The Newlands Horseshoe

[Phooooey]

Newlands Horseshoe
Little Town - Cat Bells - Maiden Moor - High Spy - Dale Head - Hindscarth - Robinson - Little Town

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A beautiful March Saturday morning and an early start from Barrow as my mate John pushed Damson (the dog) & I to get out of bed at 6:30 (I'd forgotten that there was a 6:30 on a Saturday morning !!).
A quick blast through the centre of Lakelands finest got us to Little Town just outside Keswick at the head of the Newlands Valley for about 8:15 (the car park was almost full already).
From here the steepish ascent to Cat Bells was made, opening up to views across Derwent Water and Keswick and across to the Dodds that we had ventured up only the week before.

Damson & Cat Bells & Derwent Water

My mate John !!

From here we turned back south to the climb up to Maiden Moor and then on to High Spy with the view behind us getting better the higher we climbed.

Catbells from Maiden Moor

On top of High Spy

From High Spy we dropped a couple of hundred metres down to DaleHead Tarn before climbing back up the stone steps (very steep stone steps !) up to the highest point on the days walk at Dale Head.

John & I on Dale Head

After a group of lads from Middlesbrough had taken a quick snapshot and we had returned the favour, it was on to Hindscarth which was the gentlest section of the trek, before heading back down Hindscarth Edge heading for Robinson.
A deceptive climb back up (maybe it was just the legs being tired that made it feel hard work) saw us at the peak where we stopped for a bite to eat overlooking Buttermere & Crummock Water.

On Robinson

Just as we set off again we passed the youngest "yomper" I've seen on any summit, a 3 year old girl (approx) striding out with her Dad for the top. (How are you supposed to feel after putting all that effort in for you to be matched by someone so young ??).
The descent off Robinson is not for the faint hearted and thankfully it was such good weather as I wouldn't like to attemp that in the wet or worse. The ridge down breaks into 3 or 4 steps where plenty of focus is required to negotiate a way down (at one point we lowered ourselves over a rock face and dropped to the ledge below for lack of any other route). From there we pressed on along the ridge before a steep grassy slope dropped us down to the stream at the valley floor.
6 hrs of walking was getting to us then, so the car was a very welcome site after a small trek back down the village road.
Spectacular views from Derwent & the Far Northern Fells, round Honister pass looking over the Gables & onto Scafell & ending with Buttermere & Crummock and out to the coast, all centred on the steep slopes of the Newlands Valley.

A great walk !!!!