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It's Thursday and Day 4 of our week of freedom on the hills and the day has dawned dry, calm, and cloudy, but there are some blue patches that beckon a promising day ahead. The weather forecast endorsed this with rain coming in later on tonight so it's once again into the drying room/wardrobe to retrieve our still damp boots and waterproofs. Whilst waiting for breakfast we made up our sandwiches for the day and packed all we needed into the car ready for the off.
Today I'm going to introduce Chris to the airy delights of the Newlands Round, that classic walk around the horseshoe of fells overlooking the area of the same name, Newlands. Breakfast is a quick affair and we're soon on our way to the car park at Chapel Bridge that is just below the hamlet of Little Town. I'm not sure what exactly is going on at the car park as it is well stoned up and level with a low kerb segregating it from the tarmac road yet, someone has erected a metal post with a money box perched on top of it requesting £3 for the pleasure of parking. I can't really imagine a farmer going to the expense of laying or extracting planning permission from the council for the construction of a car park as there has been a parking spot there for years. The money box must be unofficial and put there by the landowner chancing his arm or I'm sure there would be a proper ticket machine there.
The car park was quiet as we set off on a dry and warm day firstly walking up the road towards Little Town…
![2 - Hindscarth and Robinson from near Little Town.JPG]()
- Hindscarth and Robinson from near Little Town.
but just before arriving there we turned right up a short bank on a narrow path that leads to a lane and a gate through which access is made to allow us to cross a fairly wide lane before continuing to climb up alongside the wall by the trees to arrive at the path that would take us to Yewthwaite Gill. The path is good and runs through bracken for part of the way and due to yesterday's and last night's rain is still running with water that is overflowing from the gill.
Passing over the gill we now began to climb up the rough scree of Brunt Crag. There is obvious storm damage here as it is not the same ground that I have walked over many times before but there are no difficulties or problems getting up it to arrive at the green lane that would take us northeast above Brunt Crag and onto the wide stony path that passes over Mart Bield and goes directly to the summit of Cat Bells. The path is good as it works its way over rock on the higher reaches with it making a slight turn to the right as it passes over the side of the main rocky top before allowing you to greet the cairnless summit of bare pink coloured rock. The views are fantastic.
![4 - Looking north over Derwent Water and Keswick to Skiddaw-Latrigg and Blencathra from Cat Bells.JPG]()
- Looking north to Derwent Water, Keswick, Skiddaw-Latrigg and Blencathra from Cat Bells.
North there is Skiddaw, Blencathra and co, east there is Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove and behind those we can see the Dodds. Moving around we can see right into Borrowdale with King's How on Grange Fell an obvious lump. Our walk is to the south whilst west there is a large hunk of the north western fells to be seen. Causey Pike, Scar Crags, Ard Crags, and lots more behind them.
![5 - Some north western fells from Cat Bells.JPG]()
- Some north western fells from Cat Bells.
It's time to leave here so we retraced our boot prints and headed off south and down to Hause Gate from where a path will take one down to Manesty from where there is a nice high level walk above Derwent Water back to Hawse End and/or Keswick. In the opposite direction the path leads back down to Little Town or again if so desired one could turn right at the old mine levels and follow the good track back to Skelgill and then on to Hawse End and/or Keswick once again.
But we are going straight on to scramble over Black Crag...
![8 - A view north from Trap Knotts on Maiden Moor.JPG]()
- A view from Trap Knotts on Maiden Moor.
and make our way over the well worn path that will take us to the summit of Maiden Moor at 576 metres and sits just south of Bull Crag the heather smothered hump that most people probably pass without a second look.
![9 - Looking down Maiden Moor from Bull Crag.JPG]()
- Looking down Maiden Moor from Bull Crag.
From Bull Crag we continued on to Blea Crag which is a much more exciting top than Bull Crag with its cairn of stones and tree branch sticking out of it. Blea Crag at roughly 630 metres is obviously higher than Bull Crag but I wonder how many people mistake it for the summit of Maiden Moor when it's actually a high crag of Narrow Moor the stretch of ground that lies between Maiden Moor and High Spy. Today there were many visitors to Blea Crag of which one group of four young ladies was swiftly backed up by the Middlesbrough Mountain that adonis of the northeast. They quickly had their way with him as they gave enchanting smiles and asked him if he would please take a photograph of them as they posed none too seductively on the summit.
![11 - Chris on Blea Crag.JPG]()
- Chris on Blea Crag.
![14 - Blea Crag.JPG]()
- Blea Crag.
There was a couple parked up at the crag and as we were leaving the woman smiled sweetly and asked where High Spy was to which I replied "Right over there on the skyline." The next question was, 'how did they get to Rigghead Quarries and Rosthwaite' as she waved an upside down, wrong side up map at me. After I had told them the way to go they set off like two alpine walkers, fast and furious.
![13 - Chris on his way to High Spy with Dale Head behind.JPG]()
- Chris on his way to High Spy with Dale Head behind.
But we hadn't seen the last of them as they were waiting for us at High Spy awaiting reassurance that they were indeed on the right track.
![15 - A northern view from High Spy summit.JPG]()
- A northern view from High Spy summit.
![17 - Dale Head from High Spy.JPG]()
- Dale Head from High Spy.
After mentioning that after Chris has had his photo shoot we were going in that direction for a short while they waited until we set once again with them following behind. When we got to near Wilson's Bield Chris pointed left towards the thin path through the grass and that is the last that we saw of them.
From High Spy the path down is fairly rough but a decent way can be found by picking a careful way through the many rocky areas and evidence of this can be seen by the many different tracks leading down the fellside. Upon reaching the bottom the ground eases off somewhat and the young Newlands Beck has to be crossed before being able to climb the stone staircase and arriving at Dalehead Tarn and the welcome shelter of the old sheepfold walls. This is a popular place for a stop and a fuel up before starting the long climb up to the summit of Dale Head and at 753 metres just beats Robinson by 16 metres to be the highest top of the day.
Suitably fed and watered we set off once more passing over the wet ground that lies besides the tarn and starting the climb up the path that alternates between rough stoned ground and paved some of which have been pulled out or loosened by the recent storms. Whilst sitting at the sheepfold we could see a wooden hut parked up beneath the crags, perhaps about a third of the way up fell and sure enough as we approached it was to be seen as both a tool storage and shelter for the path repair workers.
![18 - Dalehead Tarn and the Dale Head path repair team's work shed.JPG]()
- Dalehead Tarn and the Dale Head path repair team's work shed.
![20 - Dalehead Tarn with High Scawdel just behind.JPG]()
- Dalehead Tarn with High Scawdel just behind.
As we climbed higher the evidence of their sterling work was obvious to see, as was the work still to be done to ensure the stability of the path for the future. Well done them, and let's not forget that they have to get to their place of work before they even start it, and tomorrow, and the day after.
I stop to talk to a couple who are on their way down. Chris leaves me to fend for myself. As the paved section is left behind the path is once again of a rough scree material but is soon got over as the ground eases off for the final pull to the summit where Chris - who don't forget abandoned me - is sat in a state of raptures over the views that are before and below him. They are great. Despite the cloudy nature of the day the air quality is not too bad and the views although could be better are not bad at all for clarity.
![21 - Looking down Newlands Beck from Dale Head summit.JPG]()
- Looking down Newlands Beck from Dale Head summit.
I have seen all this before but I think that Chris is a bit stunned by the beauty of it all and he can't get over the view across Newlands, in fact his head is spinning around from one view to another so fast that I can't keep up with his dialogue, then again, he is a 'Boro' fan.
![23 - Chris at Dale Head summit cairn.JPG]()
- Chris at Dale Head summit cairn.
![24 - Hindscarth from Dale Head.JPG]()
- Hindscarth from Dale Head.
We left Dale Head after a while and continued along the well beaten path that runs along Hindscarth Edge the first part as we leave the summit of DH being rough as it wends its way down through the crags until finally reaching the more level plateau of grassy fell and rain filled holes.
![26 - Chris on his way to Hindscarth.JPG]()
- Chris on his way to Hindscarth.
![27 - High Stile Range and Buttermere from Hindscarth Edge.JPG]()
- High Stile Range and Buttermere from Hindscarth Edge.
From Dale Head Hindscarth looks far away, but in truth it doesn't take all that long to get to the summit as we left the main path and turned off in a northerly direction to follow the easy gradient of the path right up to the summit shelter cairn. Whilst we were there the temperature dropped a bit, the clouds came a little darker and a few drops of rain fell prompting us to don our wet gear whilst in the shelter of the cairn. The views from here are nearly a mirror image of the ones from Dale Head only of course Robinson is more in evidence now.
![30 - Chris at Hindscarth summit.JPG]()
- Chris at Hindscarth Summit.
Leaving Hindscarth behind we set off back the way we had arrived but after just a few metres we peeled off the main path going right in a south westerly direction along a narrow path that is now fairly eroded and boggy in places. This path takes us down to Littledale Edge, again for just a few metres as we cross the level and grassy area before we turned off to the right again along a faint and narrow path that climbs up the south flank of Robinson as it passes over the top of Deep Gill. This path is well grade but nevertheless quite steep as it makes its narrow way over grass as it slowly swings from going west over to the north as it heads directly to the rocky summit and shelter cairn from where a great view over to Buttermere and Crummock Water can be enjoyed.
![32 - Chris at Robinson summit cairn.JPG]()
- Chris at Robinson summit cairn.
![31 - Loweswater-Crummock Water-Mellbreak-Whiteless Pike-Rannerdale Knotts from Robinson.JPG]()
- Loweswater-Crummock Water-Mellbreak-Whiteless Pike-Rannerdale Knotts from Robinson.
![33 - Maiden Moor-Cat Bells and beyond from Robinson.JPG]()
- Maiden Moor-Cat Bells and beyond from Robinson.
We were soon joined by two separate groups of walkers, both on a charity walk and as we parted they were making their way down west to cross the large boggy area of Buttermere Moss. The path down the west side has deteriorated and has been washed away as it crosses the rocky area leaving only bare rock that now needs care to cross. The lower section from Buttermere to Buttermere Moss is wide and sort of zig zags it's way up the fellside. This was the old peat road by which means the peat cutters of long ago transported their hard earned fuel for their fires down from Buttermere Moss. Maybe that's why it is so wet on there now as the amount of cut away peat has formed what is now a natural collection bowl for rainwater and any run off from the surrounding high ground.
Our way is to be down the northeast ridge to pass over Blea Crags and High Snab Bank.
The path down the ridge is wide and clear to see as it descends at first over the gentle slopes to get progressively steeper as the cairn just to the east of Red Gill is reached and passed from where it now gets steeper and more rugged as it passes over and across a fair stretch of stony paths and bare rock.
![35 - Looking down the Robinson ridge towards Keswick-Hindscarth's Scope End is right.JPG]()
- Looking down the Robinson ridge towards Keswick and Hindscarth's Scope End is right.
![36 - Another view north from Robinson's ridge.JPG]()
- Another view down Robinson's ridge.
We made good time and soon reached Blea Crags that consists of two steep and slippery rock steps both of them around 7 metres in height with the lower one the hardest of the two to negotiate.
If these are to be avoided by anyone of a nervous disposition a way down can be found to the right before the crags are met by descending down the grassy fellside - no path yet - in the direction of the ravine under Littledale Crags. Little Dale is the catchment area for Scope Beck that runs through the ravine, into the now redundant dam for the mines that once was worked all around this area. Just above the ravine a good path is to be found that gets increasingly better as it descends and follows Scope Beck down to Low High Snab and the tarmac lane that leads back to the car park.
Chris and I are going to follow the ridge in its entirety to pick up the same aforementioned tarmac lane at Low High Snab.
We negotiated the crags with care and are actually steeper than what they appear to be in the photo to reach the path that now runs through grass and is heading for more level ground.
![37 - Blea Crags above High Snab Bank on the Robinson ridge.JPG]()
- Blea Crags above High Snab Bank.
There are a couple of more small grass covered humps to pass over but nothing to break ones spirit at this stage of the walk. From then on it is but a simple walk along the grassy ridge with the whole spectacle of green pastures, Derwent Water, and the massive row of fells behind looking over all as the panorama runs out before us. When we got to the point where we had to turn right to get down into the valley there is but one obstacle still left to overcome. That is the very long, steep, and slippery grass bank that has to be descended before we can reach the regular path by Scope Beck. This is where I got in real trouble with my right knee again as the pressure taken on it by getting down the steep slope was causing me enough pain to stop with monotonous regularity. There isn't much of a path down this slope - if any - and the way that I had to place my feet to prevent a slip and getting down it fast put more of a strain on it than usual. It's been niggling a bit on and off all week but getting down that bank caused me a bit of grief.
From the regular path it is now but a short walk along the lane passing the buildings of Low High Snab before reaching the tarmac lane that would take us all the way back to Chapel Bridge and the car park passing the lone white building that used to be the local school and then church.
A good walk that was done in decent weather conditions with plenty of people about, although nobody apart from the two of us on Dale Head. The large noisy group of youths that were leaving High Spy with the loudest of music playing seemed a bit incongruous to the surroundings and I could just see old AW taking the offending youth down with a flying rugby tackle and throwing the offending machine over the top of Eel Crags.
We then retired to our usual eating and drinking den before returning to the quieter surroundings of the YH where the 'wardrobe' had been cleared out of fancy clothes leaving it to those who get on the fells proper and a good chat to other guests were enjoyed over a glass or two of local ale. Sometime during the evening the heavens opened up and the rain was torrential to the point of being able to hear it gushing down the fellside behind us and this it maintained through the night and into the Friday morning. We had only planned a short walk again for today taking in Castle Crag and Millican Dalton's caves behind Grange but in view of the weather and my knee we gave it a miss and went for a walk and a coffee in Penrith. That was Day 5.
