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PICTURES AND TRIP REPORTS FROM MY WALKS IN THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT
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E-mail - karl@karlswalks.co.uk |
Another ride over to the western Lake District this week. I wanted to walk the High Stile ridge and also to climb Pillar direct from Ennerdale by way of a camp in Pillar Cove
I was up early to ensure I could park on the Newlands road and after booting up I made my way out of the village on the path beside Crummock Water heading for Scale Force.
From the side of Scale Force a red stone path climbs steeply by the ravine of Scale Beck.
After a couple of hundred yards I took a path on the left which heads up through rock and heather,
The view soon opens up over Crummock Water to Rannerdale Knotts and the Grasmoor group of fells.
As the slope eases the top of Red Pike comes into view..
.
Looking down on Buttermere Village with Crumock Water to the left and Buttermere the lake to the right.
On to Lingcomb Edge and the path does get quite close to the edge. When Sue and I walk this way she always walks further up the hill to the right on the wide grassy ridge...
Ennerdale appears as you gain height on the climb to Red Pike.
Looking back to Lingcomb Edge.
The view onwards to High Stile from Red Pike. Pillar is the big hill to the right..
Buttermere Dodd and Bleaberry Tarn from Red Pike.
On to High Stile now and although the day was mainly sunny occasionally clouds did form leading to Fleetwith Pike looking a bit moody..
From High Stile it's not too far to High Crag from where I got a view of Pillar and the mighty Pillar Rock. I spent a few minutes trying to survey my route which climbs directly up through the trees from near the fork in the forest track and then follows the stream up to the left under Pillar Rock.. Instead of going down Gamlin End and over Seat to pick up the path to the valley I took a direct route off the side of High Crag which was fairly speedy but very hard on the knees, so not one I'll be doing again.
Zooming in on Pillar Rock.
Pillar Rock again from the Memorial Bridge.
After climbing up through the trees you reach a wonky stile and once over that the next however long it takes you to get to Pillar Cove is some of the best walking/ mild scrambling on offer. It's amazing how on these sort of ascents which are very steep and rugged you ( or it might just be me ) seem to have boundless energy as if your mind is taken off the exertion by the wonderful surroundings. I honestly felt fresher when I reached Pillar Cove than I did when crawling up Little Mell Fell a few months ago. The sun was directly above me now which made taking photos a bit difficult
This is a small cascade in the beck which is not named on the map but Wainwright suggested it should be named Pillarcove beck which seems reasonable. The beck divides a couple of times but I followed the right hand branch which brought me out at the foot of the rock.
Pillar Rock and that pesky sun again.
Just before the start of the scree zig zags up to the Shamrock Traverse I investigated a small knoll on the left and was lucky to find this tent sized patch of grass.
From the tent door I had a great view of Robinson's Cairn.
Sometimes it's hard to gauge the scale of rocks and cliffs from photographs so I took this one of a couple of climbers descending down the Shamrock Traverse after a day climbing on Pillar Rock
The sunset was just around the corner but still lovely. I set my alarm for 4.30 and wondered what the morning would bring.
What the morning brought was a totally unexpected inversion. Four thirty is usually far to early to be getting up but it's fair to say that I've never managed to escape from a sleeping bag and tiny tent as quickly as I did this morning
I climbed to a slightly higher knoll for the view down the Ennerdale Valley.
I think that must be Starling Dodd on the left with Little Dodd and the slopes of Red Pike next along.
As the sun rose so did the breeze which whipped the cloud into some fantastic shapes
The rising sun also was doing a grand job of painting Pillar Cove orange.
Awesome is a vastly overused word these days but I think I might have added to the overuse a few times.
Looking over to the High Stile ridge.
It's 5.30 now and the inversion is dissipating ( I think ) so I pack up my tent and start the climb to Pillar.
But I've only just started on the Shamrock Traverse when the cloud returns and this time it's not staying in the valley but climbing higher.
Shamrock Traverse showing the polished slab of rock which you have to cross ( very carefully, in my case ) The water running across it added just a little bit more to the excitement.
The cloud overtook me and covered Pillar Rock. I wasn't going to be denied a clear view so made myself comfortable but only had to wait a few minutes for the air to clear.
Pillar Rock from my seat by the path climbing up to Pillar. This is a case in point of how it's hard to judge the scale from a photo. When you are stood underneath the rock on the Shamrock Traverse you feel very small indeed.
On the climb to Pillar now. The inversion seemed thicker over the fells to the east.
Although the coastal plain seems well covered. Nearer to hand the cloud is boiling up out of Mirk Cove over Scoat Fell. Steeple is just about clear for now.
Islands in the sky.
Strangely Wasdale and the high fells above are clear.
Gable is valiantly holding his own
As are White Pike and Caw in Dunnerdale.
The cloud is rising as the day warms letting me see the river Liza and the valley floor.
It took a real effort to drag myself away from the top of Pillar but descend I did and although I had no inversion to look at the views on this sunny morning were still fabulous. This is looking over to Dore Head and Yewbarrow with the Wasdale Screes beyond.
Pillar from the little tarn at Black Sail pass.
Descending down to the valley now. Black Sail YH below and my path back to my car over Scarth Gap clearly visible. It was really warm now and I decided that a bath would be a good idea to wash of the midgies which were embedded in sun cream and possibly a little bit of sweat.
I just needed a bath tub and luckily I found one in Sail Beck.
Lovely and not to cold neither.
Looking down beautiful Ennerdale.
The path over Scarth Gap is a good one and not too steep so I was soon at the pass.
And soon down the other side to Buttermere.
Back to the village and looking up to Lingcomb Edge.
Previous walk -- Whinlatter to Buttermere via Loweswater - Next walk - A night on Birkhouse Moor and a walk around to Glenridding Dodd