Lank Rigg - Way out West

[icemandan]

One of the most bleak and far flung spots that we've ever followed miserable old AW to. A long drive to a dullish hill.

Can't imagine why it's taken so long to get round to it. Looking at the WH statistics on most climbed Wainwrights, not many other people have got round to it either. AW himself left two shillings under a rock for a determined reader.

A beautiful sunny day though - the bright sunlight giving ravishing views on the long drive round - over Shap Fell, across the A66 and south through Lamplugh and Kirkland.

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Eventually we parked up on the Cold Fell Road. A broad track led down to the Calder, a plod up the valley, a grassy track up from the col and we were at the top.

Lank Rigg Tarn was a pleasing bright blue in the sunlight.

The south subsidiary top was a more congenial spot than the trig

so we had our lunch and savoured the panoramic view of er....Sellafield.

[susanmyatt]

Well done Iceman, one to go and the thought, what now ?

[Red Peak]

One of the most bleak and far flung spots that we've ever followed miserable old AW to. A long drive to a dullish hill.

Yeah, but it's away from the crowds that you get on most other Lakeland peaks. Honestly, there's just no pleasing some people

I was up that way recently to 'bag' the Hewitt of Iron Crag. Loved the drive there, loved the peace and quiet, and loved looking at familiar peaks from a differernt direction.

Enjoy your final Wainwright. Munros next?

[icemandan]

Fully echo your views on quiet places. Managed to walk all day and not meet anyone on the Whinlatter fells the other week. Lank Rigg was mystifyingly busy - we met a large party and two solo walkers.

I enjoyed Iron Crag as well - did it as a circuit going up Haycock from Gillerthwaite and following the ridge out to Grike.

Dan

[yellowbelly]

Ah, but did you find the 1967 penny I left under a rock there earlier this year? We went to another of AW's miserable "hills" yesterday, Mungrisedale Common (again!). Thought not many folk would be about but met about 15 people sunbathing over lunch at the "summit" cairn. Then a squelching walk back - marvellous!
Which fell have you left until last and why?

[icemandan]

Yellowbelly - I grant you Lank Rigg is better than Mungrisedale Common (which surely wouldn't have made the cut had it been in the Southern Fells). You don't have to decide which of a million tufts of grass is the top.

My other candidate for dreariest Wainwright is Loadpot Hill which I did as part of an overnight walk from Windermere to Penrith.

Roll on Arnison Crag. Once that's done, I'll be focussing on Munros. Still 75 of those to do.

[Crawler]

I didn't mind that one actually, although no-one would come with me! I thought there was something interesting going on with that summit's piles of stones - like an old fort or something?

Very few places in the Lakes though where you can get that amount of solitude

[JGKES]

Icemandan-obviously there have to be hills which are less appealing than others.I did Lank Rigg in 1980 but I liked it because of the peace and quiet but no way could it be described as exhilarating.Living on the edge of the Peak District I've been on plenty of walks in that category,but there's always some attraction, if only just that of being in the hills.Anyway, your remaining Wainwright of Arnison Crag was my completing peak,in 1982.I made it a little more memorable than it otherwise would have been by engineering it as the culmination of a round,in beautiful spring weather, beginning with Helvellyn via Striding Edge and on to St.Sunday Crag by way of Grisedale Tarn.To celebrate, my mate unexpectedly produced a miniature brandy ,the tiny bottle of which still sits on my mantlepiece.The view of Ullswater from Arnison is decent but not the best view, in my opinion, of that lake.Hope you get a good day and have a fine walk.

[icemandan]

Crawler - I seem to remember that Wainwright's guide describes a building on top of Loadpot Hill - presumably a shooting lodge so the piles of stones are probably the remains of it. To my mind AW cheated Loadpot Hill of its best features by classifying Arthur's Pike and Bonscale Pike as separate fells.

JGKES - I was brought up in Nottinghamshire so the Peak is home territory. I particularly like the Dark Peak once you get away from the Pennine Way. The landscape of peat groughs and wind sculpted gritstone is a bit special (incidentally AW hated it - see the Pennine Way guide) and is fantastic at soaking up the people. I'm always impressed that you can be alone on Kinder or Bleaklow on a summer bank holiday in a way which would be inconcievable on any Lake District 2000 footer.

[yellowbelly]

icemandan - good luck with your final Wainwright and also your remaining Munros. I just remembered that on my first visit to Lank Rigg I met a chap who had just done his 214th Wainwright so I got some free champagne in a plastic cup.
My final Wainwright I thought was going to be Thunacar Knott but I later realised I still had to do Wansfell because previously I'd only been up Wansfell Pike!

[canisp]

Good luck icemandan on your final Wainwright, hope you get a good day.

……I still had to do Wansfell because previously I'd only been up Wansfell Pike!

Something similar, having done Seathwaite Fell (the Hewitt) i later discovered Seathwaite Fell (the Wainwright) was about 500 metres to the north, i’ve since been back to get this one. Now i’m studying each of Wainwrights summits to see if there are any others i’ve slipped up on, fingers crossed.