It seemed like an early start for the six of us as the clocks
went forward last night and we've lost an hours sleep.
That didn't stop us getting up and out for this Mockerkin Mob
walk up Causey Pike, led by Chris and Pip.
A cheerful first photo except for myself, as I was wondering
if the camera would stay balanced on the bonnet of the car !
Free parking was found next to the Church at Braithwaite.
The Coledale Inn which we passed on the way
out and which would also feature on our return leg.
Heading out on the track to the old abandoned
farm at High Coledale.
Comments were made about the lovely view north
to Bassenthwaite
as it showed itself briefly between Kinn and
Braithwaite How.
Early sunshine brightens the view across to
Skiddaw and Blencathra
but the summit of both were still catching the
clouds today.
The track is in good condition as it also leads
to a service reservoir for drinking water for the village.
Zooming in as we climb steadily higher.
The houses of Braithwaite and the many caravans
and campers in the centre of the village campsite now come into
view.
Our route today climbs Stile End so we leave
the path to Barrow Door and head up the adjacent steeper slope.
Barrow is on the left and Causey Pike on the
right, but what's the pointed one in the middle ?
It's the start of the ridge up to Maiden Moor
and High Spy . . . so it's the famous Catbells.
The view on the opposite side is an extensive
one, across the Coledale Valley to Grisedale Pike on the opposite
side.
The track to Coledale Mine can just be seen
running along its lower flanks.
The flat top of Stile End is known as Low Moss.
The damp conditions on "the moss"
led to several collections of frogs spawn being found.
Several of the clumps had white patches and
we wondered if this was due to ice, seeing it's been so cold
overnight recently.
The "Three Musketeers" or is it a
scene from "Last of the Summer Wine" ?
Something in the direction of Causey Pike, across
the Stonycroft Gill Valley, has caught Richard's eye.
The climb continues onto our first real summit,
that of Outerside.
From here we can look down properly at the old
Force Crag Mine. It started as a lead mine but went on to produced
zinc and Barytes (barium).
It closed in the 1990's after a roof collapse
and so ended the commercial life of the last mineral mine in
The Lake District.
The mine buildings have been partially restored
and the mine is now under the protection of the National Trust.
Outerside means we have climbed the first of
four Wainwright tops of the day.
Click here
or on the photo above for a 360
degree annotated panorama.
Time for elevenses to celebrate the fact . .
. once we've found a spot with enough flat and dry space for
six.
We indulged in a drink and rather nice flapjack
from Pip . . . thanks.
Looking across, our upward track climbs to
the right and our return footpath down from Causey descends
via the path on the left.
The briefest of stops on the hause between Sale
and Scar Crags, where we get a view across to Buttermere's High
Stile Ridge.
The broad paths here are as a result of the
Fix-the-Fells digger being a bit enthusiastic all those years
ago.
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The infamous
Sail zig-zags. |
They've reduced the
2009 erosion . . . |
but introduced their
own unnatural scar ! |
The rather unnatural footpath has still not
blended in and it's been years now since it was first done.
[ You can check out the rest of ther 2009
walk later on at the base of this page ]
We turn left and take the 'high road' over Scar
Crags
as other fell walkers coming the other way prefer
the lower path.
Several of Causey Pike's bumps have large cairns
on their tops.
However the true summit is more or less devoid
of such man-made focal points.
Still we've made it and we stop for a group
photo even though the breeze was a little cool.
A big thanks to these guys for taking
our photo.
The young lad has done well today as he's due
a cartilage op shortly (due to a rugby injury). I hope
it goes okay.
On our return we stopped in the shelter of one
of the 'bumps' for a spot of lunch.
The wind on our backs has been blowing down
from the arctic, reaching us from a north easterly direction.
One of the discussions of the moment was whether
the few flakes passing overhead constituted snow at lunchtime
!
Whatever it was it didn't settle here or on
Ard Crags opposite.
Instead we sat, ate and played the Lake District
Game . . . name all the fells you can see left to right.
They include the Langdale Pikes, Glaramara,
Bowfell, Gable, the Scafells and round to Pillar on the right.
Between them and us are the four summits of
Ard Crags, Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head.
On undulating fell walks, often the beauty is
in the occasional glimpses of fells or lakes through suddenly
opening gaps.
Our next summit of Barrow was highlighted in
such a way .
Suitably refreshed we head back along the ridge,
but this time we head down to the right before the ascent of
Scar Crags.
We're aiming for that obvious path to the right,
which is the top of the Stonycroft Miner's Track.
We reach the Miner's Track and comment that
it is unusually devoid of any sign of mines in this part of
the valley.
There is one lower down Stonycroft Gill but
no evidence of one up here.
Perhaps it's name comes from the secondary purpose
of giving local miners access to Force Crag Mine from their
homes in the Newlands Valley.
Scar Crags and Sail to the left and Outerside
behind us,
as we climb gently up from Barrow Door towards
Barrow itself.
Standing around and talking again . . . but
hold on . . . that's allowed at a summit.
We reach the top of our fourth Wainwright of
the day and take a suitable photo.
keen observers may notice a gradual change in
the weather
as showers have crossed from the Skiddaw direction
and now re-form over Helvellyn.
It's downhill all the way now, with views ahead
of Keswick and Derwent Water.
Looking over the edge we can see Uzzicar Farm
below us.
This was the site of the important Barrow Mine
which was dug close to the road, in the square field to the
right of the farm buildings.
Evidence of the spoil heaps litter the roadside
and can be identified by the poor vegetation, following pollution
by the lead waste.
From the nick at the old mine workings half
way down the fell, we branch off to the left
and our sights now change to the Barrow Gill
valley below and north over Braithwaite to Bassenthwaite Lake.
The green path leads us gently down to the top
part of the small ravine carrying Barrow Gill.
The path crosses the stream just before it starts
its cascading descent towards the village.
Cooler and more threatening weather as we near
the end of the walk.
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No matter,
we seek the sanctuary of the "Dog and Bowl"
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. . . more commonly
known as the Coledale Inn. |
It didn't actually rain on us so we'll put the
visit down as a very sociable experience at the end of the walk.
Pass the crisps !