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.

Battle of the Ferns (AD 2011) above Wast Water

Battle of the Ferns (AD 2011) above Wast Water


Postby canisp » Fri Aug 19, 2011 12:29 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Illgill Head, Whin Rigg

Date walked: 17/08/2011

Time taken: 9

Distance: 11 km

Ascent: 700m

2 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).

Hills done - Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
OS Landranger map No 89
Start - parking area, Grid Ref 149050
Distance walked 11 km’s
Height Gain 700 metre’s
17 August 2011


our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


The plan was an ascent of Whin Rigg to bag one of my final Wainwrights, a straight forward out and back on a map marked path with less than 500 metres of ascent, easy :oops:.

A short distance from the car i crossed a stile onto NT property and soon passed Wasdale Hall Youth Hostel, continuing i followed the waters edge round to a bridge at 142039, so far so good.

Reflections from around 145040
004.JPG

Looking north west from around 145030
012.JPG

Just above Greathall Gill looking west
015.JPG

From Whin Rigg looking to Kirk Fell and Great Gable
021.JPG

A little further on at 143037 is where i made my 1st mistake. From where the path joins the main track i could see a gate a few metres to my left so went through it, then turned right and followed the wall uphill, clear at first then through knee high ferns. Meanwhile the clouds which had been building overhead started to shower their contents so i sheltered under a tree, it was only a shower as i could see brighter skies were moving in from the west and so didn’t bother putting my waterproofs on (2nd mistake).

West to Sellafield
022.JPG

West to Sellafield
027.JPG

Dark skies over Illgill Head
029.JPG

Dark skies over Illgill Head
053.JPG

Once the rain had stopped i continued, the ferns were now soaking wet and rose from waist to shoulder high and the path had all but disappeared. As the ferns got deeper and denser i had to force a way through and soon i was drenched, at one point i stood on ground that wasn’t there :? and plunged headlong into the undergrowth.

Wast Water and Wasdale Hall
063.JPG

Cliffs
068.JPG

Cliffs and scree above Wast Water
078.JPG

Ferns (battle site AD 2011)
129.JPG

Cut, soaked, battered and bruised more slipping, sliding and thrashing about in the undergrowth ensued before i finally came across the path shown on the map that heads up Gateshall Gill. To add insult to injury from a now higher vantage point i could see the path i should have taken to avoid the ferns, turning right at point 143037 would have avoided this fiasco.

Great Gable
150.JPG

Reflections
153.JPG

Wast Water screes
168.JPG

Great Gable and Wast Water
179.JPG

After this the rest of the hike was easy, up to Whin Rigg, follow the cliff edge to Illgill Head, back to Whin Rigg then down.
Last edited by canisp on Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
canisp
 
Posts: 331
Munros:281   Corbetts:191
Fionas:28   Donalds:12
Sub 2000:3   Hewitts:195
Wainwrights:213   
Joined: Jan 2, 2008
Location: Barrow in Furness/Cumbria

Re: Battle of the Ferns (AD 2011) above Wast Water

Postby malky_c » Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:24 pm

I need to pay more attention to your Lakeland reports, as these photos are great :)

Always fancied getting on top of these cliffs, but I've never got round to it.
User avatar
malky_c
 
Posts: 6342
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:80+37
Sub 2000:315   Hewitts:281
Wainwrights:140   Islands:39
Joined: Nov 22, 2009
Location: Glasgow/Inverness

Re: Battle of the Ferns (AD 2011) above Wast Water

Postby Crawler » Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:41 pm

you do take some cracking photos don't you? Really beautiful :D
Crawler
Bird-watcher
 
Posts: 39
Joined: Mar 14, 2011

Re: Battle of the Ferns (AD 2011) above Wast Water

Postby old danensian » Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:52 pm

Hi

Wet bracken has a lot to answer for - I got caught by the same trick last Monday.

Pics of Wasdale I can gaze at all day - thanks - I must get back round there.

OD
User avatar
old danensian
 
Posts: 453
Munros:282   Corbetts:101
Donalds:9
Hewitts:107
Wainwrights:151   
Joined: Jul 6, 2009
Location: Mearnskirk

Re: Battle of the Ferns (AD 2011) above Wast Water

Postby JohnJoe » Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:22 pm

Great pictures, especially the ones with the water!
User avatar
JohnJoe
Walker
 
Posts: 153
Munros:30   Corbetts:3
Fionas:4   
Sub 2000:3   Hewitts:21
Wainwrights:14   
Joined: Aug 2, 2011
Location: Planet Earth

Re: Battle of the Ferns (AD 2011) above Wast Water

Postby Red Peak » Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:51 pm

Cracking photos! It's been quite a while since I was over that way, but seeing as my 3 remaining Lakeland Hewitts are over near Wastwater, I should be over there sometime later this year.

Good luck with your two remaining Wainwrights - the only list of hills that never gets messed around with :D
User avatar
Red Peak
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 747
Munros:260   Corbetts:27
Fionas:23   Donalds:39
Sub 2000:44   Hewitts:313
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Mar 24, 2010

2 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 19 guests