High Street from Troutbeck and on to Patterdale

[Rodhumphreys]

I started this linear walk from a parking spot on the A592 some 100 m south of the Limefitt Holiday Park. The intention was to take in 6 Hewitts which roughly correspond with the left hand side of an X, with High Street as the distance mid-point. The descent to Patterdale would be regarded as successful as long as I reached the bus stop in time for the 12.16 bus back to my starting point. It would be less successful if I missed it and had to wait two hours for the next service!

So, the ascent started at 7.30am on a cloudy and cold June morning. Firstly through the holiday park and then a long steady ascent on an excellent track marked on the OS map as the Garburn Road. After nearly 2km the mountain path cuts off from the track, clearly heading North as it climbs the ridge to the first of the summits, Yoke. Unfortunately, the clouds were still down at this point, but from Yoke, the route bounces over two very distinctive tops, Ill Bell, and Froswick. All three of these tops form the western side of the Kentmere Horseshoe, but my intention was to save the eastern side for a later route, so I headed on to the distinctive top of Thornthwaite Crag, the fourth of the day's Hewitts, before following the gentle ascent up to High Street.

By now the clouds were slowly lifting revealing the rather impressive looking mountains I had already climbed behind me. Kentmere Reservoir was clearly visible below, but the rest of the horseshoe was still obscured by the early morning clouds.. My route continued north but now with a westerly lean, saving the Rampsgill ridge for a later date. I detoured from the excellent path to take in The Knott, which is really a quite imposing Wainwright when viewed from the Northern approach. Then comes the big challenge, down The Knott, straight across the tempting main path and directly north across some rather boggier ground to approach to sharp ascent up Rest Dodd, the sixth and final Hewitt of the day.

It is really well worth the visit to Rest Dodd, as it provides a great aspect for High Street, and the ridge descending from Rampsgill Head as well as the hills to the north and west. The view of Helvellyn clearly shows Striding and Swirral Edges.

I then followed the long descent into Patterdale past a very attractive Angle Tarn, arriving in Patterdale at 12pm, And, wonderfully, the bus turned up on time and took me back over the Kirkstone Pass, dropping me 100 metres from the car. The alternative, of course, is to park in Patterdale and catch the bus down to Troutbeck which allows you to walk back to the car, thereby avoiding having to run for the bus in the latter stages of the walk.