A miserable, murky Monday on Hard Knott

[trailmasher]

Hard Knott and two Birketts.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

After a good night's sleep at Eskdale YH I awoke to what I had feared on the Sunday night as the threatening weather front moved ever closer to the valley, Low cloud cover and rain that was as yet not too heavy but nevertheless, it's wet as I waited for Daniel and Sam to arrive at their estimated time of 9:15am giving me ample time to have breakfast and get myself organised for the wet walk ahead. I feel sorry for the lads having driven so far and having to turn out on this so far grim Monday morning especially as they both got leave from work for the day and I can only hope that the conditions make a turn for the better as the day goes on.

In the report that I did for my walk around Corney Fell a few weeks ago I mentioned that my first attempt at that walk had to be abandoned due to thick fog and that I wouldn't turn out in those conditions as I like to get a view when on a hill. Well today the fog isn't as thick as on that occasion but as I'm meeting up with two others today the walk will have to happen as we have planned to pass over Border End on our way to Hard Knott, Yew Bank, and then down into Eskdale to cross the River Esk, pick up a few more Birkett's and maybe a glass or two at the Woolpack afterwards.

Well the two of them turned up more or less on time and after a quick drink we set off to leave one car at the Jubilee Bridge car park to take the other one up to the summit of Hard Knott Pass therefore saving around 270 metres - 900 feet - of climb and maybe a half hour or so in time.

Arriving at the top of the pass we managed to park on small space just large enough for two cars and is just past the very large cairn that also sits at the top of the pass. We spared a bit of time for the two of them to have something to eat as we got booted up and donning our wet gear before embarking on a journey into the clag which just now wasn't too bad but looking up and ahead it didn't look too good.

I had put the route into my GPS but for some reason it wouldn't open up, so the GPX file must have got corrupted somehow on its way from my computer to the GPS. No matter, we will use the good and trusty map and compass of which I always carry around with me and trust that I can distinguish Hard Knott in the thick clag from the many other similar sized up thrusts of rock. The trouble is with fog and mist is that it magnifies what can be a small sized hill or hillock of rock into the appearance of a much larger one until once closer up to it, it then exposes its true size. I still used the GPS to track the route and record the stats and to see if I had got to where I had intended going. Another advantage of the GPS is the 'trac back' function, so if for any reason one needs to turn back in difficult conditions the outward track can be easily re-traced if required.

The path started just behind where we were parked so that was handy as it was also clear to see as it rose up over the grass and few rocks that are scattered about. The path rises up a shallow depression until it reaches the side of Hardknott Gill and at one time some years ago there used to be an electric fence running roughly alongside the path of which my dog once touched it, gave an almighty yelp and stayed well clear of it from then on so if only for that I'm pleased to see that it is now only visible by the oddment of fence posts here and there.

Leaving the gill behind we turned back south on ourselves to follow a grassy rake that swung back around upon reaching some small tarns from where then meandered our way roughly west to reach the top of Raven Crag where we found nothing but rock and grass from where the views down into Eskdale were quite respectable in spite of the cloudy conditions. A walk down to the front of the fells summit gave a better view than from the summit but we didn't linger as we wanted to take advantage of the light cloud cover whilst it lasted.

Eskdale from Raven Crag.

Making our way onto Raven Crag was just an aside from our main objective just now that was the summit of Border End at 522 metres in height, was to the northwest of Raven Crag and had no visible path from one to the other over the grass and rocky knolls that separate the two, although there are some rather large wet areas to circumnavigate. As it happened we did fall onto a path as we got nearer to Border End's top, which was a big help as the cloud was now dropping again and cloaking everything in grey which nearly matched the colour of the rocks around here making it difficult to pick out which stony outcrop is the one that you need to get on to ensure that the top has actually been reached.

Looking towards Border End to the left.

We arrived at the top to find some long and angular rocks supporting a pointed cairn from where a muted view of Eskdale was to be seen far below us.

Border End summit cairn overlooking Eskdale.

I'm afraid due to the clag there was nothing of much else to see from this vantage point and as we set off to the northeast we couldn't even see Hard Knott or hardly anything in between it and us.

Re-tracing our way in we picked up the path once again following it as it wound its way in the general direction of Hard Knott and coming upon an unnamed top in between the two we decided to climb onto it to see if we could pick out Hard Knott itself.

Daniel on the unnamed top summit.

It was an easy climb to the top of this lump of rock which was recorded at 543 metres in height and not much lower than Hard Knott itself that stands at 549 metres. There was a collapsed cairn around the base of a pointed rock so the two lads proceeded to attempt a re-build which wasn't all that successful due to the angular shape of the base stone but they did manage to get half a dozen or so to stay put so they were well happy with their efforts.

The re-built cairn on the unnamed top.

Still no view as the clag was really down at this point and we couldn't even see Hard Knott that we knew was not far to the north.

One of mine in the clag

Construction over we moved off this rocky hill and continued walking north until the bulk of Hard Knott reared over us as we followed the path just past it and then swung around to our right to attain the summit via the obvious path that took us to the rock covered grassy top to find the cairn perched on a couple of quite large boulders. As can be seen by the view from inside a cloud, apart from the summit cairn there is nothing else to see but a wall of wet greyness that is not helped by the light rain that is also falling.

Hard Knott summit.

Having no choice but to move on to lower ground we continued on our way north passing over one or two more crags that were on our route passing along a narrow corridor between the crags…

Next on is Yew Bank wherever that is.

Sam forges ahead.

that all but looked like the Eiger until closing in on them. We climbed up one handsome looking crag that has a small tarn at its foot and would have looked really attractive and a good place for a rest stop in other than these conditions.

On any other day a good place to linger.

It gets no better as we walk on.

Moving on from there we then passed over Great Gill as it conveyed water from the tarns at Great Gill Head just off to our right before paying Great Gill Head Crag a visit…

We've just come over those.

and at 472 metres just 27 metres lower than Yew Bank's 499 metres that is just beyond. Everything looks the same in this clag but we arrived at Yew Bank's summit to find a few stones tucked in the corner of small rocky knoll but why it is there I don't know as the rocky dome further over to the southeast is obviously higher.

Yew Bank summit wrapped in fog.

The cloud was clearing slightly now that we were lower down but we could still only see the outlines of crags with the top of Hard Knott showing up back to the south of us.

Enough, enough, was the cry as all these crags did pass by and we began to make our way down the pathless fell towards Lingcove Beck with the fog still clearing slightly as we descended, but the drizzle refused to cease its downward direction. A good few metres past Yew Bank we passed a low outcrop of grass and rock on which we could see a fairly large decorated cairn so we decided to go and investigate and see what was sticking out of the top of it. It was no bother to walk the short distance and low height to find a cairn with four old metal fence posts that had insulators still attached to them, that was my endorsement of having walked along and climbing over an electric fence whilst passing this way in the past.

Decorated cairn north of Yew Bank.

The cloud was now above us as we arrived at a small cairn overlooking Throstlehow Crag, High Scarth Crag, and Silverybield Crag on the other side of Lingcove Beck and the River Esk that are in the valleys below us.

Fellside cairn opposite Throstlehow Crag.

Throstlehow Crag with Scar Lathing behind.

We arrived at the path above Lingcove Beck at a point just between Pianet Knott and Throstlehow Crag…

A short view north into Lingcove Beck.

Throstlehow Crag.

and we proceeded to follow the narrow path as it made its way down to Lingcove Bridge.

Lingcove Beck and the River Esk.

The original plan was to cross Lingcove Beck where we had met it and continue on to climb Throstlehow Crag, Scar Lathing, cross the River Esk and see off four more Birkett's but it was still raining, and although Lingcove Beck would have been easy to negotiate, with the rain I wasn't so sure about the River Esk, which is far wider above the ravine that it drops into from Scar Lathing. I was disappointed about cutting the walk short but sense must prevail as we still had a fair way to walk back to Jubilee Bridge, it's raining, and the two lads have a long drive back to Redcar, so walking on to the River Esk and then finding that it can't be crossed because the water was too deep would have been a wasted exercise, well, not entirely as two more hills would have been bagged but it would have put an extra strain on their time and as can be seen the views are not up to much, if anything.

We spent a bit of time trying to get some decent shots of the waterfalls but as the rocks and grass bank were wet and slippery it wasn't prudent to try and get too close as falling down into the bed of the beck wouldn't do wonders for your complexion.

Waterfall on Lingcove Beck.

Arriving at the large sheepfold at Lingcove Bridge…

Lingcove Bridge.

it was decided that this was just about the best place to fortify one's self before continuing on downstream and back to the car. Once parked up at the bridge Daniel began throwing lumps of food away as the rain had gotten into his bag and somehow through the food wrapping so it turned out to be a shared meal of whatever each of us had to offer.

Once on our way again and due to the weather there was only the occasional picture taken…

Eskdale Needle on the skyline.

as we walked on down the valley on a very wet path and then passing over a ladder stile, through the rough pasture, fields, and then the fenced off riverside path to arrive at the road and red telephone box that has been seriously vandalised before turning left up the road to arrive at the car in just a few more minutes.

It took just a few more minutes to drive up to the top of the pass so that the second car could be collected where my apologies for the weather and my thanks for them turning up was gratefully received whilst they were having a feed before setting out on their long journey back home.

This had turned out to be a much shorter walk than was planned or anticipated but once that we had dropped out of the clag I don't think that there was much enthusiasm in repeating the climbing back into it again. Withstanding the fog and the constant drizzle that has played havoc with my plans, progress had been made. We got a walk, I knocked off two more Birkett's, they added another Wainwright to their list of those done, plus they now know what it is like to walk in foggy conditions such as these.

On Tuesday I should have been up and around Green Crag but now I will complete what we didn't do today - providing the weather is good - and if the River Esk is still up it will just have to be off with the boots and socks.

[ChrisW]

You still kept it interesting mate even with severely restricted photo opportunity I confess that wandering around in the clag was never my thing ...in fact I bloody hated it. People would ask me how come I always got good weather on my hikes without realising the obvious...I only went in good weather

A real shame for the lads to have made the long drive for a clagger too but the hills are still ticked off so in that measure it wasn't unsuccessful.

Bad news when water makes its way into your bag.....even worse when it makes its way into your nose bag

[trailmasher]

I only went in good weather

A real shame for the lads to have made the long drive for a clagger too but the hills are still ticked off so in that measure it wasn't unsuccessful.

Bad news when water makes its way into your bag.....even worse when it makes its way into your nose bag

Good weather rules OK but for masochistic reason I don't mind the rain but not combined with wind

Aye a shame Chris but couldn't disappoint them after the long drive and at least they achieved

I had previously suggested that they put a liner in their bags as an extra precaution, but young knows best

Thanks for comments Chris