Red Screes from Scandale

[poppiesrara]

A day among the less-visited of the Eastern Fells, in heat that made a gentle-looking route rather a test.

Red Screes.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

There’s what might be quite a ‘secret’ little free parking area halfway up the Kirkstone road from Ambleside – certainly there was no-one there either at the start or end of this walk even on a day when the town below was buzzing with early summer crowds. From there, after a short drop down the road, the walk up Scandale is long and gradual, through woodlands and then out into the broad flat valley – green pastures, split by drystone walls and sheepfolds, and enclosed by gentle slopes, this feels very like Yorkshire. The final ascent to the nice rocky tops of Little Hart Crag is steeper but shortish, and probably felt rather tougher in the heat than it really is.

Wansfell Pike from the walk start

Over Ambleside to Loughrigg Fell & the Coniston Fells

Nab Scar & the west of the Fairfield Horseshoe

High Sweden Bridge in Scandale

Low & High Pikes over Scandale Beck

Back towards Windermere from Scandale

Little Hart Crag (right of centre)

The stroll on wet grass down to High Hartsop Dodd is one of those that puts you in two minds about the ‘bagging’ instinct: from the valley this looks a dramatic peak and probably quite a fulfilling climb, done as a ‘tick’ from above it’s perhaps rather less worthwhile although there are good views down to Brothers Water and especially up to the dramatic side of Dove Crag.

Red Screes NW face - the route to Middle Dodd just visible as a faint green line rising up to the left

Dove Crag over Hoggett Gill

Stony Cove Pike over the Kirkstone Pass

Middle Dodd & Red Screes from near High Hartsop Dodd

Brothers Water & the Angletarn Pikes from High Hartsop Dodd

I took a contouring route from there back to Scandale Pass and across the fellside to Middle Dodd – the latter part unexpectedly rough, constantly up and down over the little gorges formed by the rivulets issuing from Red Screes and then quite steep up to the col. For a while this felt rather like an offpath mistake that almost no-one else would make, until I turned with some shame to see two walkers at least twice my age making apparently light work of almost exactly the same line! Middle Dodd itself is rather an attractive little spur-end peak, and the route from there to Red Screes close to the steep crags is charming, worth the earlier slog.

Red Screes from Middle Dodd

Place Fell & Brothers Water over Middle Dodd

Southern fells over the little tarn by Red Screes summit

St Ravens Edge and Ill Bell behind the Kirkstone Pass Inn

Wainwright calls the south ridge of Red Screes ‘the easiest way down’ in the Lakes and – while he descended a lot more (about 6 times more at the moment!) hills than I have – it’s still pretty believable; gentle and well-pathed even through what might otherwise be some rather boggy parts and with barely anything steep enough to even cause a second thought. Lovely, albeit hazy, views of Windermere and Rydal Water all the way too. Overall a very pleasant few hours, and a route that seems to have few followers – much as one might expect the hills around Windermere to be teeming with people on a day like this, they weren’t here: I saw a grand total of seven other walkers (even in the distance) all day…

Windermere from the early descent of Red Screes

Rydal Water backed by high fells

[ChrisW]

Great to see the usual high quality output P, made me laugh about the two hikers twice your age making light work of that route, that happens to me every time I go out Lovely memories of Ambleside for me as it's where I spent my first wedding anniversary. It is also where I bought my dodgy Australian bush hat that I still wear in the sun Great pics as always, love the shot of Dove Crag over Hoggett Gill, no doubt made all the better by the lack of tourists clogging up the paths