Scenes from Derwentwater

On a recent trip to the Lakes I took a trip on one of the launches on Derwentwater. This offers a  different angle on views of many of the popular fells.

Setting off from the camping barn at Skelgill farm, the boat trip started at Hawes End and going anti-clockwise offered us a nice leisurely ride to Keswick, down to the start of Borrowdale before heading back up the lake.

The views of Catbells over to Maiden Moor and High Spy offer a good view of that popular ridge walk.

Further down and you get a great view of the diminutive Castle Crag as it stands in the jaws of Borrowdale.

As the lauch heads back up the Lake towards Keswick you have a perfect view of the Skiddaw fells and a distant Blencathra.

From the water you cannot really see Keswick at all, and as you can only see a few houses and hotels dotted around the edge of the lake you really get the impression of being away from it all.

This is a great way to spend some time in the Keswick area, with each launch stop offering its own walks and sites.

Dodd Wood - a short visit to the Northern Fells

With under half a day of walking time available, Claire and I decided to head over to Dodd - both wood and fell - on the eastern flanks of the Skiddaw range just north of Keswick.

Dodd summit from between the trees

Wainwright was not a fan of the forestation of Dodd, which at the time of writing the Pictorial Guides, was entirely covered with trees, including various varieties of non native spruce trees.

Times have changed and so has Dodd.

view of Barf fell across Bassenthwaite Lake

Since then the upper reaches of the Fell are free from forest and as a result offer spectacular views over Bassenthwaite Lake to the North Western Fells and as the path hits the southern side of the Fell you get a fantastic view over Keswick and far beyond.

Keswick and Derwentwater

This is a rare occasion where map and guidebook can stay in your backpack, as the walk is clearly indicated with different coloured posts offering different walks through the woodlands. If we had more time I would have liked to follow the red painted posts to the Osprey viewing platform, but that will be for another occasion. I did use the map to put names to the huge panorama of fells, lakes and villages that spread out below us.

view of the Newlands Valley beyond Braithwaite

This is most certainly a family fell, as you can get close to the summit using Forestry Commission roads through the forest and the final climb to the summit a very well maintained path.

The views from the summit are quite amazing offering all-round views except to the west where the Skiddaw range towers over Dodd.

Dodd summit and Bassenthwaite Lake in the distance

We came back down again following the posts which brought us round the other side of the fell, following the picturesque Skill Beck as it trickles down the fell and back to the car park and the Old Saw Mill tea room.

looking over to the Skiddaw fells

I found Dodd to be a brilliant short walk, with spectacular views, and the woodland walking gives it a very different character to most Lakeland walks.

Buttermere Fells - High Crag to Red Pike

This is the second half of a circular walk which I made with Claire that started and finished at Gatesgarth Farm. You can read about the first half of the walk here.

Having walked to the summit of Haystacks it was time to tackle the High Stile ridge starting with High Crag. The ascent of High Crag is a challenge right from the outset.

High Crag and Seat

It starts off with a pleasant enough clamber up the hill called Seat, but you are conscious of the giant face of High Crag that faces you, and each person that you pass warns of the section of scree towards the top.

the steep path ahead

Whilst the climb up is a hard enough slog, stumbling up over the scree is real hard work. With the impending views the main consolation you just have to get your head down and keep going. I found this as hard going as the Ladder on the side of Ingleborough.

High Crag with Ennerdale Water in the distance

It's a pleasure to be off the scree and onto the large summit of High Crag. Fantastic views all around, over Buttermere and Crummock Water and great views out over Ennerdale and northwards to the Vale of Keswick and the North Western Fells beyond. To the west was the obvious path that would take us onwards.

looking from High Crag to High Stile

From here it was an easy walk along the ridge to High Stile, and it didn't take long to get there. We would have stopped a bit more often on this stretch to enjoy the views but pesky insects meant we pressed on.

Red Crag and Bleaberry Tarn

A quick stop to enjoy the view and we carried on along the ridge, finally heading downwards towards Red Pike. Again this was easy and pleasant walking, with the views way beyond Crummock Water being new to these eyes - lots more walking territory to be discovered and explored.

Red Crag and it's obvious why

The descent from Red Pike was really tough. Right off the summit you have to make your way down a bad scree slope, basically stumbling your way down and doing your best not to roll all the way down to Bleaberry Tarn. After quite a lot of walking this was hard work, and meant we didn't enjoy the views as much as we otherwise would have done.

The descent continued past Bleaberry Tarn and into woodland before coming out on the edge of Lake Buttermere, where I couldn't resist giving my hands and face a good wash and cool down.

spectacular view across Buttermere

The return walk along the shore of the lake is a fantastic walk in itself, with great views of the fells on the opposite shore as well as seeing where the walk started out as you walk with Fleetwith Pike directly ahead of you and the Honister Pass snaking its way into the distance. You join the long path that comes down from Haystacks at Janet's Bridge and from there it is a short walk across fields back to Gatesgarth Farm. Fantastic day out!

Fleetwith Pike viewed across Buttermere

Buttermere Fells - Fleetwith Pike to Haystacks

Here is part one of a walk Claire and I undertook recently tackling some of the fabulous fells that tower over Buttermere. Part two coming very soon.

Fleetwith Pike from the farm

This grand tour of Buttermere took us from Gatesgarth farm over five fells before returning via the scenic Lake shore. This ended up being a much harder walk than I expected, with three steep slopes to contend with and a lot of scree to slide up and down. Getting to the fells is an adventure in itself, at times driving in first gear around some of the corners of the Newlands Pass. We managed to grab the last parking space at Gatesgarth Farm and we were soon on our way.

memorial cross to Fanny Mercer

The ascent of Fleetwith Pike starts as it means to go on - straight up and not let up until the summit. There is no half a mile of gentle ascent here, you start right off on the steep path upwards, following the ridge of the fell.

looking back down Fleetwith Edge

It isn't until the last minute that you actually see the top of the fell, there being 3 other false summits on the way to the top. At times the ridge gets very narrow offering impressive sheer drops on either side.

looking back over Buttermere from the first false summit

But the walk is a real pleasure as every time you stop for breath you can turn around and enjoy the Buttermere panorama as it opens up.

Haystacks from the walk up Fleetwith Pike

As you gain height you draw level with the summit of Haystacks and this gives the confidence to push on. A few short scrambles are necessary but they are good natured ones.

Soon enough you find yourself on the summit plain, which comes entirely unexpected when you approach from the Buttermere side.

Haystacks and a distant Pillar from Fleetwith Pike summit

From here it is a nice walk over to Haystacks. You also have a great view of some of the highest peaks of Lakeland with the Scafell massif looming beyond Great Gable.

Great Gable andh the distant Scafell range

Heading down the south of Fleetwith Pike for Dubs Quarry you descend a few hundred feet coming to cross Warnscale Beck. The walk starts going back up as you start on the approach to Haystacks.

old mining buildings at Dubs Quarry

Having already walked up Haystacks a couple of years ago once this became familiar territory as we passed some familiar scenery. The walk is very varied and interesting as you swing back and forth behind crags, at times having views ofver the majestic fells of Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Pillar, before coming round Green Crag and moving to the fromt face of the crags for a short section offering great views from the head of Buttermere.

Green and Great Gable rising behind Innominate Tarn

You pass Blackbeck tarn and shortly before reaching the summit you reach Innominate Tarn, Wainwright's final resting place. A brief pause to enjoy the atmosphere and takin in the views over the water to the giants of the Western Fells and a few minutes later we were on the ridge that is the summit of Haystacks. A great place to be.

Haystacks summit

From here the walk took us upwards towards High Rise - to be continued next week....

Castle Crag

Castle Crag is a perfect little fell. It looks like a real fell albeit in miniature - it is after all the smallest of the 214 Wainwright fells. However it packs quite a punch and it's diminutive stature is deceptive of the fact that the fell has a lot to offer. Caves, woodland, history, views, slate, rocky outcrops, it can all be found on Castle Crag.

passing the summit of High Spy on our way to Castle Crag

Our walk up Castle Crag came after we had done a section of the Newlands Horseshoe, taking in Catbells, Maiden Moor and High Spy. After nearly a week of tough walking it's fair to say that at this point my feet were a wreck, but as they say, the show must go on, and there was still time left and fells to be climbed, so I had no choice but to carry on.

It is quite a steep climb down from High Spy, bringing you down off the fell tops and into Borrowdale. You pass a lot of evidence of former quarrying and mining and it is always amazing to find ruined buildings in the most out of the way spots that you wonder just how someone actually built these places?

The lower section of Castle Crag crosses pastures and more woodland before giving way to the slate slopes. This is a tough little section with the path zig-zagging its way through sheaves of slate.

Just around the corner from the slate path, there is a hidden gem. There is an odd little sculpture park to be seen here, with piles of slate creating quite a visual effect.

The final trek up to the summit goes round a large crater before reaching the grassy knoll at the top complete with summit crag and memorial plaque.

We came back down by the same path as our ascent, before heading down towards Borrowdale, along the path between Castle Crag and the Newlands Fells before reaching the pastures that accompany the River Derwent, before arriving in the little hamlet of Grange for a well earnt drink and a tasty slice of tea bread.

butterfly spotted on the side of the path

Catbells to Keswick

Following on from my recent post about my Catbells walk had me thinking about all the great lower level walks that I have done in the Lakes. There's no denying the sensational views and feeling of achievement when you reach the top of a fell especially a new one, but I have also done some fabulous low level walks in the Lakes and here's one of them.

Keswick seen across Derwentwater from Catbells

Staying at the Camping Barn at Skelgill is a great place to get away from it all, even if you are without private transport. One time I didn't enjoy this walk though was when the bus driver chose to ignore me and crag rat Rainer not to mention our excessive luggage that we had to drag back with us on the four miles to Keswick in the baking sun.

the view from Catbells camping barn

But on normal occasion this is a delight in either direction - well worth getting a Keswick launch across Derwentwater, then walking back or vice versa. The walk starts off through fields and woodland with the slopes of Catbells in your back as you head towards the little hill of Swinside.

Swinside

This is of course home to the pub where we have spent several evenings enjoying ales - the Swinside Inn. Along the walk you have glimpses of some of the North Western Fells - Barrow and Causey Pike both loom nearby. The woodland walk through Swinside is very pleasant with a good path that takes you towards Portinscale. After a while you emerge from the woods and walk along the road a short while, passing the Nichol End Marine.

messing about on the lake

We have rented kayaks there on a number of occasions, always fun messing about on the water, especially when your feet are begging you to have a day off the fellwalking.If only we were any good at kayaking it would have been even more fun, as it was we were all excellent at going round in circles and Rainer even got to go for a swim in the Lake!

Portinscale

You continue through the pretty village of Portinscale, passing in front of the Derwentwater hotel, then over the swing bridge. The path goes through some more meadows as Keswick appears before you, with the Skiddaw fells providing the impressive background. You come out of the field and onto the road opposite the Pencil Museum which brings you into the heart of Keswick.

the Skiddaw range as seen on the way to Keswick

More Local Ales

The beauty of Ales is that they are always in season. Nothing beats a Winter Ale to warm you up on those dark cold nights, and likewise there is something infinitely refreshing about a nice Ale in a pub garden on a sunny Summer evening.

Moot Hall, Keswick, from outside the Dog & Gun

On a recent break to Keswick I got to try some great beers from the Keswick Brewing Company and Yates in the Dog & Gun pub in Keswick. This is a great pub with loads of local real ales on tap. It was a bit disappointing to learn that the kitchen had closed, just after 8pm! Chef fancied a night on the town perhaps? Regardless this is a great pub for beers and chatting with walkers, as well as being fully kitted out for guests with their four legged friends, dog friendly is the word.

Some other great Summery ales I tried recently were some more local beers brewed by the Richmond Brewing Company here at the Station in Richmond.

I love the design of their bottles, the use of local places and history in the naming of the beers and of course most of all the great taste. Summer was made for Ales like these.