Date: 14-Oct-2010
Map: Landranger 90
Weather: Overcast, with a little sun late
on.
From Honister slate mine up to Fleetwith
Pike, down to the disused Dubs Quarry and on towards
Little Round Howe. Turn off the main path before Blackbeck
Tarn and up to Brandreth. Along the ridge to Grey Knotts,
descend back to the old tramway, and down to the car park at
Honister:
5.9 miles as measured on Satmap GPS
I read a very enticing weather forecast on the Lake District weatherline which predicted a cloud inversion with tops above 500m poking into clear blue skies. Alas it was two days earlier, but it didn't spoil the day out. After last weeks capers up Blencathra and Scafell, I decided on an easier walk to see how my knees would cope. They have been giving me some 'gyp' over the last six months and are slowing me down a lot. I kept this as a solo walk so I wouldn't have to keep up with anyone else, and at least I knew the weather was going to be ok -
i.e. not raining. When I walked my wobbly coast to coast route in June I was going to include
today's three peaks, but it would have been too much on an already heavy day. I took the sting out of a big ascent by parking at the Honister
slate mine as it's already 1178ft there. I had a pleasant drive along Borrowdale and Seathwaite to the pass and parked up for £5 a day - they refund this if you spend over £10 or more in the store, but I didn't need another house sign making up. I got my parking ticket through the shop, and got ready for this short hike, although you still need all the gear just in case. From the car park the old tramway went up to my left, but I walked up to my right on the metalled track towards Bell Crags - it's still used for hauling stone and slate down from the old Hopper Quarry. There was quite a nice lady driving the massive wheeled hauler up and down the slopes - I think she worked the diggers as well. The track steepened as it wound it's way up, snaking around tight bends.
the route up towards Fleetwith Pike
looking back down to the Honister Slate Mine
it's a long way down to the valley
you can see the feint lines to the left of the tree
not a happy sign, but they provide a frayed rope to
hang on to
you can see the mine tunnel just right of centre
Fleetwith Pike with Buttermere in the background
the summit and not a lot to see
As I got to where the road split, I took to the grass and heather, and found some sheep trods to take me higher. I tried to keep to the edge of the slope so I could look down on Honister Pass far below - amazingly they built a railway line up these steep slopes - see Honister.com for some history of the area. I looked down over a path that came up through the mine - it looked a bit precarious, full of loose slate and several lengths of rope to hang onto on the steeper sections. There was also a very neat sign warning the unwary - 'Death may occur'! Beyond this slate path I was close to the edge of very steep slopes down to the pass. The autumnal colours were great and a little way down the slope were two lengths of wire cable strung across the hillside - I'm assuming these were for the via Ferrata (or should it be Fearatta). Eventually as I made enough height Buttermere came into view beyond the summit of Fleetwith Pike. The skies were looking gloomy, but the rain held off - the view from the summit was spoiled though - 'what inversion' I asked myself, as I couldn't see High Stile or Haystacks which was nearby. So I dropped back down the slopes to head backwards to the old Dubs Quarry - a gentle descent and the clouds started to lift a little to glimpse some blue sky above. Just in time to give me a good picture of Haystacks and the High Stile ridge beyond. I watched a pair of
Sheppard's rounding up their flock down the slopes from Brandreth, their shouts echoing around the crags -their destination was down to the farm below at Gatesgarth. I was soon down below the old quarry buildings, and crossing easily over the beck on the path towards Haystacks. The views now opened up to Grasmoor and the Derwent Fells, down over Buttermere to Melbreak and beyond - one of the Lake Districts great vistas and it has so many.
Grey Knotts in the background - my route goes down
to the right
finally some clear air ahead - looking across to
Haystacks and the High Stile Ridge
the superb view down the length of Buttermere
looking across to the old slate quarry
Great Gable with it's cloud cover
the view down from Brandreth with Ennerdale to the
left and Buttermere on the right
Kirk Fell and Pillar with Mosedale beyond
the rocky path up to Brandreth summit
I walked past Little Round How and then before reaching the Blackbeck Tarn I cut away up the hillside on a well trodden route up directly to Brandreth. The ascent was steady and the ground not to boggy, and up ahead I spotted a couple looking very confused. She was looking pleadingly over to me as I ascended, with her husband turning an explorer map this way and that - but he was too proud to ask directions and nipped away down a path before I got to them. I saw them a
little later on not much further around, and looking very sheepish. Higher up the slopes the views behind me were superb, with Ennerdale to the left and Buttermere to the right, with the High Stile ridge in between, the Derwent Fells over on the right, and Pillar et al over on the left. In front of me cloaked in cloud was Great Gable - this is to be my last
Wainwright for completing the 214 fells. I carried on up towards the summit on a stony slope and was soon ont the top, and to celebrate the clouds disappeared from the big boys nearby. I found myself a sheltered spot and sat down to face Scafell Pike and Great Gable, warmed by a spot of hot soup - it was quite chilly on the top and a sign of the weather to come until next spring. It wasn't clear enough to see far down Wasdale, but Kirk Fell and Red Pike were clear. Refreshed I walked along the broad ridge towards Grey Knotts, very peaceful and nobody else up here - the advantage of unfashionable peaks I suppose. By the time I got to Grey Knotts all the cloud had lifted but it was a dull grey day on Grey Knotts. I didn't hang about and took the path off the end of the ridge and headed back down the slopes towards the old tramway, now facing Fleetwith Pike, with Dale Head across the valley. The lady truck driver was still beavering away in the old Hopper Quarry, going up and down to the slate mine, through the car park. I got down to the old
tramway - now a well laid path that takes you over to Haystacks - and met an old chap doing the C2C walk. He was staying in YHA's all the way across - I hope he made it ok - he had his OS strip map and too many clothes with him. But he was taking it steady and enjoying the scenery. Soon enough I was back at the car park and it was nice to finish early for a change and drive back down the pass and home at a leisurely pace - three more ticked off and great views as usual.
my lunch spot on the summit of Brandreth facing
Gable
looking along to Grey Knotts
on my way to Grey
Knotts - the view back
the big boys still covered up - Bowfell, Great End,
Ill Crag, Base Brown, Green Gable and Great Gable
Looking over to High Stile and Haystacks
Dale Head,
Hindscarth and Robinson across the valley
the old tramway
down to the Honister slate mine
Where now:
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