free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Well its tomorrow and things aren't looking too good as we sit around at the hostel waiting for the recovery services to come out and have a look at the car. A phone call tells us that it will be 10am before he can make it to us, so being the selfish pair that we are Chris and I went for a walk around Keswick leaving Daniel to wait for your man. The weather forecast for today was not too good and that reflects in the cool air and grey, cloud filled sky with rain forecast for later on in the afternoon. After wandering around the unusually quiet streets we decided to go and have a Costa whilst awaiting a phone call from Daniel telling us either aye or nay as to whether we will get a walk in today, albeit a short one instead of another intended foray into Borrowdale, but even that was dependent on the road now being open.
The AA man turned up early and proceeded to do his magic after telling Daniel that the fuel jets - or something like that - was blocked by carbon deposits and yes, he could do a roadside fix. Good news indeed. Chris and I still lounging over a cup of coffee went into save the day mode and decided to have a go at High Rigg as it's close by and it's a hill which none of them had done before. A decent enough choice under the circumstances as time is running short, it's not too high, and it's not too long, which will fit in with the weather forecast for later on today and at least the homeward stretch from St. John's in the Vale is low and fairly sheltered. We got the phone call to say the car was fixed at around 10:45am so returned to the car and was away to our next destination by 11am.
We took exactly the same route out of Keswick as the previous day and parked at the same place which in this instance is about 70 metres south of the access gate and ladder stile that leads into the copse of mixed trees. It's now cool enough to don coats and hats and because of the threat of rain was prudent enough to slip on the over trousers which proved to be wise decision as it did indeed rain. As we climbed up the easy slope on a good path the mixed trees changed predominately to silver birch and then the ground opened out to bracken covered ground...
![2 - Through the bracken.JPG]()
- Through the bracken.
before dropping down to a small depression which was holding a lot of water. Skirting the large pool of water the path continued to climb up through bracken to reach a rougher stone and root covered stretch as it made its way into a small copse of well spaced Juniper trees. Leaving the trees the ground opens up once again as we neared the top of Wren Crag from where we descended to the old dry stone wall which runs below the foot of Long Band.
![7 - Long Band from Wren Crag.JPG]()
- Long Band from Wren Crag.
We met a couple at the bottom of the stony path which runs up the rocky side of it who had turned back, not because of the weather - as it's still dry but windy - but because they said they couldn't find the path over to St. John's in the Vale. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The path is so wide and unmistakable as a path, nay even a green lane for a good length of the way, it beggars belief that one couldn't find their way from one end to t'other. Maybe they have chosen the wrong outdoor pursuit!
![8 - St Johns in the Vale from below Wren Crag.JPG]()
- St John's in the Vale from below Wren Crag.
As we got to the top of the crags of Long Band the wind really hit us and there is rain sweeping over southern fells and Thirlmere, not a good sign but we battered on regardless.
![10 - Looking back to Wren Crag from Long Band.JPG]()
- Looking back to Wren Crag from Long Band.
We continued walking north along the ridge on a well defined and good path which meanders up and down and is surrounded by heather, bracken, and clumps of rock poking through the ground cover passing a small rain filled 'tarn' spread across the path.
![15 - The ridge path.JPG]()
- The ridge path.
![16 - Looking back along Long Band.JPG]()
- Looking back along Long Band.
After a while and as we came off Long Band we arrived at our first stile over a wire fence from where the path makes a short climb back up onto the higher ridge where the path is now flanked by a wire fence on the right, is quite wide and accentuated by the passage of a shepherds quad bike.
![17 - From the stile to Long Band.JPG]()
- From the stile to Long Band.
We passed another unnamed tarn which sits between Mart Crag and Yew Crag…
![18 - Unnamed tarn between Mart Crag and Yew Crag.JPG]()
- Unnamed tarn between Mart Crag and Yew Crag.
the water of which runs down the path which descends by the side of an old tumbledown wall, has a few of the old wall stones littered about it but the main danger is of slipping on the saturated grass.
Once past this small 'watch where you're putting your feet' trip hazard the path opens up once again to become a green lane through the bracken to now descend to a ladder stile over a wall from where the path now begins a short sharp climb up alongside an adjacent dry stone wall whilst still maintaining its green lane status.
![22 - Looking over to the path under Moss Crag.JPG]()
- Looking over to the path under Moss Crag.
Reaching the top of the raise the path now gently descends, and still following the wall passes Moss Crag on the left to reach the very wet depression of Paper Moss,
![25 - Paper Moss tarn with Moss Crag behind.JPG]()
- Paper Moss tarn with Moss Crag behind.
a mossy and brown grass covered area of wetland which is difficult to cross without getting very wet boots. There is a post stuck up over to the left which marks the quite visible path across the centre of the Moss and that is where Chris and Daniel crossed over after much wandering about trying to find the driest way through.
![26 - Passing across Paper Moss.JPG]()
- Passing across Paper Moss.
I myself kept to the wall and through the shouts of derision from the other two at my choice of route managed to pass over without any problem whatsoever. I followed the path alongside of the wall whilst the others took the one slanting across the fell side to eventually join up with me at the top of the bank.
![27 - The view back to Paper Moss and Moss Crag.JPG]()
- The view back to Paper Moss and Moss Crag.
It's been raining now for a while, not too hard yet but it's a damn nuisance as the wind is blowing the rain drops onto my camera lens and I have to keep drying it, but, as can be seen by some of the photos I am not always successful in keeping the lens clear.
Having negotiated Paper Moss we now have only a short distance to go to reach the summit cairn of High Rigg.
![28 - High Rigg summit ahead.JPG]()
- High Rigg summit ahead.
Just a short climb along a grass covered path and we are there on the rocky top of the fell with its small cairn of stones.
![30 - High Rigg summit cairn.JPG]()
- High Rigg summit cairn.
As the mist is down there is unfortunately not much of a view today, even Blencathra is proving elusive under the blanket of low cloud. Of the many times that I have been up on High Rigg I have always meant to search for the Memorial Stone that is marked on the OS map as to the northwest and low down on the fell side. Well today I did just that. We followed one of the many well developed paths that lead from the summit and made our way west down through the bracken covered ground winding in and out and selecting paths that are eventually taking us to our - hopefully - destination of the Memorial.
![31 - The path leading to the Memorial Stone under the far crag.JPG]()
- The path leading to the Memorial Stone under the far crag.
Well we found the Memorial Stone sat on a high piece of ground at the base of an unnamed crag faced fell and looking over towards Low Rigg, Tewet Tarn, and Blencathra, a good spot to be. The stone which is made of polished marble is a memorial to a 10year old boy who died in June of 1984.
![32 - The Memorial Stone.JPG]()
- The Memorial Stone.
The heads are bowed at this point.
The rain fall has increased in volume, hunger and thirst has set in so I suggest eating in the porch of the nearby church which is just past the Christian Centre. As it's on our way back no time will be lost having to backtrack to pick up our route back to the car. So lunch it was in the comfort of the porch and company of a rather familiar Robin which would have taken the food out of the bag if we'd let it.
Leaving the comfort of the porch behind we turned right down the tarmac road for a very short distance and passed through the gate on the right which would allow us to take the wide bridleway type path through a series of around five other gates before getting back to the car.
![33 - The path from St Johns in the Vale church.JPG]()
- The path from St John's in the Vale church.
Now this path is plain to see but is also very wet in places especially after and during rain such as we have with us now.
![34 - A wet underfoot journey.JPG]()
- A wet underfoot journey.
The path starts off as a dry one flanked by a dry stone wall on the left and the lower slopes of High Rigg on the opposite side. As we walk down the path and look up the many crags can be seen towering above with the odd gnarled Hawthorne tree here and there reminding us just how bad the weather can get around here. The path passes high up the valley side overlooking the surrounding farmlands and beck of St John's in the Vale whilst across over to the east the rough and rocky crags of Buck Castle and Wanthwaite Crags under Clough Head, and Bram Crag below Calfhow Pike can be seen. I've actually seen people taking the hounds up these crags and although there are no paths to be seen there obviously are and must be very familiar to the people of the hunting fraternity.
The path that we are now is around 5 kilometres long, follows the base of the main fell to our right and climbs up and down as it negotiates the various rocky knolls. Sometimes passing through trees…
![35 - Into the woods.JPG]()
- Into the woods.
but mostly open ground until the path passes under Wren Crag where it nearly touches St John's Beck which forces one up the fell side when in flood. Refreshments can be had at Low Bridge End Farm with a do it yourself service at this quiet time of year. Everything is laid out on the large slice of log that is used as a table and which sits in the conservatory at the south gable end.
![36 - Low Bridge End Farm for tea.JPG]()
- Low Bridge End Farm for tea.
![38 - Castle Rock looms out of the mist.JPG]()
- Castle Rock looms out of the mist.
As the beck is approached it is necessary to clamber between a few large boulders before beginning the short climb up above the beck and through the trees.
![39 - Arriving at the beck.JPG]()
- Arriving at the beck.
![40 - The path rises above the beck and through the trees.JPG]()
- The path rises above the beck and through the trees.
The path has narrowed considerably at this point and clings to the edge of the fell with the beck a good few metres below and care has to be taken to avoid slipping especially in weather as we are having just now as it is now torrential.
![41 - The high level path through the trees.JPG]()
- The high level path through the trees.
Chris who has on a nice new pair of rather expensive Montane over trousers is complaining that his legs are wet through and having a look yes, indeed, he is wet. His thighs are soaked, so the trousers will be going back. He's also had problems with the sole of one of his nearly new boots delaminating and when taken back to the shop they wanted to return them to the makers without finding him another pair to be going on with. Trouble in't mill I can see here. On the other hand Daniel bought a coat and leggings for about £40, maker unnamed and was bone dry. What goes on here I wonder?
As we are going along through the trees we came across a fallen branch across the path where there was also three deer grazing. Even though I had my camera to hand I only just managed to catch one on film so to speak as at the sight and sound of us they were off in a crack. I wish I could climb a fell as quick.
Well we're back where we started and despite the rain, wet legs, and blotchy camera lens this has been a good walk. It's an easy walk and better done on a good sunny day, but circumstances beyond our control contrived to guide us here. We were not late back to the car but the light was already dropping fast, so not a bad choice after all.
High Rigg is one of those fells that one could spend quite a time wandering about as there are numerous paths apart from the obvious 'take me to the end' one. There is a tarn or two and many paths on the western lower reaches of the fell of which I have yet to wander and investigate before I can say that I know it like the back of my hand. In better weather the views are good and far reaching with only the eastern prospect blocked by the craggy faces of the higher fells behind. But even those can be looked at in awe at the size and ruggedness, and thoughts of attempting to climb up along the gills sometimes come to mind. Looking at them from here I think that is where I shall keep them, in my mind.
Back at the car Chris's legs are sodden as he removes his state of the art waterproof trousers, and Daniel, as always full of sympathy and reminding Chris on the difference in cost manages to dodge the back hander. Myself, I stand back dry as a bone and manage a couple of tut tut's with as much concern in my voice as I can give when grinning broadly at the other two's antics.
