Brilliant visit to Wasdale Head staying at the NT campsite. This is a special place even by Lake District standards. The end of the road , mountains all around and a beautiful lake.
By the end of the visit I had climbed a modest 5 fells , but this took into account losing Wednesday morning due to low lying cloud all around.
Tuesday 22nd August Hardknott, Illgill Head, Whin Rigg
We (Meg joined me on this trip) set off around 5 AM, and because I couldn't get on the campsite until mid day, decided to get one fell in before. I turned off towards Eskdale from the A595 and headed up the scary Hardknott pass....definitely first gear for some of the hair pin bends!!. At the pass summit there is a small area to pull off and park up. The walk to Hardknott was a simple there and back again.
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| Hardknott summit |
It was nice to get a quick win after a few fails recently. So back to the car and onto the campsite at Wasdale Head.
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| Base Camp |
After setting up camp and brewing a cup of tea, we set out on the main event of the day - the ridge walk along the top of the screes with the return along the road (everything I have read about the screes lakeside path put me off that return route) This was an eventful walk. On the way up I had to stop for a rest, felt dizzy and the next thing I knew I was waking up on the ground. I am not too alarmed about this - apart from the cup of tea the last time I had eaten was seven hours ago, and in thta time I had done a long tiring drive and a walk up Harknott....probably low blood sugar. Meg was waiting next to me when I woke up. I had a bite to eat and set off again.
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| Illgill Head summit |
The path then continued on across a boggy depression to Whin Rigg.
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| Whin Rigg Summit |
The way down was as eventful as the way up. At the head of Greathall Gill I couldn't find the path so opted for descending the gully - big mistake.
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| Top of the gully |
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ouch
After my very quick trip down a waterfall I decided this was a bad route, and managed to scramble up the side of the gully to a fence at the top and was lucky enough to find a sheep trod which took me to the foot of the valley. The rest of the walk was an easy stroll along the southern tip of Wast Water and then back along the road. The trip along the road is not as bad as it seems. It is single track so cars are moving slowly and there are fabulous views of the screes on the opposite shore.
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Wednesday 23rd August Yewbarrow
I had to wait until midday for the low cloud to clear before setting of on this climb. I was really looking forward to this one due to the reputation of Yewbarrow. Only 2000 feet but steep on all sides.
We reached a point on the scramble (near dropping crag avoiding Bell Rib) where Meg couldn't go any further. Fortunately a family of four who had been below me appeared above me !!. After a shouted conversation they explained they had found an easier line, so all we had to do was drop down a bit and find the alternative line just to the left of the one we had been on. Soon we were at Great Door and the summit ridge.
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| Bell Rib |
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| Great Door |
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| South Summit |
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| North Summit |
24th August Lingmell
Last day. Weather was overcast and forecast for rain , so I decided on a there and back attempt on Lingmell using the main route up to Scafell Pike as far as Lingmell Col. Quite proud I managed to find the summit in the thick clag and rain ....with help from my Garmin.
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