A Lazy day on Sheffield Pike

[johnkaysleftleg]

With Grace being a lucky bunny with new boots I decided we should take it easy a have a shorter walk in the fells than usual. We parked at the “not so cheap” Glenridding Car Park and set off towards the Rake.
Finding the start of this route is not the easiest task in the world as it is not shown on the OS map and the path that is shown does not exist anymore.
It turned out we walked a little too far but managed to hook up with the route soon enough. If you venture this way yourself head up before the cottages as the start is somewhere around there.

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

The weather was fine, a bit cloudy, but with plenty breaks of sunshine giving the fells some nice lighting conditions. A look across Glenridding towards Birkhouse Moor revealed a constant stream of bodies heading up by Mires Beck towards Striding Edge. Other walkers are something you have to put up with in the Lakes but I’m not sure queuing up on a knife edge arête of rock is something that appeals.

Automated Lake district lawnmower

Steeply up the Rake

Birkhouse Moor catching some sun

Looking back down the Rake

Heron Pike

We reached to col soon enough and headed left up to the fine little top of Glenridding Dodd. Great views of Ullswater are to be had on this interesting summit and we had lunch in the sunshine.

Hughie on Glenridding Dodd...

...and Grace

Ullswater from Glenridding Dodd

Boundary stone with Catstycam behind

Heron Pike makes a fine next objective for this route and the walk up Sheffield Pike’s South East Ridge is excellent as it winds its way around crags and flowering heather to the summit plateau.

On the start of the path up the South East Ridge...

..and higher up

We paused to take in the views on Heron Pike (a Birkett top) and I was slightly dismayed to find the iron boundary marker very lose in its rock. Hopefully somebody might secure it before it gets claimed as a souvenir or tossed down the crags to oblivion.

Ullswater from Heron Pike

It had clouded over slightly and we had a bit spotty rain but it always looked optimistic that it would brighten up again and right on cue, once we had squelched our way to the summit of Sheffield Pike it was sunny again.

A brooding Catstycam

I’ve read some less than flattering things about Sheffield Pike’s summit, and granted the path is a bit soggy but as far as views are concerned I’ve certainly visited a lot worse. You still get a fine prospect of Ullswater and today, with Helvellyn in cloud, Catstycam looks quite magnificent.

Catstycam from Sheffield Pike summit

...and Ullswater

Following taking in the views on offer we set off towards Nick Head with the fine prospect of Glencoyne Head in our sights. I fought off the urge to tell Grace her boots were obviously fine and set off up Hart Side before we lost the path and decided to head steeply down Bleabank Side to hook up with our return route.

Path down Glencoyne

Looking back to Glencoyne Head

And Ullswater once again

The path back along the upper slopes of Glencoyne is very beautiful especially given the now perfect blue skies. Ahead are good views of Ullswater while turning around shows the impressive Glencoyne Head to fine effect.

Nice light on Arnison Crag

Lakeside path

We passed by a very smelly dead sheep (oh how Hughie would have loved to roll in that ) and the small row of cottages, charmingly known as Seldom Seen before returning along the Lakeside path to Glennridding for ice cream.

[SusieThePensioner]

A lovely walk with some beautiful views, John
Hope Grace gets to do lots more walks in her new boots

[johnkaysleftleg]

A lovely walk with some beautiful views, John
Hope Grace gets to do lots more walks in her new boots

Thanks once again Susie.

[L-Hiking]

Two great fells those JK and it just proves that the biggest are not necessarily the best

Cheers

[simon-b]

Great pictures, John. A good route, and well navigated. Some people have been known to go astray on these two .

[ChrisW]

What a lovely way to break in new boots for Grace, that's about my kind of hike in old boots Beautiful photos throughout JK, some real crackers there

[johnkaysleftleg]

Two great fells those JK and it just proves that the biggest are not necessarily the best

Cheers

I wasn't particularly enthused about this walk beforehand but I really enjoyed them.

Great pictures, John. A good route, and well navigated. Some people have been known to go astray on these two .

I had my moments (as ever). I can imagine the top of Sheffield Pike being a bit of a test in the clag.

What a lovely way to break in new boots for Grace, that's about my kind of hike in old boots Beautiful photos throughout JK, some real crackers there

Cheers Chris.

[Phooooey]

Great report and fantastic photos. You made the ascent onto Glenridding Dodd look easy looking at the pictures of "the Rake". I missed this path and went up at the end of the cottages up a very steep grass bank to the col left of the Dodd. I had a frozen Sheffield Pike top which was both beautiful and firmer under foot.

[johnkaysleftleg]

Great report and fantastic photos. You made the ascent onto Glenridding Dodd look easy looking at the pictures of "the Rake". I missed this path and went up at the end of the cottages up a very steep grass bank to the col left of the Dodd. I had a frozen Sheffield Pike top which was both beautiful and firmer under foot.

Thanks Phoooey. I still don't know exactly where the path starts By the time I found it it was fully formed and obvious but, strangely despite knowing it "should be round here somewhere" we literately went round the houses before finding it. I certainly wouldn't have fancied an open hillside ascent though the bracken, would have been a nightmare in the summer.

[garyhortop]

Great report JK and some excellent photo's.....I liked the lake district automated lawn mower as well and you clearly had a near one with a westie and a wiffy dead sheep.....I discovered this weekend that my Border Terrier is partial to eating dead crabs and rolling in dead fish....interesting journey home from the beach!

[johnkaysleftleg]

Great report JK and some excellent photo's.....I liked the lake district automated lawn mower as well and you clearly had a near one with a westie and a wiffy dead sheep.....I discovered this weekend that my Border Terrier is partial to eating dead crabs and rolling in dead fish....interesting journey home from the beach!

Thanks Gary. Rolling in things on the beach is particularly nasty as you don't realise they've done it until you get them in the car and pass out with the stench