Walkweb

We split the third stage, which officially goes from Rosthwaite to Patterdale, into two as is recommended by pretty much everybody. The full stage covers over 17.5 miles through some pretty demanding terrain and doesn’t really leave much time to enjoy the alternative routes, particularly on the leg from Grasmere to Patterdale.

The walk starts easily enough on a pleasant path by the side of Stonethwaite Beck. After a couple of kilometres the path leaves the beck and starts to climb quite steeply up by the side of Greenup Gill from where there a good views of Eagle Crag, a noted crag for climbers (“A mountain crag featuring some fine, hard routes bristling with character.”) After a tiring climb the path levels out, but only briefly before again climbing past Lining Crag. From here the official path descends by the side of Far Easedale Gill, but we chose to take the alternative route via Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag.

I’d recommend the alternative as providing more variety and not being particularly difficult, indeed we arrived in Grasmere at about 2:30pm, leaving plenty of time for a drink in the Red Lion Inn and an ordinary meal at the Ash Cottage Hotel.

(Total distance approx. 9 miles)

Link to Coast to Coast Summary

This day didn’t start too well – we walked out out of The Shepherd’s Arms and immediately turned left – not a good idea (the actual route is left on the main road a few metres further up from the Shepherd’s Arms). After about 15 minutes we realised something was wrong, and backtracked back to Ennerdale Bridge with me feeling like a bit of a goose since I’m supposed to be an experienced walker…

The walk then recommenced along the official route that follows a road along to the banks of Ennerdale Water. At this point it was time for sunscreen and hats as the weather was excellent. The path then follows the southern side of Ennerdale Water, with a few steep sections where it leaves the banks and climbs higher, before entering a very nice wooded section and eventually reaching the end of Ennerdale Water and joining the vehicular track up to Black Sail Youth Hostel.

I decided to take the alternative route which leaves the vehicular track not long after it is joined and climbs very steeply north up to Red Pike. From here it was a magnificent ridge walk along to High Stile and High Crag, with great views in all directions, particularly down into Buttermere, across to Grasmoor on the other side of the lake, south-east towards Haystacks and south to Pillar. After High Crag there is a steep descent to Scarth Gap Pass and then unfortunately a steep ascent to make up most of the lost height before reaching Haystacks and then, shortly thereafter, the beautiful Innominate Tarn. The path then wends its way to join an old tramway that proceeds in a straight line up and then down to Honister Pass and the Slate Mine visitor centre.

After a quick break here, we continued down by the side of the Honister Pass road, before eventually leaving the road at Seatoller and continuing along a footpath into Rosthwaite.

(Total distance approx. 14.5 miles)

Link to Coast to Coast Summary

I was fortunate enough recently to do this walk again. Weather started out somewhat unpromising, but it ended up being a beautiful afternoon. The walk confirmed my view that this is one of the most enjoyable day walks in the Lakes.

More detailed notes from a previous visit can be found here. For a gallery of photos for the walk, see here (note this link requires up-to-date browser software and a broadband connection).

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More updates to this site will be made soon, including a full trip report for Wainwright’s “A Coast-to-Coast” walk in England, which I recently completed, and some gear reviews.

Been too busy to do any walking, so another walk from the ‘archives’.

“Scafell Pike is massive, shapeless and without a touch of elegance … but superior altitude counts for much and the Pike is the magnet that attracts all active visitors to the district, giving them a sense of achievement: there is a unique satisfaction in standing on the very highest point in the country…”

Wainwright’s Favourite Lakeland Mountains

My first proper walk in the Lake District was an ascent of Scafell Pike, back in November 1998. There are numerous routes, following are a couple that I have done.

From Wasdale Head – the most direct way to get there, but this means it’s relentlessly uphill pretty much from the start. We followed the bridleway that heads almost due east from Wasdale Head, past Bursting Knott and Toad How to Sty Head, after which we turned south and followed the “corridor route” to the summit. For the descent we followed the path that goes west via Brown Tongue (Wainwright refers to this as the “tourist route” up Scafell Pike – it is the most direct but possibly the least interesting) and then turns north to return to Wasdale Head.

From Borrowdale – a rather longer route, but an interesting variation. We commenced at Seathwaite, and took the bridleway south to Stockley Bridge. From here we followed the footpath that ascends steeply by the side of Grains Gill. This path joins another footpath just south of Sprinkling Tarn and below the northern face of Great End. We followed this path south-west to a junction and then followed the footpath that travels south and then south-west via Esk Hause and Ill Crag, before a short but steep climb to the summit. We descended initially the same way but then headed north to join the corridor route back to Sty Head, and then descended via the bridleway that passes Styhead Tarn, eventually returning to Stockley Bridge and then back to Seathwaite.

My rating: A, A+
Map: Via Wasdale Head: OL5 – The English Lakes: South Western area (1:25,000); the route via Borrowdale also requires OL4 – The English Lakes: North Western area (1:25,000)
Wainwright’s guides: Book four, The Southern Fells

“It is the north flank that gives Fairfield distinction. In complete contrast to its bland appearance in other directions, a series of rocky buttresses and screeshoots plunge suddenly from the edge of the summit plateau into the head of Deepdale with startling ferocity: it is a dramatic scene that escapes attention on the southern and western approaches.”

Wainwright’s Favourite Lakeland Mountains

Commencing at Patterdale, I walked southwards along the A592 until I reached a permitted footpath to the west of the road, following this path until it reached the lovely Brothers Water. The track becomes a public footpath here, skirting the western shore of Brothers Water and continuing southwards before curling to the south-west and crossing Dovedale Beck, thence continuing westish to pass Dove Crag and thereafter to join a footpath traversing the ridge. From here the walk continues north-west over Hart Crag and then turns west briefly before attaining the summit of Fairfield, from which there are great views in all directions.

After a lunch stop I continued on north and then north east along the ridge line that traverses St Sunday Crag and then drops down into Patterdale. The first section is very steep and a little tricky in places, before levelling out somewhat. As Wainwright points out, the view of Fairfield from this direction is very different from the southern and western approaches, looking most impressive with its series of rocky buttresses. The views down to Ullswater are also fantastic.

All in all, a great day’s outing – but a fairly demanding walk that took me over 6 hours.

My rating: A+
Map: OL5 – The English Lakes: North Eastern area (1:25,000)
Wainwright’s guides: Book one, The Eastern Fells