did not bother! Off down
the Kirkstone Pass to the first pub we could find. This was the Queens
Head, a great looking pub with a welcoming fire. But with not serving food
until 7pm and a menu that looked like it would cost a fortune we quickly
gave it a miss and headed off towards the Sun Inn at Troutbeck Bridge.
Now the last time we had been here was after the Fairfield Horseshoe, apart
from me being in agony they had also stopped serving food. We would give
them another chance today! After a long wait, it was busy after all, we
had a meal that can be best described as adequate. John made the wrong
choice and they managed to get my order wrong. Admittedly they did rectify
it as soon as I pointed this out to them, but... I guess we miss the Cross
Keys in Tebay! |
 |
| The GPS Track Log from today's walk,
just look what you can do with two cars! |
So that was that, another 4 summits down and
some fantastic scrambling. I think that Red Screes via the way we did it
must rank as one of the best! The other summits I suppose were just a bonus
at the end of the day.
|
| This walk has been another one that I have taken
ages to write up. Two weeks that involved working away from home for a
few days each, getting ready for and having a job interview, a new night
school project not to mention a new PS2 game and a new version of Anquet
Maps software has all taken time! But then again, I always seem to take
ages writing about the walks that I really enjoyed, this was one of them! |
