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Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds


Postby DaveB1 » Wed Mar 06, 2013 11:06 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Crag Fell, Grike, Lank Rigg

Date walked: 02/03/2013

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This is the first of three reports for the weekend just gone, a weekend of good weather, great walking and mysterious finds.
So this was plan A. Saturday, drive the endless road to the Western Lakes; two and a half hours plus from Bury to an interesting spot on a narrow road near the start of a footpath.

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


Here’s the planned route, which turned out to be about right, a change from recent escapades. :lol:
The attachment our_route.gpx is no longer available

I arrived about 11ish and once kitted out followed a route which takes you along a clearly signed footpath through the fallen remnants of a forest.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 008.jpg
Parking Spot

Taking the wrong fork, well, you might have guessed! :clap: Across some recently felled ground to an obvious stile in a fence with a path towards Grike.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 010.jpg
Grike in distance

Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 012.jpg
The fence

A nice gentle start and this being a solo trip, much muttering to self about ‘navigation practice’ and ‘keep an eye on the weather’.
Grike had a surprisingly large cairn, and the view was ok but the weather was beginning to close in. This isn’t quite true, as the temperature and wind stayed constant (high pressure) but the mist played all the usual tricks as you will see later.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 014.jpg
The stile

For some reason Grike didn’t invite a stay, so I took a compass bearing, just in case and followed the clearly marked path past a large radio mast and upwards towards the summit of Crag Fell.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 015.jpg
The Summit

As I approached I met a guy closely followed by whom I assumed was his Dad and Grandad, they’d come up from Ennerdale with Dad muttering ‘I’ve got him here anyway’. Grandad seemed happy enough and Dad and Grandson assured me there was a path through the forest towards Lank Rigg.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 016.jpg
Crag Fell with the big ones in the distance

Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 018.jpg
The way through the forest 1

So it proved, the minute I got in the forest there was a deathly quiet, no birdsong, no wind, a strange sterile environment, before I could drift off into Narnia or Middle Earth, a clearing opened and some very nice person had put a large arrow pointing the way. :clap:
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 019.jpg
The way through the forest 2

The arrow pointed true and after a squelchy 100 or so yards I emerged at the edge of the forest.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 020.jpg
Arrow

I took another bearing and consulted both the GPS and Map and set off up hill for the ridge line which on turning right would take me to the imaginatively named Whoap.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 021.jpg
Edge of forest looking back towards Crag Fell

After a couple of minutes the utter peace was disturbed by the baying of hounds, close I thought, wonder where they are? I turned to see them just coming round the front of Crag Fell and a minute or so later disappear into the forest. I spent a few minutes trying to work out a) what speed they could make and could I outrun them? b) developing strategy to fend them off with my walking poles and c) resigning myself to the fact that they probably didn’t eat humans and if I pretended to be dead they’d leave me alone! Not sure it’s the hounds who were barking!! :shock: :lol:
The summit of Whoap was small and surprisingly, still the same as when AW sketched it forty plus years ago.(see ‘Western Fells’)
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 022.jpg
The path to Whoap

The rock provided a good back rest and lunch seemed a good idea. So there I was munching on a butty and enjoying the peace and sending Jim a text to gloat, when I heard a radio (walkie-talkie variety). I initially checked the phone and my rucksack as there was no one around, thought I must definitely be going over the edge. I’d be hallucinating a tropical island next, must have been something in the butties. Suddenly I was joined by two dogs, a Springer Spaniel and a coal black tiny Jack Russell type thing, followed by their master a tall, weather beaten man past retirement age “ seen any hounds, lad” he said. I told him the only ones I’d seen were on Crag Fell and he explained that they’d lost some, last seen heading in this direction and with that disappeared himself back towards Caw Fell and the Ennerdale wall.
Lank Rigg is a lonely old spot.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 023.jpg
Summit of Whoap

After a shortish pull up to the trig point (someone loves it), I took the obligatory summit photos of my poles and the amazing view, unfortunately the mist won that one!
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 025.jpg
Lank Rigg

Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 026.jpg
The wilds of Lank Rigg 1

Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 027.jpg
The wilds of Lank Rigg 2

As you can see I was well away from the summit of Lank Rigg and feeling smug about my navigating, as I was about to hit the ford mentioned on the map, I saw this!
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 028.jpg
A long way from the Summit looking back

Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 029.jpg
???

Someone must have had a really uncomfortably journey home, but just in case they are wondering where it was, here’s the grid ref to a few hundred feet. (NY 076129)
From then on it was over the ford and off down a clear bridleway to the road and a short hike along the road to the car.
Wastwater - 2nd March 2013 030.jpg
NY 076129

I met another huntsman at his car who said that four of the hounds had taken off towards Wasdale and they were still missing, but while we chatted he received a call to say they were returning. A fox was seen the following day near to Haycock looking somewhat knackered and glancing over its shoulder! Another three done, five more planned for Sunday!
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DaveB1
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Re: Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Postby johnkaysleftleg » Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:23 am

Might not have got much in the way of views but sounds like you still had an interesting day. Hopefully the Fox is still at Large.
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Re: Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Postby HappyJohn » Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:37 am

Great write up Dave, had a few chuckles to myself about you walking alone with no one to talk too! :wink:
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Re: Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Postby SusieThePensioner » Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:44 pm

Are you sure you should be out walking on your own, Dave? I wonder what'll happen to you next :lol:
Enjoyed your report and, that magic number is ever closer :D

I often take photos of the Kinniside stonecircle and you get a great view looking out to the coast from there aswell :D
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Re: Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Postby DaveB1 » Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:10 pm

SusieThePensioner wrote:Are you sure you should be out walking on your own, Dave? I wonder what'll happen to you next :lol:
Enjoyed your report and, that magic number is ever closer :D

I often take photos of the Kinniside stonecircle and you get a great view looking out to the coast from there aswell :D


Didn't know a stone circle existed in Kinnisdale, but visited the link. What a stunning set of photos, I'm guessing your camera is a lot better than mine and the talent is evident. :clap: Still got two reports to post from last weekend, but got back ok if a little knackered. Keep watching! Dave :D
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Re: Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Postby SusieThePensioner » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:02 am

DaveB1 wrote:What a stunning set of photos, I'm guessing your camera is a lot better than mine and the talent is evident.
Thanks, Dave. I have a basic DSLR camera but took up photography because I couldn't walk anymore.........sounds a bit stupid, I know, but didn't want to be not doing something when the rest of the family were out walking :D The stone circle is by the side of the road on the left if you're coming from Ennerdale Bridge.
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Re: Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Postby ChrisW » Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:30 pm

Brilliant stuff Dave, love the tale of the hounds and the final little wink from the fox....love it :clap:
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Re: Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Postby Circles » Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:52 pm

Can I ask how long this one took? I like the idea of knocking off all three at once...I was there just before Xmas but got blown off the mountain as I came up from behind the forest and in the open where the fence/gate is?
Gutted as it wasn't somewhere I really wanted to go back to but the wind literally stopped me in my tracks...would be good to do all 3 and never speak of it again
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Re: Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg and the disappearing hounds

Postby DaveB1 » Mon Apr 01, 2013 8:06 pm

Circles wrote:Can I ask how long this one took? I like the idea of knocking off all three at once...I was there just before Xmas but got blown off the mountain as I came up from behind the forest and in the open where the fence/gate is?
Gutted as it wasn't somewhere I really wanted to go back to but the wind literally stopped me in my tracks...would be good to do all 3 and never speak of it again


Hi Circles Sorry for the delay in replying but the trip took about four hours with stops. I tend to move quicker on my own so add another half hour if there's a few of you Dave
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