Walkhighlands

Following the attack of shin splints on my last outing I decided to go for a bit of a shorter walk and headed for the rural idyll of Hartsop for a Pasture Beck skyline walk, Last time I did these fells it was in an anti clockwise direction, for no other reason than that I decided to head for Gray Crag first.


Hartsop Dodd


Pasture Bottom


The route from valley level

It was, as the observant among you will have already noticed from the photos, a stunning morning and the temperature was rising as steadily as our progress up the track. Blistering sunshine and little wind made for very hot work but with plenty of rests and drinks and attempting to lessen the steepness by taking a diagonal route up the fellside two old guys made slow and steady progress up the first target of the day.


The photogenic old building on the way up the track


Warm work this morning


Looking down upon the old filter house, soon to be a holiday let


Glorious views of the Eastern fells opening up


Lone tree and Catstycam


Form a queue ladies


Last pull up to Gray Crag

Before we reached the Wainwright summit a stop was made on a bilberry covered tuffet overlooking Hayswater for a breakfast stop. A quite magnificent place to fuel up for the way ahead , and soon Hughie and I were feeling refreshed and enjoying the steady incline up to Grey Crag before moving onwards to Thornthwaite Crag.


Sun kissed Hayeswater


Looking back down the ridge


Haysewater Panorama


Hughie awaits breakfast


Breakfast View


Wainwright summit of Gray Crag


Threshthwaite Mouth


Random Rocks


Windermere through Thresthwaite Mouth


Hayswater from odd natural stone circle


Sheep and Scafells

Soon Thornthwaite Crag's imposing summit cairn/beacon came into view (not sure if it is still 14 feet high ) and following a brief moment to take in the views we headed off along the path which makes it scree filled way down to Threshet Mouth.


Thornthwaite Crag summit


View South in Panorama


The Beacon, I'm sure it's lost a few feet


Path down to Threshthwaite Mouth


And a look at Windermere

As we approached Threshet Mouth a group of walkers who had set off the same time from Hartsop but had followed the valley up rather than going over any fells turned up at the same time. Feeling a bit smug that two old guys had not only beat them here but been over two fells and stopped for breakfast, we set off up the simple scramble that takes you to Stoney Cove Pike.


Hughie at Thresh'et Mouth


Looking down Pasture Bottom, sorry couldn't resist


Troutbeck valley from the scramble up Stoney Cove Pike

Quite why Stony Cove Pike is a 'Pike' is mystery because it's very flat up here. Wondering about such matters, (well I was, Hughie was probably wondering about why sheep poo is so delicious ) we didn't linger and headed off to visit the Birkett of Cauldale Moor before finding a fine spot at Caudale Head to have lunch. It was nice to enjoy a view I hadn't previously and it turned out to be a bit of an extended break with boots off in the warm sunshine.


Stoney Cove Pike with Ill Bell Ridge


Scafells again


Caudale Moor Summit


Lunchtime Panorama down Cauldale


Brothers Water and Ullswater

From here the route is largely downhill all the way and once some uneven ground was traversed nice and easy underfoot. Harsop Dodd came and went before the startlingly steep descent back down to Hartsop.


Across to the Eastern Fells


Pasture Beck Panorama


Fells upon fells


Summit Stick on Hartsop Dodd


Hartsop Dodd summit Cairn


Looking down to Hartsop Valley


Getting steep


Dizzyingly steep descent down to Hartsop


Clinging On!


Brothers Water


Haysewater Gill

Given the conditions 10km or so was quite enough for today, summer is lovely for lounging on a fell top half asleep but it certainly makes those climbs hard work!

It's been a long time since I last went up Grey Crag, or Hartsop Dodd for that matter. You've reminded me what a fine little round that is. Sounded quite exhausting in the warm weather but the atmosphere was evidently very clear giving superb photos. Great report JK.

And yet another great report Anthony with the usual excellent photos taken on an equally excellent day Both of those fells are killers either up or down but nevertheless enjoyable to walk them:)

dav2930 wrote:It's been a long time since I last went up Grey Crag, or Hartsop Dodd for that matter. You've reminded me what a fine little round that is. Sounded quite exhausting in the warm weather but the atmosphere was evidently very clear giving superb photos. Great report JK.

Thanks Dav, its a really well formed and varied round, one of the best short hill circuits in the district.

trailmasher wrote:And yet another great report Anthony with the usual excellent photos taken on an equally excellent day Both of those fells are killers either up or down but nevertheless enjoyable to walk them:)

Cheers TM, it was steady away both up and down so neither took too much of a toll, benefits of a shorter day out I suppose.

More lovely pics .
Thornthwaite reminds me of two occasions:
The first when some very bold sheep were nibbling at a couple of dogs on the summit. I've never before seen dogs looking embarassed but these were acutely so. They obviously knew they weren't supposed to retaliate and kept looking up at their owners as if to say "Do something!"
The second was more serious. We'd set out on the from Kentmere Horeshoe anticlockwise on a lovely winters day. but as we approached Thorhthwaite, a gale force wind was whirling the loose snow into a maelstrom: visibility was near zero and there was no question of continuing over Froswick ill Bell and Yoke - we needed to get down PDQ . The descent to Threshwaite mouth is steep and difficult in winter conditins, so we tried to find the line of the Roman road down to Troutbeck. Donna was going so slowly that I said " we're going to die up here if you don't get a move on" It was a slight exageration but it had the desired effect
We eventually found a resonable line and reached the Queens Head in the dark where we ordeed a taxi.
Donna redeemed herself by producing a ten pound note so that we could have a drink while we waited

past my sell by date wrote:More lovely pics .
Donna was going so slowly that I said " we're going to die up here if you don't get a move on" It was a slight exageration but it had the desired effect
We eventually found a resonable line and reached the Queens Head in the dark where we ordeed a taxi.
Donna redeemed herself by producing a ten pound note so that we could have a drink while we waited

Many thanks. Nothing like the phrase "we're going to die up here" to put a rocket up someone and when that someboy buys the drinks as well

It was one of the most dramatic.days I have ever experienced on the hills: a nice winter walk in the sunshine one moment and then "Scott of the Antarctic the next ! Just shows that in Winter you should NEVER forget how quickly conditions can change

I think you've given me an idea for our xmas walk there Anthony, that looks a cracking round for the shorter daylight hours.
Lovely report and your usual high standard of photography, makes me wanna be there

Cheers.