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Seathwaite - Base Brown - Green Gable - Aaron Slack - Styhead Tarn - Sprinkling Tarn - Seathwaite Fell - Styhead Tarn - Stockley Bridge - Seathwaite
With a forecast for sun all the way today, we set off at 8 from Barrow and got to Seathwaite after a long drive through central Lakeland following candidates for the worlds worst drivers. One young lad going down Borrowdale actually thought the best time to overtake was on blind bends over the crest of small rises (we know this because he did it twice between Ashburn Bridge and Rosthwaite and nearly went into the front of a VW Van to many Ooooohs & Aaaargghs from John and I
(Not sure what Damson was saying
))
Anyway ! The road before Seathwaite Farm was nearly at capacity by the time we arrived and donned our boots.
We headed down to the farm with the Scafell crowds before taking the right turn through the centre of the farm buildings to pick up the base of Sour Milk Ghyll. John's knee was still in a bad way after last weeks 9 hour yomp and we decided to make today as easy as possible for him by taking it slowly and restricting as much scrambling and rock clambering as possible.
Base of Sour Milk Ghyll
John takes a break to look back down Seathwaite valley
The steps up Sour Milk didn't cause any real problems and on reaching the wall we made our way to the top of the waterfall on the right rather than going up over the nose of Base Brown. Having seen someone elses waterfall piccies, I let John walk ahead to get the photo from below the falls before the quick hop up to join him.
John pushes on to top of waterfall
John at top of waterfall
Zoom view
Is he going to jump ??
We followed the track up the valley between Seathwaite Fell and Grey Knotts / Brandreth before climbing to the col between Base Brown's summit and the push up to Green Gable. Base Brown was first with the obligatory summit photos and a chat with a couple of fellow walkers before heading off to Green Gable.
Looking back down valley
Pushing up the steps to col at Base Brown
John's normal pose on Base Brown
John forgot to remind me that my cap was on backwards after taking previous photographs
Link below is to interactive Base Brown 360 panorama
http://www.dermandar.com/p/aPDweS/base-brown-360Path to Green and Great Gable from Base Brown
View to Great End from Base Brown
Hazy panorama centred on Haystacks from Green Gable ascent
Glaramara from Green Gable ascent
Green Gable was very busy with a WaterAid200 group all getting there at the same time as ourselves so after a quick pitstop on its grassy shoulder we quickly made our way down to Windy Gap.
Damson back on Green Gable (Great Gable behind)
Kirk Fell & Pillar from Green Gable
Haystacks & Buttermere Ridge from Green Gable
Me on Green Gable
And finally John !
Another view of Haystacks
John takes a rest on Green Gable (path to be taken behind up below Great End)
Allen Crags, Esk Pike & Great End from Green Gable
View back to Base Brown from Green Gable
Down to Windy Gap from Green Gable
With John's knee giving him some grief and the painkillers not yet fully kicked in, we gave Great Gable a miss and went left down Aaron Slack, making our way down the very steep scree flanks down to Styhead Tarn.
John at head of Aaron Slack
My knee is about this big !!?!
LOng way down to Styhead Tarn
Approaching Styhead
John on final steps down Aaron Slack
After a very warm morning, we dunked our heads in the stream towards the bottom of the lower steps and let Damson cool off in a small pool. This little dunk must have revived her as she seemed to wake up and spent the rest of the walk actively hunting out tarns and streams to have a swim in.
First was Styhead itself, and off she went, flying down the hill and straight into the water to the side of a few picnicers (is this a proper word ??
).
There were a number of tents dotted around the shore line and quite a number of people heading off in all directions.
Looking back at Green Gable and Base Brown
Scafell Pike from Styhead
Our route took us around the right hand side of Styhead to pick up the path climbing up to Esk Hause and under the base of last weeks walk up Great End. We climbed to Sprinkling Tarn (at which Damson again jumped in and shocked a school of fish), before clambering all over Seathwaite Fell, initially picking up the far lump overlooking Seathwaite (as this was my GPS highlighted summit) before making our way back over every high lump to ensure we got the two tops somewhere on the route.
Damson on Seathwaite Fell summit overlooking Seathwaite
Is this Wainwright summit for Seathwaite Fell ??
Me on a Seathwaite Fell summit
Looking back over Seathwaite Fell (which lumps are regarded as summits??)
Seathwaite & Borrowdale from Seathwaite Fell
Another summit cairn !!
Altimeter says this is highest point on fell (Just)
View to Lingmell & Yewbarrow over Styhead
Is that another summit ??
Great & Green Gable from Seathwaite Fell
Aaron Slack from Seathwaite Fell (wow !!)
Again, to save John's knee from too much extra grief, we made our way back by our ascent route back to Styhead Tarn (rather than the planned descent directly off Seathwaite Fell behind Aaron Crags) before heading back down to the car following a nice path past Taylorgill Force and over Stockley Bridge and out through Seathwaite Farm.
Looking back to Seathwaite Fell from Styhead Tarn on descent.
Heading back down to Stockley Bridge
Drop down to Taylorgill Force
We grabbed a couple of ice cold cans of Coke from the tuck shop before getting back to the car.
An accident, road works and masses of traffic in Keswick caused a huge traffic jam which we joined whilst still on the shores of Derwent forcing us to turn round and head home back down Honister and Buttermere valley and down the west coast roads. We got back home rather later than planned yet again but a few pints of cider helped cool me down and a roast pork dinner was waiting so all was well.
Only 7 to go but my weekends are now being taken up by summer and family events. Lets see how it goes.