Lakeland Way
September 2008
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Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground? 

3+ 1 days covering some 18 wainwrights and 5 more over 2000ft. this will total approx 40 miles and 13600ft of climb. The walk has been taken from The Lakeland Way

Day 1 Tuesday 16th September 2008 - Start at old Dungeon Ghyll hotel...
Rossett Pike, Great End, Ill Crag, Broad Crag, Scafell Pike, Lingmoor Fell.

Day 2 Wednesday 17th september - Kirk Fell, Kirk Fell East top,Great Gable, Green Gable, Brandreth, Grey Knotts.

Day 3 Thursday 18th September - High Raise, Codale Head,Sergeant Man,Thunacar Knott, Pavey Arc, Harrison Stickle, Pike of Stickle, Loft Crag.

Day 4 Friday 19th September - Option added Bow Fell, Bow Fell East Top,and Esk Pike

main map
   
   
 
  Day 01, Tuesday16th September 2008: Wasdale Head Inn : Wasdale Head  
Mileage : 11.2m Time 8.5 hrs Weather: misty start views of a sort from all tops
Up : 4000ft Down : 4010ft  
 
     
 
map day 1
 
  Map above and walk profile below  
 

profile day 1

 

 

 
 
Ill Crag
 
Scafell Pike
 
 
   
 
 
 
arriving at the Wasdale Inn
 
 

Day 1 – This was always going to be a challenging day. We really needed to start walking about 9:30 in order to complete all the objectives that we had set for ourselves. We had a decent drive over but the start time suffered due to a need for bacon sarnies in Grasmere and it was nearer 10:30 when boots started moving. Another factor in the delay was that it was raining so waterproofs had to be donned.

We set off westward from behind the Old Dungeon Ghyll along the Cumbrian Way. This is a good path to get the legs going. At the footbridge we took the left fork and made our way up the zigzags into the cloud. As the path levelled out we took the faint path eastward to our first objective, Rossett Pike. Retracing our steps we got back to the path, passing Angle Tarn, en route to Esk Hause. On the way we passed the lads that “maintain” the paths, they were covered in the evidence of their toils, heroes every one.

The main path from Esk Hause to Scafell Pike is well trodden and distinct but not the paths to the minor summits. Our next objective was Great End and with poor visibility there was some confusion over which of the paths we should take, what a junction! Nevertheless we found our way to Great End, across the first of several boulder fields [easy to turn an ankle]. The paths to Ill Crag and Broad Crag are equally indistinct and across more boulder fields so it was fortunate that visibility had improved and we could see our way to them.

Having conquered these minor summits it was on to Scafell Pike, a well-trodden path, though there were few walkers out today. At this point it was decided that there was insufficient time to climb Scafell so we headed down to Lingmell Col and up Lingmell before heading back down to Hollow Stones and on to the Wasdale Head Inn, our lodgings for the night.

 
  Day 02, Wednesday: Royal Oak Hotel : Rosthwaite  
Mileage : 9m Time: 8.5 hrs Weather : misty sunshine (excellent views)
Up : 3700ft Down: 3650ft  
 
     
 
map day 2
 
  Map above and walk profile below  
 

profile day 2

 
  Outside Ritsons bar - Wasdale inn  
the last ever smile ..Kirkfell in the rear ready and waiting
 
 
   
 
 
Rib End to Beckhead with the route up Great Gable in the distance
 
Great Gable
 
     
  Top of Great Gable   Different day same shirt... or is it? the wonders of silver thread  
 

Day 2 – After an evening of good beer and good food, followed by an excellent breakfast we were in good shape for another day on the “High Route”. It was a fine morning and we were walking in tee shirts. Kirk Fell proved to be quite a challenge with some of the team taking a while to get going up this steep grassy climb, which has a little scree section for good measure.

At the top it was clear but there was a very cool breeze, which prompted jackets to come out. From Kirk Fell we could see Great Gable and we headed in that direction via the east top and Rib End down to Beck Head. At this point we could see the proposed route up Great Gable and there was some discussion about whether we should go round to Windy Gap but we took it on and it wasn’t as bad as it looked. From Great Gable we could see the rest of our “tops” for the day.

We went down across Windy Gap and up to Green Gable. From there we followed a clear path to Brandreth and on to Grey Knotts with no trouble. The same cannot be said about the path down from Grey Knotts to Honister. It is becomes steep and very eroded, especially towards the end, and care must be taken. The path down from Honister Hause to Seatoller runs by the road until joining the bridleway. We then joined the Allerdale Ramble to Longthwaite, across the bridge and into Rosthwaite for a night in the Royal Oak.

 
 
  Day 03, Thursday: Old Dungeon Ghyll : Langdale  
Mileage : 10.8m Time : 8Hrs Weather : as good as it gets
Up : 3050ft Down: 3010ft  
 
     
 
map day 3
 
  Map above and walk profile below  
 

profile day 3

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
High Raise with Pike of Stickle in the background
  Loft Crag and Pike of Stickle from Harrison Stickle  
 
obvious
  Loft Crag  
 
 
 
 
Loft Crag
 
Looking back up Dungeon Ghyll
 
 

Day 3 – Most of the evening was spent in the Riverside Bar and a good sleep soon brought us to the third day of our quest. A good breakfast set us on our way, along a path, which 3 of us had trodden before on the C2C. As ever, the path up Greenup Gill was busy with people on the C2C or Cumbrian Way. Progress was OK but there was a need to socialise with a group of Canadians along the way. In the group of 6 there was one guy…is there a medal big enough?

We reached Greenup Edge and swung southwest to High Raise leaving the crowds behind. Clouds were blowing in and out and it was cold. Gratefully, we took advantage of the shelter on the summit for a break and the clouds blew away, never to be seen again today. From here we could see the Langdale Pikes and although there is a distinct path towards Thunacarr Knott we wanted to go to Codale Head and Sergeant Man so we followed faint tracks [man or sheep made?] to these peaks.

The views were great. We then headed to Thunacarr Knott and it was great to open your legs out on this good level-ish path. On to Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle, across to Pike of Stickle and then Loft Crag. From here we went to the path that goes from the base of Harrison Stickle, which goes via Thorn Crag down alongside Dungeon Ghyll. This joins the Cumbrian Way and took us the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, our start point.

 
 
  Day 4 , Friday: Old Dungeon Ghyll, Bow Fell and Esk Fell to Seathwaite  
Mileage : 8.5m Time: 6hrs Weather : cloud after 2000ft
Up : 2995ft Down : 2910ft  
 
     
 
 
  Map above and walk profile below  
 

 
 
 
 
 
View from the Band
 
Esk Pike
 
 

Day 4 – Another very pleasant evening was spent sampling the brews and fare of the bar, then a good breakfast fuelled us ready for the day’s exertions. We were to do a loop around Bowfell and Esk Pike but one of the team had left his camera at Rosthwaite and last night he decided he was going back for it today so we changed the loop to a linear walk to Seathwaite for 3 of us.

We set off and there were clouds on Bowfell but we were optimistic…fools. At around 2000ft we hit the cloud and it pretty much stayed with us all day. We made the summit of Bowfell, across a slippy set of rocks/boulders and the wind chill factor was extreme, even John put on an extra layer for warmth. From here we had a walk in the clouds to find the north top [GPS essential in the cloud] and then followed the many cairns down to Ore Gap. Across Ore Gap it was straight up, over and up again until we reached the peak[s] of Red Pike. John still swears the GPS is wrong on which is the highest.

From here we carried straight on to Esk Hause and took the north path. We then took the path, which crosses the stream, to take us down to Stockley Bridge and on to Seathwaite. where anthony complete with shopping was waiting for us to return us safely home.

All in all a great 4 days. 

 

 

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