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A Watery Wasdale Round

A Watery Wasdale Round


Postby The English Alpinist » Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:37 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Buckbarrow, Caw Fell, Haycock, Middle Fell, Seatallan

Hewitts included on this walk: Haycock, Seatallan

Date walked: 16/02/2016

Time taken: 6

Distance: 18 km

Ascent: 1368m

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0 Screes view.JPG
Wast Water screes hardly need any introduction.


Following on from the Scafells the day before, this was leg 24 of my Wainwrights in one winter campaign. This time the fine clear weather was forecast to deteriorate by the end of the day, and this is exactly what happened. I planned to do a simple little horsehoe - Middle Fell, Seatallan, Buckbarrow - but made the bold decision on top of Seatallan to go for a bit more. This was partly because another walker and his spouse had informed me, "oh, the rain is not supposed to come in till very late pm though". Not that I'm blaming him, but it came in with a vengeance (bracing wind too) by about 3 pm, whilst I was well up there on Caw Fell. I'm glad I resisted the temptation to try for a bigger Scoat and Pillar horsehoe, it would have been infernal up there, though it looked so easy at first.

After a miserable section from Caw to Buckbarrow, I got more done than originally bargained for, so I was a satisfied English Alpinist. Nothing much Alpine about this day, though, in contrast to the sunny magnificence of yesterday on the great Scafell Pike. The most amazing cloud fronts on there seen from across the valley, though, which will be an abiding memory of the whole winter (very glad I was not in them, the modest Haycock and Caw Fell were bad enough). By the way, I heartily recommend the Lion and the Lamb in Gosforth as a place to to stay and eat. An inspiring Viking cross in the churchyard there too.

1 approach.JPG
The approach up Greendale Gill.


2 Wasdale dale.JPG
Ascending Middle Fell.


4 Seatallan.JPG
Ascending Seatallan.


5 back Middle.JPG
Looking back: Middle Fell and Greendale Tarn.


6 up Seatallan.JPG
Higher up Seatallan.


7 Seatallan top.JPG
Summit of Seatallan.


8 Isis.JPG
Wind chill was substantial.


9 Scafells cloud.JPG
Zoom on Scafell clouds.


10 to Haycock.JPG
Looking over to Haycock: I decide to go for it.


11 Haycock back.JPG
Looking back from Haycock to Seatallan.


12 Scoat route.JPG
Almost tempted by the route from Haycock to Scoat and Pillar.


13 Scoat view.JPG
AW drew the same view.


14 Car ridge.JPG
The ridge to Caw Fell, weather closes in.


15 Caw Fell.JPG
Caw Fell summit.


16 re-ascent.JPG
Re-ascent towards Buckbarrow.


17 Glade.JPG
Getting over to Buckbarrow.


18 Crags.JPG
Buckbarrow crags landscape.


19 Summit cairn.JPG
Buckbarrow summit, conditions horrible.


21 awful.JPG
A familiar grimace this winter.


22 Buckbarrow.JPG
Still enjoying Buckbarrow.


23 descent route.JPG
A welcome descent of Buckbarrow.


24 return lane.JPG
I return to Greendale.



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User avatar
The English Alpinist
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 297
Munros:56   Corbetts:11
Fionas:22   Donalds:18+10
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:136
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Oct 27, 2015
Location: Lancashire England.

Re: A Watery Wasdale Round

Postby ChrisW » Mon Mar 14, 2016 2:41 am

Never trust a person descending who tells you it's not going to rain :lol: Still a good decision ultimately as it trimmed off more of those lumps and got you a little closer....though clearly you had to work for it :clap:
User avatar
ChrisW
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Location: Cochrane- Alberta - Canada

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