The Mini Pillar and one AW missed out.

[johnkaysleftleg]

I awoke feeling the effects of yesterdays walk, my knees in particular were aching badly but it can be amazing just what the effect of a sunny clear and frosty morning can have on a fell walkers body. This combined with the recuperative effects of a 'Full English' breakfast saw me raring to go. When I originally booked the BnB the targets that immediately came to mind were the two remaining Hewitts that had eluded me on my Lakeland wanderings; Hobcarton Crag and Iron Crag. I decided the fairly narrow and steep ridges of the North Western Fells were best left alone in these conditions so it was Iron Crag, above the snow line but very benign that was to be the objective of the days walk.

I headed over to Ennerdale, possibly my favorite Lakeland valley, and parked up at Bleach Green on what was a truly magnificent morning. In order to make climbing what in all honesty looked a fairly dull hill, more entertaining I'd decided to climb Crag Fell via the pinnacles on the North face and then move onto Iron Crag from there. This would also enable me to take in the view from Crag Fell which looked wonderful from photographs I'd seen but was about 10 yards of misty grayness when I'd been there last.

I set off along the Lakeside path, marveling at the perfect reflections of this glorious place before quickly taking the grassy trod off up Anglers Crag. Soon enough I reached the modest top with small cairn to take in breathtaking views for such a modest eminence. The peace an tranquility were soon dashed however when the distant barking of dogs became closer and revealed itself as a pack of local fox hounds out for a morning run. They were thankfully sans toffs on horseback with just a few gamekeeper types attempting, largely in vain, to keep them going roughly in the same direction. I'm no fan of fox hunting it must be said but for all their exuberance the hounds ignored me and Hughie totally and the gamekeepers exchanged a friendly hello when I passed.

The Weir at Ennerdale by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Refelctions by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Herdus and Bowness Knot by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Knock Murton by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Pinnacles from the climb up Anglers Crag by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Anglers Crag Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

High Stile Ridge by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Looking back from Anglers Crag by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Ennerdale from Anglers Crag by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Having taken in the vista I set off to find my way up to the, very obvious from here, pinnacles. I took the lower trod initially till I was just about directly below them before cutting back on myself on another rising trod that took me to the start of the grassy rake that made a bee line for my next target. (please note my GPS trail is a best guess of my route so do not use it to follow) It was when approaching from this angle that I noticed they looked like a scaled down Pillar Rock, in fact even old AW himself noted the similarity from certain angles of Crag Fell and it's far grander neighbor up the valley. This is a superb spot and I happily snapped away forgetting all about my dodgy knees for a while before reluctantly moving off.

On the way up to the Pinnacles by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Gaining hight by Anthony Young, on Flickr

A Mini Pillar Rock by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Looking down past the Pinnacles by Anthony Young, on Flickr

More Pinnacles by Anthony Young, on Flickr

....and again by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Looking back by Anthony Young, on Flickr

To get back to the main path up Crag Fell a narrow trod traverses the steep hillside, once again reminiscent of parts of Pillar before Revelin Crag is rounded and a steady smooth grassy path takes you to the summit. The view did not disappoint so I decided to have an early lunch. Deciding upon a drink of Coffee turned out to be a poor decision. I normally drink from straight from the flask but as it seamed really quite hot I poured myself some in the lid. I then carefully placed this on a rock and put the flask likewise between my legs. I then subsequently knocked the cup over while going for a drink and in attempting to save it knocked the flask over sending my coffee flooding out onto the ground. Oh dear, what I silly billy! I uttered (or something like that I can't quite recall)

Traverse Path by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Sunlit Tree against Ennerdale by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Main route up Crag Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr


Gap in the Crags by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Crag Fell Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Close up of Pillar and friends by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Ennerdale from Crag Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr

I finished up lunch, cursing myself, and headed off down towards the now denuded forestry land. This place was quite spooky in the mist last time but on a glorious sunny day it just looks a mess. There is some reforesting going on down the valley, natural species I think, but here things look plain nasty, another fine mess left by man for nature to sort out. Leaving it all behind I crossed the stile and followed the wall up to the first gate. I didn't know if there were any more gates so I went through it and started on the steady pull up Iron Crag. Soon enough I hit the snow line to find that although the snow had a crust on it it wasn't capable of holding my weight so each step was made all the harder. Hughie meanwhile, when he had enough sense not to follow my footsteps was scampering happily on the surface. Fortunately I only encountered one patch of really deep stuff, up to the thigh, with the depth mostly being about a foot so I wasn't too wrecked once I got to the small summit cairn. It was surprisingly warm and I sat with just a tee-shirt and open thicker shirt on and took in the grand view. I'm really not sure why AW decided to give a chapter to Caw Fell, just a sprawling mass with almost no re-ascent required from Haycock it's own chapter while Iron Crag, not exciting but a far more defined fell was included as no more that a ridge route between Crag Fell and said Caw Fell. As I pondered on this and other things a cool breeze started up so I donned my fleece and followed my foot steps back down.

Hitting the snow line by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Grasmoor and friends by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Hughie larking about by Anthony Young, on Flickr


Towards Grasmoor by Anthony Young, on Flickr

The Ennerdale Wall by Anthony Young, on Flickr

High Crag and Pillar with the Helvellyn Ridge through the gap by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Pillar, Steeple and Scoat Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Iron Crag summit view by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Haycock by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Looking towards Caw Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr

There were several options from Iron Crag for getting back to the car. In an ideal world I'd have carried on to the col with Caw Fell and dropped down to Ennerdale via Silvercove Beck but given I had no knowledge of just what walls I'd have to cross or what the terrain would be like I decided against it. On my way back down I came across another gamekeeper with a herd of manic Border Terriers in tow who asked me if I'd seen any hounds up there. Apparently they'd lost a few (not a surprise) and had had reports that some had bolted as far a Mellbreak. I informed him that I'd seen none since earlier (or footprints for that matter) and trudged tiredly onto the col between Crag Fell and Grike.

I stood at the stile looking at the gentle half a mile to Grike summit, looked down at a tired Hughie and decided the best thing about having completed the Wainwrights was being able to say not today thanks and set off back to the car. It was a nice walk back, passing the impressive Ben Gill and through some lovely woodland before tiredly getting back to Bleach Green.

Back down below the snow by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Ben Gill by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Given our lack of fitness it had been a hard few days, but the weather had made it all so worthwhile, atmospheric conditions on Saturday and a simply stunning day today. I pledged to myself to try and never leave a visit to Lakeland so long again.

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

[mamoset]

Nice pics of a nice area them. I have often wondered myself why Ennerdale Fell has been omitted by Wainy. Along with Eskdale Fell, two names of grandeur In Lakeland folklore.

[poppiesrara]

Nice walk, JKLL, and the usual lovely shots. I don't remember the pinnacles traverse-path feeling anything like as hairy as it looks with a bit of ice on!

For AW it seemed to be all about how distinct hills looked from valley-level, rather than how prominent in terms of rise and fall they are (as defines Hewitts). So all the odder little 'non-rises' he included, especially in the early books - like Nab Scar, Stone Arthur, The Knott, Burnbank Fell, Bakestall, others - look like clear and separate peaks from down below, even if they aren't really when you're up there. Caw Fell is quite an impressive-looking 'mountain' viewed from Lank Rigg or (possibly, I imagine) Blengdale, but I don't think Iron Crag/Ennerdale Fell would look much like a distinct peak rather than part of a ridge from anywhere? I rather liked it though!

[johnkaysleftleg]

Nice pics of a nice area them. I have often wondered myself why Ennerdale Fell has been omitted by Wainy. Along with Eskdale Fell, two names of grandeur In Lakeland folklore.

Cheers Mamoset, Eskdale Fell is one I've never visited, it does look a fine wild place

Nice walk, JKLL, and the usual lovely shots. I don't remember the pinnacles traverse-path feeling anything like as hairy as it looks with a bit of ice on!

For AW it seemed to be all about how distinct hills looked from valley-level, rather than how prominent in terms of rise and fall they are (as defines Hewitts). So all the odder little 'non-rises' he included, especially in the early books - like Nab Scar, Stone Arthur, The Knott, Burnbank Fell, Bakestall, others - look like clear and separate peaks from down below, even if they aren't really when you're up there. Caw Fell is quite an impressive-looking 'mountain' viewed from Lank Rigg or (possibly, I imagine) Blengdale, but I don't think Iron Crag/Ennerdale Fell would look much like a distinct peak rather than part of a ridge from anywhere? I rather liked it though!

Thanks Poppie, the traverse path wasn't icy, it was just a little sprinkling of snow that hadn't melted in the shade.
I think you're spot on with some of AWs choices for fells. I do feel he made a few problems for himself with the way he split the fells up. There is certainly filler chapters in the Northern and Central fells volumes as well as some omissions in the West and especially the South. As for Caw Fell from Lank Rigg I can't comment as I could barely see the trig point! I did quite like Iron Crag as well, worth a journey for any Fell walker.

[ChrisW]

Just spectacular JK, rarely have I seen a post on here with such consistently beautiful pictures one after the other for the enter length of the report What a wonderful day it must have been (except for the coffee incident....thought I was the only one who did things like that )

Wonderful landscapes but my favourite is still Hughie flat out on the snow

[Colley]

Wow - I wish that I could take photographs like yours, just stunning what a fantastic day!

[johnkaysleftleg]

Just spectacular JK, rarely have I seen a post on here with such consistently beautiful pictures one after the other for the enter length of the report What a wonderful day it must have been (except for the coffee incident....thought I was the only one who did things like that )

Wonderful landscapes but my favourite is still Hughie flat out on the snow

Thank you Chris, once again the weather exceeded the forecast. It was a nice easy walk in all honesty, the brief encounter with thigh deep snow apart, which just allowed me to take it all in even more. Hughie always likes to do his superman pose in the snow no idea why but it makes me laugh every time!

Wow - I wish that I could take photographs like yours, just stunning what a fantastic day!

Many thanks Colley, you are most kind and wise

[Alteknacker]

What a fantastic set of pics! Absolutely brilliant . Looks like you got up there while there was still enough snow to provide that special extra edge to the views.

It's a cracking area, so that must help a teeny weeny bit....

[johnkaysleftleg]

What a fantastic set of pics! Absolutely brilliant . Looks like you got up there while there was still enough snow to provide that special extra edge to the views.

It's a cracking area, so that must help a teeny weeny bit....

Thanks Alteknacker, It's such a wonderful part of the Lakes it's hard not to take nice pics, it was indeed nice to have a plodge through the snow before it all goes for the year.

[Bonzo]

Great photos. Really enjoyed that.

[johnkaysleftleg]

Great photos. Really enjoyed that.

Cheers Bonzo

[trailmasher]

Great report and photos JK and a great little walk despite the struggle through the snow Looks like Hughie enjoyed it as much if not more than you did mate Re the Silvercove Beck route. I tried that with my black Labrador with me and couldn't get him over the wall at the bottom of Iron Crag so had to walk back to the little opening in the wall back up the fell Good to see you back in business

[Guinessman]

As previously said, superb pics.

[johnkaysleftleg]

Great report and photos JK and a great little walk despite the struggle through the snow Looks like Hughie enjoyed it as much if not more than you did mate Re the Silvercove Beck route. I tried that with my black Labrador with me and couldn't get him over the wall at the bottom of Iron Crag so had to walk back to the little opening in the wall back up the fell Good to see you back in business

Cheers TM, sounds like I made the right call on Silvercove Beck.

As previously said, superb pics.

Thank you