Heavenly Pillar and Steeple

[The English Alpinist]

Shows most of the route. Red Pike, and around to Pillar.

This completed 4 walks on the bounce, which was pretty much a do or die salvage operation for my Wainwrights in Winter campaign. If I hadn't used these 4 days, I simply would not have chance to get the rest in before Sunday March 27th. That is d-day - the change of clocks and the definition I'm using for the end of ''winter'. The weather today was glorious, which is just as well. Cold up top, but that's to be expected and nothing an excellent down jacket can't solve. These were big rocky ones, and I did not know them very well. I'd done Pillar before, but don't remember much about it. I hadn't done Steeple at all, and it was a revelation. Such a dramatic-looking pinnacle in these snow conditions accessed by an edgy little scramble there and back from Scoat Fell. That was the highlight of a day that left many grand imprints on the mind.

I started rather late - midday - but it was not a terribly long walk, just high. There were quite a few people out there, but I appeared to be the last to summit Pillar that day. This was good for me, though, having the solitude of the crisp chilled plateau with the wide-ranging views. I had the choice of backtracking down to 'Wind Gap' to return to Wasdale, or carrying on over the top to descend via Black Sail Pass. I chose the latter. Although it was a bit further, I reckoned the path would be better and it gave me the option of taking in Kirk Fell, daylight permitting. There was plenty left, as it happened, but I wimped out. I felt the job I set out to do was done, and I didn't fancy the steep slog up there. In hindsight (a wonderful thing) this decision lacked inspiration. It would have added negligible time to the return, but now I'll have to include it in my Great Gable day. Not a problem if the weather behaves when the time comes. Yet again I returned to the car at dusk, which was profoundly atmospheric by Wast Water. 7 walks to do, and 21 days to do them!

Yewbarrow: one stiff climb to start!

Looking back, high up Yewbarrow.

Yewbarrow ascent continues. Red Pike in sight.

Yewbarrow: rest of the day laid out in all its glory.

Got much colder at Red Pike.

Red Pike ridge walk.

Actual summit of Red Pike.

AW speaks.

The aptly named Steeple, 4th Wainwright of the day.

AW explains.

Ennerdale, from Steeple.

High Stile, from Steeple.

Looking back to Scoat Fell, on the 15 minute excursion to Steeple.

Retracking from Steeple.

Pillar ahead, from Scoat.

Wind Gap, between Scoat Fell and Pillar.

High point of the day: Pillar summit.

Very recognizable.

View across Ennerdale from Pillar.

Kirk Fell: I declined the invitation.

At Black Sail Pass, I decide to call it a day.

Wasdale Head.

Full circle done. Dusk finish at Overbeck Bridge car park.

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[ChrisW]

Lovely shots TEA, nice to see you getting some good weather. Given your record with the weather you might have continued on today while the going was good 1 every 3 days is still a good ask and leaves little room for emergencies....perfect set up for the run in I guess

[johnkaysleftleg]

If I look closely I think I can see me and the dog on Iron Crag