Date: 19th June 2015 Start/Finnish: Patterdale Wainwrights: Arnison Crag, Birks, St Sunday Crag, Dollywagon Pike, Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn, Catstye Cam. Height Gained: 5224 feet Distance: 12 Miles Time Taken: 9 hours
The route - Clockwise from Patterdale
I had 3 Eastern Fells left to climb; Arnison Crag and Birks (simple enough), and then Catstye Cam (another 2 valleys away). It was going to take a long walk to link them all up. After parting with £4.50 to park at the Patterdale Hotel I headed up the steep path to Arnison Crag. My lack of fell time this year became obvious within about 20 minutes and I quickly realised it was going to be a long, tough day.
Arnison Crag view over Ullswater
Arnison Crag view up to Birks
Arnison Crag summit panorama east
Arnison Crag summit panorama west
From Birks I could see that St Sunday Crag was moving in and out of cloud but all the high fells around Helvellyn were fully shrouded. When I got up onto St Sunday Crag it was under cloud and there was a fierce wind. I headed over to a sheltered spot overlooking the Deepdale valley for a bite to eat and to wait and see if the summit cleared. The last time I was up here visibility was appalling and so I wasn't about to give up too easily. Luckily patience paid off and I was rewarded with a few fleeting views over both neighbouring valleys although all the higher fells remained under cloud. Satisfied, I headed off to Grisedale Tarn.
St Sunday Crag from Birks
St Sunday Crag summit just below the cloud base
Fleeting views over the Deepdale valley
The onwards path
Grisedale Tarn comes into view
Looking down the Deepdale valley
Seat Sandal, Grisedale Tarn and Dollywagon Pike
The path from Grisedale Tarn up onto Dollywagon Pike is a zig-zag upwards slog and it was near the top of this path that the cloud base was reached and visibility reduced to about 50 feet. After small deviations from the main path to bag Dollywagon and Nethermost Pikes I headed on up to Helvellyn. It was not pleasant up there. The wind was a steady 30mph and bitingly cold with occasional drizzle thrown in for good measure. It felt like November rather than June.
Seat Sandal over Grisedale Tarn
Fairfield making a momentary appearance
The last of the views for the next few hours
The stone tablet on Helvellyn summit commemorating the first plane landing on a mountain in 1926
The summit shelter
Helvellyn summit - nothing to see today
I carefully picked my way down onto Swirral edge with the wind showing no mercy. This was new territory for me and the ridge demanded full concentration. It is the equal of striding edge but seemed a lot shorter, but that could be deceiving as I could see nothing further than about 20 feet. I headed off up the short climb onto Catstye Cam but didn't linger as it was obvious that views would not be forthcoming and the wind was relentless.
The uninviting way down onto Swirral Edge from the summit plateau
Somewhere on Swirral Edge
Somewhere else on Swirral Edge
Catstye Cam summit - imagination required
It was here that I made my mistake. Without checking the compass I followed the only obvious path down in the opposite direction to the one I came up. I inadvertently took the northern path down towards the steep northeast ridge. The path I intended to take was southeast from the summit and I obviously didn't notice it. It was only when I got under the cloud that I realised my mistake. I tried to skirt around the mountain to pick up the correct path but the crags soon became too steep and so I carefully picked my way down the rocky terrain. Ah well. It made for an interesting detour which my knees just managed to survive. It also added a good hour to an already long walk.
Finally emerging from cloud and realising I'm on the wrong side of the mountain
Ah well, unexpected views of Keppel Cove Dam
Looking down the valley to Sheffield Pike and Glenridding
Heading back into cloud on the other side of Catstye Cam
Finally, the 'hole-in-the-wall'
The homeward path
Views over Grisedale valley to St Sunday Crag ...
... and Birks
Looking back up the Grisedale Valley ...
.... and back over to Arnison Crag, where I was 8 hours earlier
It was a weary hiker that plodded back to the car 9 hours after leaving. That was about the limit of my capabilities for a day hike. It will be a nice, easy stroll next time ....
Date : 17th & 18th April 2015 Start/Finish : Jubilee Bridge, Brotherikeld, Eskdale. Wainwrights : Green Crag, Harter Fell, Hard Knott Distance : 13.3 miles Height Gained : 3455 feet Social Hiking Interactive Map :Click Here
The route: Anti-clockwise from the cross-hairs
I knew this was going to be a great little trip. The omens were good as I drove over the Wrynose and Hardknott passes without even seeing another car. One of life's little pleasures. So I set off from near Jubilee Bridge heading for Green Crag. Perusing the map, the Birker Force waterfall looked like it might worth a detour and there did seem to be a vague path of sorts which climbed up along it. I soon found the waterfalls and the path which was indeed vague and required the use of hands and feet at some points.
Penny Hill Farm ... complete with spring lamb and mum
Old Lower Birker Farm ... being renovated into a rather nice pad
Quintessential Lake District - A moss covered dry stone wall
Views towards Scafell
Birker Force
Views from the top of Birker Force
From the top of the falls it's an easy ramble along boggy ground towards the crags. There are many crags around this area, with Green Crag being the highest and so I decided to visit a few of them along the way.
Low Birker Tarn
Crook Crags (left) and Green Crag (right)
Views over the Eskdale valley from Crook Crags
Green Crag from Pike Crag
Green Crag summit view back towards Eskdale and Harter Fell
From Green Crag I headed for Harter Fell but took a minor detour over Dow Crag (no not the Coniston one - that would be a detour!). The ground is really wet in places around here. I had, until now, managed to keep my trail shoes dry ... but no longer. I finally succumbed to wet feet.
Next stop ... Harter Fell
The lovely Eskdale valley from Dow Crag
A local on Harter Fell
Harter Fell summit
From Harter Fell I made a bee line for Hard Knott just pausing to collect water from Hardknott Gill along the way. The wind was quite a bit stronger than the insignificant wafts that were forecast so I looked for a sheltered spot and managed to find one with good views of both the sunset and the Scafells. Like I said, the omens were good for this trip :-)
Hard Knott from Harter Fell
Pitched up on Hard Knott with views of the Scafells
The eagle eyed among you will note the deliberate mistake that I have pitched the tarp 'inside out'. This is because I wasn't using the 2 lifter points in the middle of the tarp (I forgot to bring 2 short bamboo canes for this) and so instead used them on the inside to attach my little tent light. The rudimentary tarp pitching video
A nice view of the sunset
It was a cold clear night. I spent a long time just watching the night sky which was pitch black and bursting with stars. I watched the space station pass over, saw many satellites and a few shooting stars. It was a mesmerising scene from the comfort of my sleeping bag. This is the great selling point for tarps but of course, being a certified wimp, had there been a hint of rain forecast or indeed any other such inclement weather then I would have brought the tent or the trailstar instead. Tonight though, it was perfect for a 'roofless' night under the stars. I forgot the bivvy bag (schoolboy error!) and so needed to wear my down jacket and insulated trousers to stay warm as the temperature got down to just below zero. Apart from a bit of wind (the weather that is, not the effects of my delicious Fuzion chicken tikka masala) it was a quiet night. I woke to frosty surroundings and a crispy tarp. I was up and away by 6am and onto Hard Knott summit to watch the sun rising over Cold Pike. All along the ridge towards Lingcove Beck are stunning views of upper Eskdale and the Scafells. It was a joy to watch the sun first touch Scafell summit and then move its way slowly down to illuminate the whole huge massif in an orange glow. My futile efforts with the camera really didn't do justice to this majestic scene.
Sunrise over Cold Pike from Hard Knott summit
Hard Knott summit view back to Harter Fell ...
... and over to the Scafells
Scafell and Scafell Pike
At the end of the Hard Knott ridge I followed the path down along the gorges and waterfalls of Lingcove Beck.
It always amazes me how the old Lingcove packhorse bridge stays up. I have no
idea when it was built and a quick google search was unrewarding but it
looks like it has seen a good few decades and will likely see many more.
Lingcove Bridge
... defying gravity
From here its a lovely quiet walk following the course of the River Esk back to Jubilee bridge. Only here did I see another person since leaving the car the day before.
Back to the road and the start of the Hardknott Pass
Kit List Shelter : Backpackinglight solo tarp (278g) & Integral Designs solo ground sheet (140g) Mat : Exped SynMat7 UL LW (595g) Sleeping Bag : Rab Alpine 400 (970g) and Rab silk liner (132g)
Stove : High Gear Blaze titanium stove (48g) + Primus 100g Gas Cart
Pans : Evernew Solo-set (250g)
Rucksack : Osprey Talon 44 (1.18kg) Fluid : Deuter Streamer 2lt Bladder (185g) and 600ml Sigg bottle (100g empty) + Sawyer Squeeze filter (84g), 100 mls milk, coffee
Food : Fuizion Chicken Tikka Masala & Rice, Buttered Bread, Supernoodles,various sugary snacks.
Bits & Bobs :
headtorch and spare batteries, Iphone + Anker 5800mHh battery, victorinox knife, map & compass, basic first aid kit and
Petzl e-lite, spork, various fold dry bags, flint & steel, plastic
trowel. Camera : Panasonic DMC-LX7 & lowepro case.
Clothes : Ron Hill wicking T-Shirt, Rab 100 wt fleece (250g), Montane lightspeed jacket (160g), TNF Meridian
Cargo Shorts (190g), ME beany, Rab phantom grip gloves, sunglasses,
Buff, Innov8 short socks. PHD wafer down jacket (about 200g). Montane Prism insulated pants (295g). Trail Shoes : Merrell Moab Ventilator (680g pair)
