Walking the Wainwrights - Walk 27

The Western Martindale Fell
12.5 Miles
5 Hours
4000 Feet of ascent

Start from St Peter's Church, Martindale.

1. Start by climbing on a variety of routes to the summit of Hallin Fell before heading down to Boredale and taking a slanting path onto Place Fell. Views of Ullswater down to the right.





2. From the summit head steeply downhill to Boredale Hause before climbing the opposing side, making a detour to Angletarn Pikes.





3. Keeping Angle Tarn to your left, make for Brock Crags before reversing the route and gently climbing to the clear path. Cross this path and head onto the long ridge with Beda Fell at its other end. Cross the valley floor and make the short climb to Steel Knotts before dropping back to St Peters Church.





Here's a link to the Flickr Photostream.

Walking the Wainwrights - Walk 26

The Coniston Fells
13 Miles
5 hours 15 minutes
4400 Feet of ascent


Start from Walna Scar road that leads steeply out of Coniston Village.

1. Go up the Walna Scar bridleway for several miles, crossing Cove Bridge before climbing steadily to Brown Pike, Buck Pike and the rocky top of Dow Crag with views down to Goat Water below.





2. Take the rough path down to Goats Hause before climbing the clear cairned route to the summit of Coniston Old Man, with its fine cairn and Trig point.





3. There is now a gentle and easy walk along the ridge taking in Brim Fell along the way.





4. Climb to Swirl How, but bear left before the summit cairn to then head for Great Carrs passing the Halifax Bomber wreckage, cross and memorial.





5. From the memorial make a beeline for Grey Friar, and retrace your outward route back to Swirl How with its lofty position.





6. Head steeply downhill on the worn Prison Band path and then climb on a slanting route to the summit of Wetherlam with excellent views of Little Langdale far below.





7. Finally, head on the gentle downhill path back to Coppermines Valley and the car.





Here’s a link to the Flickr Photostream.



Tagnuts:- Walking, Lake District, Wainwrights

Walking the Wainwrights - Walk 25

Grasmere and the Langdale Pikes
13 Miles
5 Hours 30 Minutes
3500 Feet of ascent

Park at the North end of Grasmere village.

1. Take the Allan Bank road. Near the house fork right on a hard track, narrowing to a path which climbs steeply, dips over the head of Wray Gill and continues to the top of Silver How.





2. Head North North West on a path that meanders past several tarns before rising to the summit of Blea Rigg. Set off for Sergeant Man but after 600 yards make your way down to Bright Beck, crossing over to join the path coming up from Stickle Tarn. Ascend the stony north rake and at the top, just before a group of pools turn left and proceed to the summit of Pavey Ark.





3. Walk South West on rocky paths to Harrison Stickle. From the top drop into Harrison Combe, cross a boggy section and climb a scree gully to the summit of Loft Crag . Continue along the ridge over a col and scramble up the rocky cone of Pike of Stickle.





4. Starting off North North East, circle round the head of Harrison Combe to Thunacarr Knott. Take the clear path to High Raise. Bear right on a grassy path to Sergeant Man. Descend East and wehre the main track swings keep right on a fainter path. Traverse Codale Head, skirt some small tarns and drop into a gill running East North East. Follow this down to the left of an area of peat hags and join the path that leads to the top of Tarn Crag.





5. Drop down the east ridge of the fell to a cross path at its base. Turn left and descend to a footbridge over Far Easedale Beck and return to Grasmere along bridleways and lanes.





Here's a link to the Flickr Photostream.



Tagnuts:- Lake District, Walking, Wainwrights

Walking the Wainwrights - Walk 24

The Grisedale Horseshoe
13 Miles
4 Hours 45 minutes
4000 Feet of ascent

Start from Patterdale Church.

1. Climb the road to the start of the fells and follow the clear path slanting up the hillside to the "hole in the wall".





2. Now climb up to the famous ridge of Striding Edge.





3. Scramble carefully down the final rock pitch and climb up the broken crags and scree to the summit of Helvellyn.





4. Head south along the high plateau, diverging from the main path to follow the escarpment edge for the views of Helvellyn's dramatic eastern coves. Traverse the summit of Nethermost Pike.





5. Now head for Dollywaggon Pike.





6. Descend the stony zig zagging path down to Grisedale tarn and cross at the outflow. From there climb the slanting path up to Deepdale Hause and follow the ridge to the top of St Sunday Crag.





7. Head for the subsidiary summit of Gavel Pike and bear left on a clear path making for the grassy summit of Birks.





8. For a little way head on the path before dropping steeply down to the right on pathless grass to a wall corner at Trough Head. Pick up a path above the wall and bear right to climb Arnison Crag.





9. Turn downhill and take the path beside the wall once more, turning right at a bridleway, before returning to the church and the start of the walk.





Here's a link to the Flickr Photostream.



Tagnuts:- Lake District, Walking, Wainwright

Walking the Wainwrights - Walk 23

The Newlands Valley
16 Miles
8 Hours
6500 Feet of ascent

Start from the car park on the Skelgill road.

1. Leave the car park by the signposted path and join the popular route up the north ridge of Cat Bells.





2. Follow the broad track south and ascend to Maiden Moor.





3. Continuing by way of Narrow Moor, make for the summit of High Spy.





4. Descend to Newlands Beck, cross over and climb to Dalehead Tarn. Take the steep pitched path to the fine cairn on Dale Head with awesome views down the valley.





5. Drop west, north west to a col and take the branch path to Hindscarth.





6. Return the same way but this time, slant down to the right on a path that cuts the corner. Walk along Littledale Edge, rise steeply beside a fence and bear right across the summit plateau of Robinson to the cairn.





7. Drop very steeply in line with Newlands Hause. Descend to the west of Moss Force and join the path leading from the falls down to the head of the pass. Cross the road and climb steeply straight up to Knott Rigg.






8. Follow the lovely ridge to Ard Crags.





9. Drop down north west from the summit to a boggy saddle from which a short climb leads to a path slanting up through the heather to the main ridge. Turn left and make a quick out and back ascent on the wide path to Sail.





10. Once back at the col, continue up and over Scar Crags.





11. Now on the great ridge, head straight for the rocky top of Causey Pike. Returning over the path for a hundred metres or so to a col marks the descent on a slanting path to a boggy area.





12. Crossing as best you can, make a short ascent to Outerside.





13. Descend on delightful paths amongst heather and make for today's 12th summit - Barrow, soon reached after a minimal climb.





14. Once more, return by the same route to a col, this time heading steeply down to the valley. Make your way through the village of Stair on quiet lanes back to the car at Skelgill.





Here's a link to the Flickr Photostream.



Tagnuts:- Lake District, Wainwrights, Walking

Walking the Wainwrights - Walk 22

Lorton and Wythop Fells
11 Miles
5 Hours 30 Minutes
4000 Feet of ascent

Start from the forestry commission car park.

1. Take the footpath to Spout Force, cross Aiken Beck by the bridge and turn downstream. Fifty yards after a gate, take a path zigzagging up by the forest to Graystones.





2. Follow the wall over Wythop Moss, keeping to the centre to avoid the worst of the bogs. Cross the fence above Tom Rudd Beck, ford the stream and climb up by a wall. At a corner strike off half right to the trig point on Ling Fell.





3. Drop down north, north east from the top. Meet a track and follow it through a gate onto a road and after 200 yards turn downhill. Go right after a bridge, pass through the Kelsick Farm gate and head up the left by a wall. Near the top of the path, fork right to climb to the shoulder of Sale Fell to the summit.





4. Head south east to join a farm track by a wall and continue past Kelsick to the main road. Walk uphill and very soon take a path on the right which leads over Wythop Beck into a meadow and joins the road at Old Scale. Turn right and scale an old gate. Climb a steep slope, slant left across a grass field and ascend the right flank of a little valley.





5. After a pair of metal gates, continue by a wall and pass a pine wood on its right. Ascend grassy slopes to the well built cairn on Broom Fell. Cross the fence and follow the broad ridge to Lord's Seat.





6. Continue on a clear path to Barf, crossing some boggy sections on your way. Retrace your steps and look out for a path forking left and contouring around the slopes of Lord's Seat. Scale a stile, continue over boggy ground and crossing the main path turn left then immediately right. Head through the woods on a path leading to a forest road.





7. Fork right on a mossy track, when this ends at a stile go straight on, rising gradually. Cross the marsh above Drycloff Gill and climb the flank of a shallow valley making for the top of Whinlatter.





8. Continue to Brown How the fells west top, stay on the path for awhile and then drop north, north east to a boundary fence and break in the wall. Make your way down through the mess of trees and old moss covered logs. At the bottom, turn left and back to the car.





Here's a link to the Flickr Photostream.




Tagnuts:- Wainwright, Walking, Lake District

Walking the Wainwrights - Walk 21

The Kentmere Horseshoe
14.5 Miles
6 Hours 15 minutes
4400 Feet of Ascent

Start at Kentmere Church, where there is a small space for cars.

1. This walk is one of the classic horseshoes in the Lake District, but with a few extras of my own thrown in. Take the walled lower lane below the church past Rook Howe Farm. Keep on the lane, dipping around a bend to find a narrow squeeze stile gap in the wall, before heading through a gate. A wooden footbridge crosses the River Kent and a path rises to cross the walled track of Low Lane by two stiles. Climb the grassy path directly to a stile leading to a surfaced road, High Lane. Bear left through a gate to find the signposted bridleway for Longsleddale.





2. Follow this past some barns and some old quarry workings, making your way to the highest point of the pass. Now turn left and following the wall head steeply uphill eventually reaching Shipman Knotts.





3. Still following the wall, cross a stile and then climb up onto the grassy shoulder of Kentmere Pike.





4. Descend to Brown Howe and once more follow the fence upwards on easy paths to the top of Harter Fell, with views down to Haweswater, Small Water and across to High Street.





5. Taking a left turn, the walk now takes a new order of drama while descending to the head of Nan Bield Pass, the path now traverses the exposed summit of Mardale Ill Bell, with vertiginous views down to Blea Water. Now for 2 extras to the classic route..





6. Instead of keeping to the traversing path around the head of Kentmere, climb up to the end of a tumbledown wall and then on to High Street, with it's wild fell ponies - remembering also how this fell was once crossed by marching Roman soldiers, the roman road still a popular route to this day for walkers and mountain bikers.





7. Now utilising the roman's handiwork, first cross some rough grass before bearing left on the clear well worn path around the head of Hayeswater and then bear right and down hill, crossing a wall just before the highest point of Gray Crag.





8. Retrace your steps and joining the classic route once more, take in the fine summit of Thornthwaite Crag with its impressive circular tower of stone.





9. Below, on the western leg of this horseshoe are situated some of the most dramatic and acclaimed tops of the outing. First there is Froswick,





10. ... then Ill Bell with its twin cairns and views down to Windermere and the sea beyond,





11. .. and finally there is Yoke. The normal route taken, is to follow the wall to the top of the Garburn Pass, going through the gate on the left and heading back down to the Church that way - that's the way I recommend! However, today wanting to be different I took steep unpathed route straight off Yoke, crossing many obstacles on my way including walls, bracken, streams and even a bunch of fox hounds looking for prey at one point! Stick to the tried and tested route, and you'll be back at the car in no time.





Here's a link to the Flickr Photostream.



Tagnuts:- Wainwrights, Walking, Lake District