Wainwright Warm up: Sour Howes & Sallows

[Chris Mac]

Sour Howes--Sallows.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Time for our now yearly trip down to the Lake District and this time we'd be heading to the more touristy Windermere. Two years ago we visited for the first time and loved doing Wainwright's favourite hill Haystacks along with neighbour Fleetwith Pike and last year we stayed in Keswick and walked up Latrigg and Blencathra to enjoy some incredible views, especially of Helvellyn to the south.

Going by our new tradition we were due to climb two Wainwrights at least and I secretly harboured an intention to get up Helvellyn but also suspected it would be a bit much for Y, who hasn't been up a Munro yet (don't worry she's building up to it) but has had a few big Corbett days so not long now! Helvellyn, at 3117ft, is firmly in the English Munro category and I knew the suggestion wouldn't go down well when I said it was the 3rd highest in England. The forecast wasn't great either so I settled on a few local hills to Windermere, smaller Wainwrights in Sour Howes and Sallows, for what would be a good warm up for hopefully a bigger walk on the Sunday.

We parked up on the wee road between Low Fold and Church Bridge and set off for the path that would take us up past The Howe, turning right and crossing the bridge:
20170624_120852 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Then it was along and across the road and up the track:
20170624_121030 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

As we made our way along and up the winding track past The Howe, along the path a sheep and lamb had a tense stand off with us, as we stayed dead still and they edged forward, then we moved a little and they froze before darting off when getting level with us...
20170624_121716 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Next up were a couple of friendly local horses said hello and accepted some nice long grass from our side of the fence. They have a nice view of Troutbeck Tongue and the surrounding hills!
20170624_121946 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The excellent track continues past this large tree as the view opens up:
20170624_122730 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Very Scenic and very Lakeland:
20170624_122747 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Wansfell Pike and Baystones across the valley:
20170624_123441 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Troutbeck Tongue with Stony Cove Pike back left and Thornthwaite Crag back right:
20170624_123451 DSCF0599 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Up ahead of us we can see the final summit section of Sour Howes, with our route up over on the right, a winding grass path up Backtone Barrow:
20170624_123455 DSCF0601 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The path soon reaches a kink next to a small tree plantation and presents two stiles, pop over the first and head up the grass to the second:
20170624_123517 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_123808 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Then it's just a case of finding one of many grassy paths up to the top, but first we have a quick break at the first rocky outcrop to soak in the first good views of the walk:
20170624_124148 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Windermere appears behind us and to the south:
20170624_124319 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Our break spot:
20170624_124339 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The light over at Troutbeck Tongue, Yoke, Ill Bell and co. made for some atmospheric shots:
20170624_124600 DSCF0606 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Bowness and Windermere in the distance, local sheep in the foreground:
20170624_124601 DSCF0608 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Light games:
20170624_124835 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

I pick a route that goes to the middle then up towards the people further up the hill in almost a 2 shape:
20170624_124839 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

More light:
20170624_124900 DSCF0610 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_125000 DSCF0611 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_125500 DSCF0613 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The conditions were not the best but it was clear and dry enough and the view down Windermere more than made up for it:
20170624_125501 DSCF0614 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

It doesn't take long for the path to take you closer to the summit:
20170624_130200 DSCF0622 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Catching up with the guys ahead, impressive considering one of us is still very out of practice (but getting there)...
20170624_130215 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Windermere again, what Sour Howes lacks in most departments is made up for with this view:
20170624_130500 DSCF0623 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_130839 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_130841 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Looking north west towards the Langdale Pikes and the Old Man of Coniston shrouded in clouds in the distance. Definitely a day for smaller hills:
20170624_130843 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The Old Man:
20170624_131300 DSCF0625 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We pass the group of three young guys having a snack and say hi but don't hang around and continue on:
20170624_131535 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

A quick hop over a fence and you are presented with the Sour Howes Crystal Maze challenge... find the summit!
20170624_131850 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

It's actually the one just left of centre which the path takes you up, well it is according to Viewranger and a few other sources, but as always once on it the more shapely mound further along looked higher.

We head to that one and have a snack and a seat and soak in the panoramic views of south eastern Lakeland for the first time.

20170624_131902 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Yoke and co. again and below is the wall we'll be following a path next to...
20170624_132314 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

...which will take us to Sallows, the slightly higher of the two neighbouring Wainwrights:
20170624_132316 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_132800 DSCF0637 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The Old Man of Coniston decides to light up our walk over to Sallows and frame itself nicely:
20170624_133335 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The path quickly takes us up to a stile as we look back at Sour Howes:
20170624_134904 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Sour Howes, Wainwright number 5 for us both:
20170624_134956 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We're quickly at the summit and take a few pics but the view from Sallows was actually worse than over on Sour Howes, with it blocking much of Windermere. North of us is Yoke though and we head directly down a faint grassy path to reach the track below, enjoying the view as we start the descent:
20170624_140533 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_140841 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We follow a faint old dyke to the wall and stile:
20170624_141112 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

This track is fairly busy with a few walkers having just left to go up Yoke, three guys boiling a cuppa and a few mountain bikers struggling on the stoney track, all very friendly:
20170624_141456 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Ah it's good to be back here, i'm enjoying spending a weekend a year here in the Cumbrian Mountains and Lake District National Park and exploring a different place each time.
20170624_142504 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The view of the Tongue and co. starts to get good again as we get lower, with the light still dancing across the landscape:
20170624_143428 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Passing more people, not many on the hills we just climbed though, the bigger ones nearby are much more tempting but it's perfect for us as a pre-amble for tomorrow!
20170624_143437 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

This view and this of Windermere were definitely the highlights of the walk, what with the bigger hills covered in clouds:
20170624_143720 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_144023 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Slateland too!
20170624_144243 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_144846 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We've soon completed the loop and pass the trees and stiles we took at the start:
20170624_144856 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20170624_145344 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Y doesn't have as much luck as I did charming the locals, instead opting for a staring contest with a sheep which she lost!
20170624_150454 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The track soon takes us to The Howe where we meet the sheep and lamb from earlier and pass with all four of us in a much more chilled state than the previous meeting:
20170624_150746 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

At Church Bridge we turn left...
20170624_151419 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

...and that's us soon back at the car in just over three hours, a good leg stretcher. After a quick change of footwear we popped along to Ambleside for ice cream, then went to Bowness for dinner and enjoyed a boat trip around the lake.

Y had said she found the day's walk a bit dull and boring which I could understand but I still found it worthwhile for the views and I think it was more the weather not being great which led to this conclusion.

So I hatched a plan while on the boat... looking north of Ambleside... at the Fairfield Horshoe... and not long after the Captain had said you can bag 8 Wainwrights doing the walk... Y wanted a better view of Windermere and something less dull, well since we're now on 6 Wainwrights, I feel a walk to bag at least 4 coming on to take the tally up to 10!

Research that evening revealed a nice loop from Grasmere which would take in Great Rigg and 3 other Fells, well within the capability of Y and less mileage than the full horshoe. So it was decided, a route was planned and it was on to our final day in the lakes...

[trailmasher]

A nice walk with some good pics CM and once on top it's easy enough to stride out and get on with it It's a shame that Y found it boring but as you say the views are excellent and more than make up for lack of crags, etc.

[simon-b]

Two nice little hills those, Chris. I see you've left me way behind on the Arran Corbetts. My friends and I did Goatfell this year - I'm hoping to go back and get the other three in 2018. Best of luck with further Wainwrights - I guess you'll be wanting to go beyond 10 now.

[Chris Mac]

Some lovely atmospheric photos.

I see that you made your 10 Wainwrights. Well done!

Regarding Helvellyn, if you do it from the Thirlmere side it is a lot easier than a lot of the Corbetts you have done.

Cheers, it was one of those atmospheric days. Yes indeed I did, thanks, WR now up. The final day of walking only made me want to climb Helvellyn even more and the Thirlmere side looks like a good route although i'll definitely want to tackle Striding Edge at some point too...

[Chris Mac]

A nice walk with some good pics CM and once on top it's easy enough to stride out and get on with it It's a shame that Y found it boring but as you say the views are excellent and more than make up for lack of crags, etc.

Aye it certainly is and the surrounding scenery is excellent, well worth the effort (not that it is a difficult walk, far from it). There were still plenty of crags etc. around, just nowt for scrambling up! I think I need to head north soon on my own for a fix of some bigger hills and scrambling fun...

Y now realises that when she says something is boring it means she's more likely to get taken on a walk with more danger!!

[Chris Mac]

Two nice little hills those, Chris. I see you've left me way behind on the Arran Corbetts. My friends and I did Goatfell this year - I'm hoping to go back and get the other three in 2018. Best of luck with further Wainwrights - I guess you'll be wanting to go beyond 10 now.

Yeah I enjoyed them a lot, perfect for a warm up before a bigger day. Nice one, i'm only 6 smaller hills away from conquering all of Arran, hoping to get them done this year. You'll love the other Corbetts, much more enjoyable than Goatfell and a heck of a lot quieter! Have fun when you return and let me know when you do, I may be about or be able to pop down and join you for a few walks.

Cheers, haha yeah I think in a few more years we'll be well on the way towards collecting all the Wainwrights. It only takes about 2 and a half hours to get here from where I stay, the same as Glen Coe to the north, so well within easy travel range. I quite fancy getting some of my other lists up to double figures now...