Back in the Lakes for a week, with three Wainwrights left to complete the set - perhaps I will finish them this week...

Last few visits to the Lakes have been without the dogs, for various reasons, but this time we decided we would bring them - so it's Dora's first time up on the fells.

One of the missing three, Cold Pike, was our first target. Weather report suggested a reasonable morning getting worse through the afternoon, so we made an early start. The cottage is in Little Langdale so the drive to the top of Wrynose was quick and easy, and plenty of space to park.

Parked at top of Wrynose Pass

Most of the tops were in the clouds, but we still got the occasional views down the valleys. It was quite cold as we set off, but we soon warmed up as we walked, and once we got out of the wind through the pass.

View down Little Langdale

It's not very clear from Wainwright where the path turns off to Cold Pike, so we proceeded along the main path to Red Tarn hoping to spot a way across Redtarn Moss (the path marked on the OS map is clearly a complete fiction)

Red Tarn

Just when I was wondering whether the easiest route was going to be to go past Red Tarn and up the back, a path appeared, and we crossed over to begin the ascent of Cold Pike.

Heading up Cold Pike

Occasional views over towards the Langdales.

Cold Pike Summit

A pleasant-enough summit, though clouds blocked many of the views other than occasional glimpses towards the Landales and Windemere.

Dora's first Wainwright

Dogs were excited to be at the top (because it meant they got their "top of the mountain" biscuits.

View from Cold Pike Summit


View from Cold Pike Summit


Langdales from Cold Pike

Felt weird to be on our first summit quite so early in the day - not even 10am yet. We debated carrying on towards Crinkle Crags, but they were in cloud, and I'm not sure they are especially well suited to an over-exuberant dog.

To descend we headed towards Crinkle Crags until we met up with the main path, then turned right back towards Wrynose. When we reached the path coming up from Oxendale, it seemed too early to head back to the car, so we decided to add Pike O'Blisco (or, since it was a Sunday, perhaps we should call it Pike Of Blisco) to the walk - I had climbed it before, but it was a new summit for Lorraine.

View from Pike O'Blisco


View from Pike O'Blisco

We tried and failed to locate the grassy path that Wainwright claims leads to the Red Tarn path next to Long Scar, but even without a path it was an easy descent route.

A good first day in the Lakes, and it didn't start raining until after we got back to the car. Another Winwright ticked off, so only two to go. Tomorrow's forecast is awful though.