walkhighlands

This board helps you to share your walking route experiences in England and Wales... or overseas.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Red Screes, Middle Dodd, High Hartsop Dodd, and 200 up

Red Screes, Middle Dodd, High Hartsop Dodd, and 200 up


Postby richardkchapman » Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:14 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: High Hartsop Dodd, Middle Dodd, Red Screes

Hewitts included on this walk: Red Screes

Date walked: 26/04/2022

Time taken: 6

Distance: 13.6 km

Ascent: 934m

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).


2022-04-26 Red Screes, Middle Dodd, High Hartsop Dodd.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



After a fairly gentle start yesterday, we felt capable of something a little bigger today - the plan was to head up Caiston Glen to Scandale Pass, then decide based on energy levels which out of Red Screes, Middle Dodd, and High Hartsop Dodd to climb. These three were my last remaining Wainwrights in the Eastern Fells area, and my hope for the week was to have ticked them all off.

A lovely day as we set off up the road towards the Caiston Glen path.

ImageKirkstone Pass Road

The walk up Caiston Glen is very pleasant - nice views behind, gentle gradients, and a nice little stream with small waterfalls and the occasional glimpse of a dipper.

ImageCaiston Glen

We reached Scandale pass without feeling like we had had to work TOO hard.

ImageScandale Pass

To the right was Little Hart Crag - not on the agenda today even though we would pass pretty close to its summit.

ImageLittle Hart Crag

We decided that we should start with the largest of the three, and set off up towards Red Screes.

On the ascent there were nice views over towards the Coniston fells.

ImageConiston Fells

And a little further up the hill the Scafell group came into view.

ImageScafell etc

The climb up towards Red Screes was not too challenging, and the final approach levelled off quite nicely. The summit itself opened up a whole new set of views over to the east.

ImageView from Red Screes summit

A pleasant little tarn at the summit too - the dogs would have loved it.

ImageTarn atop Red Screes

No sign of the huge cairn rumoured to be at the top of Red Screes though - perhaps it has been turned into this wind shleter?

ImageRed Screes wind shelter


ImageRed Screes summit

Looking down at Middle Dodd from Red Screes was a bit concerning - the plan at this point was to pop over to Middle Dodd and back before descending via High Hartsop Dodd, but the amount of height being lost (and thus presumably having to be regained) did not look like good news. Would we feel like coming back for High Hartsop Dodd once we got to the Middle Dodd Summit? If not it would be simple enough to just carry on down the ridge and leave High Hartsop Dodd for another day.

ImageMiddle Dodd from Red Screes


ImageRed Screes from Middle Dodd

The descent to Middle Dodd was simple enough, all the time looking out to see if there were any paths to the left that might cut across the shoulder and save us the ascent back to Red Screes.

ImageMiddle Dodd summit

We had spotted a path that looked possible, and consulting Wainwright suggested that such a route was possible though he does not show a path on his maps. So we decided to go for it. Sometimes routes like this that try to follow a contour around the side of a fell can be unpleasant - feet always at an angle, lots of boulder fields to cross, etc - but this one was actually much better than I had feared, and reasonable well defined all the way.

Looking back after we rejoined the main path up Red Screes it didn't look like a promising route at all though!

ImageThe contour path

From Scandale Pass, we had to decide whether to descend via Caiston Glen, or over the top of High Hartsop Dodd. We had some slight concerns about how steep the latter descent might be, especially after meeting a walker who said "Ah yes, over the cliff edge" when we said where we were going, but decided to go for it.

ImageDescending from High Hartsop Dodd

It turned out to be far better than we had feared - yes, it's steep, but there's a good path, with good grip underfoot almost all the time, and it certainly scores good points for being a direct route home.

ImageBrothers Water from High Hartsop Dodd

We arrived home feeling satisfied (though tired), and knowing that I had completed the Eastern Fells and passed 200 Wainwrights. Well on course for my target of completing them before I am 60...
richardkchapman
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 119
Fionas:1   
Hewitts:95
Wainwrights:211   
Joined: Aug 29, 2010

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Outside Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests