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PICTURES AND TRIP REPORTS FROM MY WALKS IN THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT
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E-mail - karl@karlswalks.co.uk |
Two consecutive fine days in October couldn't be missed so I did a couple of climbs which have been on my to do list for quite a while.
A fairly chilly morning greeted me as I made my way along the track through Stonethwaite. Early morning mist was hanging around the slopes of Rosthwaite Fell.
There has been quite a lot of rain recently so Langstrath beck was running fast and high.
No swimmers in Blackmoss Pot this morning.
A narrow path lead upwards from the main valley path heading for the jumble of fallen rocks named as Woof Stones on the map.
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Looking back down from the start of the climb up Cam Crag.
I met a chap who was quite an experienced scrambler who was taking the harder grade 2 and 3 routes up to the right in this photo. I kept well to the left where there is plenty of grass mixed in with the rock.
Although some of that is pretty steep.
As a cold night was forecast I had my bulkier and heavier winter pack so I took no risks but it was still great fun occasionally leaving the grass and getting hands on rock..
All to soon I was at the top getting a great long range view over to Skiddaw and Blencathra.
I needed now to head towards Esk Hause and rather than follow the route through the Great Hollow, Combe Door, Combe Head and Glaramara I followed a narrow path by the fence but left it to explore an area of tarns and tops that I'd never been to before. This a small tarn just below a 600M top on Stonethwaite Fell.
I had a great view of the Cam Crag ridge from the 600M top.
I traversed across a bit of rough ground heading back to the path. A nice view the head of Langstrath with Bowfell and Esk Pike above. Also I couldn't help but notice the pointy top of Ill crag over on the right which hopefully I would have scrambled up to tomorrow morning.
After passing through a very wet hollow at the head of the Ribby Gills the path rises and becomes very narrow and clings to the hillside above Langstrath and below Glaramara.
Pike of Stickle and Harrison Stickle seen from near the Lincomb Tarns.
Fairfield, Cofa Pike, Deepdale Hause and St. Sunday Crag are well seen in the clear air. To left of them are Dollywagon Pike, High Crag and Nethermost Pike.
Sprinkling Tarn and Great and Green Gable from Allen Crags.
From Allen Crags I climbed through Esk Hause and then descended to an area named on the map as Knotts of the Tongue which from the map looked like there would be a place to pitch. And there was with a nice view of the Great Moss as a bonus.
I was in the wrong place to see a sunset but I did have a nice evening sky over Harter Fell.
The morning the sun now lights up the Great Moss. I didn't set out to early as there had been a frost overnight so I wanted to make sure the scramble up to Ill Crag was dry and as the ridge faced the rising sun I was confident it would be.
Whilst having my breakfast I saw the knobble of the eastern top was getting plenty of sunshine. Yesterday there had been quite a cold breeze blowing and after I'd pitched my tent it took me a while to warm up so I hadn't done any exploring of the area but despite the frost today seemed a bit warmer (probably because there was no wind ) so I had a walk over to the tor just across the way.
From the tor I could see Cockly Pike below and I decided that rather than return to the infant River Esk and follow it down to the Great Moss ( as I had planned to ) I would follow the hillside above Calfcove Gill which would save me some reascent.
Looking back to my pitch.
Cockly Pike out of the shadow now. The traverse across the hillside was rough in parts but still a better way to go.
The view up the start of the ridge from Cockly Pike. The rock to grass ratio looks a bit more on the rocky side than Cam Crag.
I thought Cockly Pike to be a lovely little top, it's even got its own tiny tarn and I couldn't fail to notice a nice tent size patch of grass above it. This is looking back up to The Knotts of the Tongue.
Despite appearances I found plenty of grass to follow.
Looking down to Cockly Pike.
The first sight of the tops but I still had a few more climbs to do yet.
"Why?"
From below I could see this sharks finn rock and from it I could see Bowfell over the slopes of Esk Pike.
The Great Moss and River Esk look a long way down. Although there was more hands needed than Cam Crag I didn't encounter anything which I was uncomfortable with.
A grassy ledge just before the final pull to the top.
Finally I've made it. The main top is just across the way. I had to be careful here as the rocks on the northern side were still frost covered so I took the short down climb very tentatively.
Scafell Pike from the main top.
A look down to Pen from the same place.
On my way back I decided to make the short climb to Great End. This is looking past the langdale Pikes to Windermere
And from the western cairn is the rugged side of Lingmell.
And Scotland seen over the Gables and Grasmoor..
Closer view of the Napes on Great Gable.
One of my favourite views. Skiddaw and Derwentwater from the top of Ruddy Gill.
Looking back up the path which seemed to go on forever to tired legs.
Eventually I'm at the valley bottom and looking over to Taylorgill waterfall.
It's been a lovely day and its still a lovely afternoon as I make my way down the path back to Stonethwaite and my car.
Previous walk -- Eskdale weekend