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My second round of the Wainwright fells is nearing it's end. Apart from Wansfell, which I have saved for last, the remaining tops were all best accessed from Wasdale. With this in mind I booked a room at the Wasdale Head Inn to mop up these fells. Hughie, for those wondering, is still going strong and recently climbed Pen-Y-Ghent on his 14th birthday. My plans for this weekend were probably a bit much for him however so he stayed home.
Itinerary for day one was a Moasdale round, including Steeple. I'd managed to get my fitness up during recent walks so was fairly confident I'd be fine from that point of view, the weather was it's own issue however, and a few days prior it was looking fairly grim with high winds and persistent rain but this improved closer to the day so I set off early for the long drive from County Durham to Wasdale in good spirits.
By the time I stopped near Cockermouth for a comfort break the the individual fell forecast for Pillar had changed dramatically, from a 10%-20% chance of rain to 80%+ all day with 50mph+ winds
This was to be the first of some rather dramatic ups and downs on this day and that's not including the hills.
I wasn't really going to turn back so off I pootled down to Wasdale and parked up at Overbeck Bridge on a moody, but so far, dry morning. Not being in a particular hurry I decided to take a few photos prior to starting the walk. All was going well before I took a nice chunk out of my finger with one of the clips on my tripod legs. I managed to find a few small plasters to stem the flow of blood but this wasn't the best start to the day.
Overbeck
Moody Wasdale Morning
Yewbarrow
OverbeckJuly 1st 2023, Moasdale Round, 16.5km, 1239m, 6.5 hoursdistance not including 3k road walk back to Overbeck BridgeThis first part of the route was the fairly simple trudge up alongside Overbeck to Dore Head. Although staying dry, the sheltered nature of the terrain and the extremely high humidity made for a fairly sweaty start. Steady progress got me to Dore Head and a fantastic view of my route ahead. The wind was now very evident however so a few snaps later I headed up Red Pike as the clag started to lower.
Looking back on Wastwater and the Screes
Another look back on a very close morning
Overbeck mono
Top of Dore Head- iphone
Witches hat - wonder if anyone has ever climbed it?
Wasdale from Dore Head
Clag coming downThe ascent of Red Pike soon became a wander in the mist, as it was on round one, and again I couldn't find the armchair cairn. Top bagged, things took a turn for the worst as it started raining/sleeting horizontally so I donned waterproofs and stashed my camera in my pack and ploughed onward.
Red Pike
Not a lot to seeI lunched in the shelter of the Ennerdale wall, the precipitation had, for now at least, stopped but I figured the decision as to do the out and back to Steeple was better made on a full stomach. Lunch over I packed back up and crossed the wall to be greated by the cloud pulling back and revealing a wonderful view of my next target and Ennerdale beyond.
The wind wasn't too bad and the path isn't too narrow so I visited this most wonderful of Lakeland summits taking in the quite magnificent panorama from its apex.
Suddenly I See! - iphone
Pillar and Black Crag
Ennerdale from Steeple
On they way back from Steeple
Steeple panorama
Great GableI made my way back across the arete and onto the rather less dramatic summit of Scoat Fell. On the descent from here the wind was picking up and a walker heading in the other direction shouted a warning of some sort to me. I didn't hear if I'm honest but it was soon obvious what it was as I came close to being knocked flat by a series of tremendous gusts. My waterproofs and backpack cover were not helping, acting as sails, so I flattened myself to the ground and packed the items away which made things a bit easier. I battled my way over Black Crag with gusts which must have been in excess of 60mph and, with some trepidation it must be said, down towards Wind Gap.
Steeple from Scoat Fell
Scoat Fell
Steeple mono
Red Crag and Moasdale
Black Crag Summit
Bright sunshine for the descent to Wind GapEither the wind had dropped significantly or Wind Gap is a misnomer as conditions were fairly benign. I scrabbled up the bouldery slopes to come out on top of a sunlit Pillar, so much for the forecast
I found a sheltered spot looking north and enjoyed a few more rations basking in the sun. This was the last or the four Wainwright fells for the day so it was with considerable satisfaction I started my descent towards the Black Sail Pass and Wasdale.
Wind Gap
Scafell
Scafell and Yewbarrow
Bright sunshine on Black Crag
Summit of Pillar
Ennerdale from Pliiar
Looking down on Pillar Rock
North from PillarThe Descent was nice and easy with a slight detour to take in the summit of Looking Stead, conditions stayed pleasant and if anything it was fairly warm. I arrived at the Wasdale head Inn in high spirts and with a nice feeling of satisfaction following a superb walk in, at times, dramatic conditions.
Setting off on the way down
Lakeland Mono
Top of Hind Cove with a glimpse of Pillar Rock
Pillar Rock and the Shamrock Traverse
Yewbarrow
Looking Stead
Nameless tarn close to the Black Sail Pass
Sail Beck
Moasdale
GatewayI had booked in and was just listening to breakfast info when a chap burst through the doors in a mad panic wanting to use the phone as his friend had had a heart attack half way up Scafell Pike. He'd ran most of the way down desperately trying to get a phone signal without any luck. An air ambulance was summoned which arrived quickly. I got out of the way as I have no skills to offer in this situation and walked off along the road to get my car, obviously full of concern for the poor bloke in trouble on the fellside. A few emergency vehicles rushed past during this time. The staff at the Inn didn't know how things had gone so I phoned Nicola using the landline and told her I was fine in case she heard anything about the incident and was worried.
July 2nd 2023, Lingmell via Piers Gill path, 10.6km, 870m, 5 hoursThere was still no news the next morning but I later found out about a week later that he hadn't survived. His name was Wayne Monagham who had completed charity walks for the Air Ambulance. My thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to his friends and family.
Breakfast service was a bit frantic which was my only complaint from an otherwise fine stay at the Inn. The ‘Wasdale Whale’ fish and chips being a particular highlight.
I have discovered previously the folly of a full cooked breakfast before walking, this combined with the weariness from yesterdays exertions saw slow progress even before any particular steepness was encountered. It was one of those days where the weather couldn't decide what it wanted to do and ended up doing not a lot.
Old Bridge at Wasdale Head
Great Gable
Stirrup Crag
On Moses' Trod
Looking up Sty Head
Lazy Sunday Morning
The Napes looking CuillineskThis is a fine way up Scafell Pike from Wasdale Head to enable avoidance of of the trade route treadmill. It is a good weather route however and not a place to be in poor visibility. I had decided quite early, given my sluggishness, that I would be gong no further than Lingmell today if I even got that far.
If anything the steepness helped and I settled into a steady acclamation of altitude with plenty of photostops. There is a scramble about halfway up but its fairly simple stuff with plenty of large positive holds. As height is gained the full scale of Piers Gill and the potential severity of any incident in it's environs becomes clear, as I said, a good weather route.
Lingmell Beck
Looking back to Wasdale
Very clever things these iphones
Somewhere near to bottom of Piers Gill
Piers Gill
Great Gable
Path by the gill
Life on the edge
Piers Gill and Great GableI visited Middleboot Knotts on the way up which is a stray Nuttall I missed on previous visits before descending to somewhere near the top of Piers Gill for lunch. It was a simple ascent up Lingmell from here and I was rewarded by its fine views with the precipitous vista towards Sty Head from the top of Lingmell Crag being the highlight.
Head of Piers Gill from Middleboot Knotts
Sty Head from Middleboot Knotts
Great Gable and Kirk Fell from Middleboot Knotts
Looking down Piers Gill with Lingmell Crag on the left
On the way up Lingmell
Pulpit rock and a shy Scafell
Lingmell Summit
Scafell and the highway up the Pike from Lingmell
Wastwater from Lingmell
Moasdale
View to Sty Head
..and with a different framingThe descent is fairly steep in places but not uncomfortably so with views of the magnificent Scafell crag and Wastwater drawing interest. I was soon on the main route down from Scafell Pike where I got my usual set of questions because I look like I know what I’m doing apparently.
Scafell Crag in all it's Glory
A turbulent Wastwater
Moasdale from the descent
Wasdale Head with it's unmistakable stone walls
Wastwater
Parting shotSo a weekend where I achieved what I set out to do, leaving just the one fell to complete round two. I was blessed with some decent weather with the bad conditions being intermittent enough to just add a bit of challenge. In the end however I received a reminder of just how lucky I am to still be able to walk these fells because you never know when it all might come to an end. As distressing as Saturday afternoon’s incident was, a reminder of your mortality can make to appreciate life’s pleasures all the more.
