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Another Variant of the Coledale Round

PostPosted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 9:06 pm
by dav2930
If there's one walk I never tire of, it's the Coledale Horseshoe. One of the reasons for this, undoubtedly, is the number of different versions of it there are for the choosing. For example, include/omit Hopegill Head; include/omit Grasmoor; if omitting Grasmoor, take the direct scramble from Coledale Hause to Eel Crag, or not; finish by Outerside and Barrow; finish by Causey Pike.. etc. etc.

On this occasion Karl and myself were curious about linking Causey Pike with Barrow by a traverse of the former's northern slopes to Stonycroft Gill and Barrow Door. Somehow I got the idea that I'd seen a path marked on a map (but not the map we were using), starting well above the col of Sleet Hause on Causey Pike's west ridge and joining the path on the north side of Stonycroft Gill near Low Moss. In the event, no such path was visible on the ground, so we just followed a sheep-trod and improvised a pathless route to the point we wanted to be at. It was a bit rough going but soon done, and worth it for the delights of Barrow to conclude the walk. After the event, I haven't been able to find the path I thought I saw on any map I have access to, so I think I must have imagined it! :lol:

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Braithwaite from the first level bit


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Coledale and Causey Pike


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Path to Grisedale Pike


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Sleet Hause, Grisedale Pike


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Skiddaw in the clag from Sleet Hause


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Outerside and Causey Pike


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Summit of Grisedale Pike


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Karl and another chap on Grisedale Pike


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Approaching Hopegill Head


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Whiteside from Hopegill Head


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Ladyside Pike


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Hope Gill


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Sand Hill from Hopegill Head


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The edge of Hobcarton Crag leading towards Ladyside Pike


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The edge of Hobcarton Crag leading towards Hobcarton Crag (the Hewitt).


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Crag Hill above Coledale Hause


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Looking down the scrambly bit up Eel Crag


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Karl showing off his new Rab windproof on summit of Eel Crag


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Ridge from Eel Crag towards Sail


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From Sail looking back to Eel Crag


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Summit of Sail


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Rigg Beck and Catbells


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Ahead to Scar Crags


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Clearer conditions


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Outerside, Barrow and Vale of Keswick


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Ard Crags and Newlands


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Rigg Beck and Catbells from Scar Crags


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The ridge to Causey Pike from Scar Crags


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Looking back to Sail and Eel Crag from Scar Crags


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Ard Crags, Knot Rigg and Robinson


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Derwentwater from Causey Pike


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Newlands from Causey Pike


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Scar Crags and Eel Crag from Causey Pike


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Barrow, Derwentwater and Keswick from Causey Pike


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Barrow, Bassenthwaite and Skiddaw, from Causey Pike


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Derwentwater from Causey Pike


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Newlands


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Causey Pike from Barrow


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Descending to Braithwaite from Barrow



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Naturally, we finished the day off by calling in at the Coledale Inn. Real fire, bowl of chips, pint of Parson's Pledge :eh: . Grand as 'owt!

Re: Another Variant of the Coledale Round

PostPosted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 2:10 pm
by johnkaysleftleg
You might not have had the weather I had but you certainly got plenty drama, really like the shot along to Whiteside from Hopegill Head.

Re: Another Variant of the Coledale Round

PostPosted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:18 pm
by trailmasher
Another fine day out dav well documented with some fine photos of a winters day on the fells :clap: BTW, there are two paths leading to Barrow Door one of which is shown on the OS Map although rather difficult to find in reality from the Stonycroft side but quite obvious from the Barrow Door end :? Again a nice report and just a shame about the clag on the ridge :(

Re: Another Variant of the Coledale Round

PostPosted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 12:28 am
by Alteknacker
Looks like not a bad day at all, notwithstanding the clag right at the top. As you say, many variants, but always a great place to walk.

Karl looks as if he's praying to Mecca on one pic.... :D (I assume that he's facing back the way you came, so East....)

Re: Another Variant of the Coledale Round

PostPosted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 7:27 pm
by dav2930
johnkaysleftleg wrote:You might not have had the weather I had but you certainly got plenty drama, really like the shot along to Whiteside from Hopegill Head.

Thanks JK. Yes, I must say, I do enjoy days of varied weather and contrasting light. But I'm kicking myself that we did this walk on the Saturday instead of the following day which, as your report on Raven Crag from that Sunday shows so well, was magical.

trailmasher wrote:Another fine day out dav well documented with some fine photos of a winters day on the fells :clap: BTW, there are two paths leading to Barrow Door one of which is shown on the OS Map although rather difficult to find in reality from the Stonycroft side but quite obvious from the Barrow Door end :? Again a nice report and just a shame about the clag on the ridge :(

Thanks TM. I suppose it might have helped to have had a map which shows at least one of those two paths. We only had the BMC Harvey's map which doesn't show either! That'll teach us :? :lol:

Alteknacker wrote:Looks like not a bad day at all, notwithstanding the clag right at the top. As you say, many variants, but always a great place to walk.

Karl looks as if he's praying to Mecca on one pic.... :D (I assume that he's facing back the way you came, so East....)

Thanks AK. Yeah it was a pretty good day really; don't mind a bit of clag if there are also some views. :D

If that's the picture I think it is ("From Sail looking back to Eel Crag"?), then the figure who looks as if he's praying to Mecca isn't Karl, but a random chap who we passed going the other way :lol: