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After our 3 night stay at Broughton-in-the-Furnace, Richard and I moved up the Lakes (using the main roads round the western periphery due to the blocked roads in the middle) to Borrowdale to our favourite hotel there, the Royal Oak in Rosthwaite. Why is it one of my favourites? well they do excellent and varied vegetarian food for me and delicious tea and scones with home made rum butter free for regular residents every late afternoon! For Richard, it's right next door to the Scafell Hotel and bar and they do real ales...
On our first day we set off in snow of just about the right depth for walking on and in low temperatures just to crisp it up a bit. All the snow was good to walk on all the way round our choice of Dalehead. We took our microspikes as we planned to head off up Rigghead quarries and that route is exceedingly steep up through the quarries and the route is north-facing and never gets the sun so is usually very icy. I also took my ice axe as I feel more confident with it and don't mind carrying it. I offered Richard my spare but he refuses to use one despite me trying on several occasions to persuade him and offering to show him how to use one.
We set off along the lane towards the river and, after a quick look at the snow-capped stepping stones, decided to try those instead of walking along to the bridge. They were a bit slippery on top but not icy and the river was pretty shallow if we fell in. I was okay as I had my ice axe for extra balance but we both managed to cross okay. We then headed off towards the quarries.
![Snowy Scawdel Fell fm Rosthwaite Path.jpg]()
- The Rigghead Quarry route goes up the notch towards the right of the photo
About half-way up the steep slope we stopped and fixed our spikes as it was getting pretty slippy. I'd already seen a guy really struggling up ahead and another group had gone completely away from the steep route and up the beck instead. We were soon catching the guy ahead up as progress was really easy with the spikes. When we got to the quarries we took some pics of the very icy entrances to the levels with icicles hanging down. I really hated the look of the second one as, when you saw it from the side, the ice was probably around a foot thick and menacingly old and grey! Unfortunately I didn't take that pic and the one I've taken doesn't really look menacing from the front as you can see through the ice better...
![Richard digi-camera-ing down Rigghead.jpg]()
![Icy Mine Level Grotto.jpg]()
![Horrible old, grey ice about a foot thick!.jpg]()
From the top of the quarry route, we crossed deeper snow to Dalehead beck and the tarn. We looked to see where the guy ahead had gone and he was stomping up the slope with the (now-buried) stone-pitching. He looked to be getting up okay despite not having any kind of spikes and just having poles so we decided to continue. The other option had been to go around Scawdel Fell past the pretty Launchy Tarns. We were soon following him up the slope.
![Snowy Dalehead-the route ahead.jpg]()
![Snowy Frozen Dalehead Tarn.jpg]()
The snow was just over boot-deep but just gave good grip really and we mainly followed his foot-steps (as you do - thanks Mister). Richard was looking happy enough even without an ice axe and, because I was taking photos, was mostly ahead of me. We were soon up on the shoulder where you turn for the summit. I wasn't as keen on this bit as it's a bit narrower and, if you slip backwards down the slope or slip to the right, it would be fatal really, therefore I trended to the left-hand side of the slope above the bit we'd just come up (in true coward fashion).
![Dalehead Shoulder to Greenup(snow).jpg]()
![Snowy Dalehead Shoulder - Richard Waiting.jpg]()
![Snowy High Spy from Dalehead.jpg]()
![Snowy High Spy face from Dalehead.jpg]()
![Snowy High Spy thru Hole in the cloud.jpg]()
![Snowy Dalehead-final ascent.jpg]()
![Richard Posing on Dalehead.jpg]()
By the time we reached the summit it was mostly in cloud and was a pretty cold wind so we didn't really stay. I took a quick compass bearing and we headed off down the slope towards Honister Pass. The route down kept coming out briefly and tantalisingly, but then the cloud would take it away again just as I lined it up for a photo. A bit further down we came out of the cloud altogether and we could see the, for once, pretty deserted Honister Pass summit. As progress was now much easier and more relaxing, I was losing concentration a bit and kept tripping over my spiked feet and falling on my front. On one fall I actually managed to land on my ice axe pick and made a hole in my waterproof coat - this was all Richard needed - he now says ice axes are too dangerous to use! I explained to him I'd just been very clumsy but now he persists in his view and I can't see him changing it.
![Snowy Dalehead Descent.jpg]()
![Snowy Dalehead Descent1.jpg]()
When we reached the pass we had a quick break in the shelter of the mine building and some cake and coffee. We were most amused to see silly 4x4 drivers being towed up over the pass one by one by a tractor unit from the mine workings! The road was clearly unusable so I'm not sure why they persist in attempting it really.
![Icy Honister Pass.jpg]()
I looked at my watch and decided it was a bit too early to go back as it was only 1430. I asked Richard if he fancied going up 'The Drumhouse' track to do Fleetwith Pike from the back. He was all for it so we set off. We met a couple coming back down with 2 dogs, one of which was a whippet which looked very cold and thoroughly miserable and shivery. They said they'd had to turn back as the dogs were too cold. We continued up but, as we reached the top of the drumhouse, we found they were right - it really was bitterly cold. The wind was at that point behind us but, if we persisted to Fleetwith Pike, we'd have a long walk back along the ridge into the terrible wind-chill so we too decided to turn back as we'd already done one hill so weren't bothered about another really. As we headed off back down our coats started to ice up (I think my face did too!)
From the pass summit there's a lovely track which cuts around the side of Scawdel Fell and goes back to Rosthwaite so we set off along that. I managed to trip over my spiked feet a couple more times including one spectacular fall where I nearly fell off a bridge but managed to grab the fence at my side as I fell. My knees were black and blue by the time I got back though! We met up with the couple with the dogs and the whippet really didn't look any warmer even in the sun and behind a wall where they were taking a break.
We were soon back at the hotel and I was scoffing my scones and rum butter and Richard was drinking the tea which comes with it...
Last edited by mountain coward on Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
