Rambling Pete

Date: 02-Aug-2012

Map: Landranger 90

Weather: Mixed sunshine and clouds, but tops clear.

 

From the NT car park in Buttermere across the fields to walk north to reach the valley leading up to Floutern Tarn. Follow the fenceline steeply up Steel Brow and onto Great Bourne. Follow an easy track to Starling Dodd, Red Pike, High Stile and High Crag. Drop down Gamlin End to Seat and down to the Scarth Gap Pass. Return to Buttermere along the southern shore to Scale Bridge : 14 miles as measured on Satmap GPS

No great story to regale you with for this walk as this is one of my Wainwright walks revisited to capture the views from Great Bourne and Starling Dodd. I think this walk is definitely in my top five walks in the Lake District with superb views once you're up on the wide ridge. It's really worth waiting for and although there are a few steep ascents and one big steep descent, on the whole it's a nice steady walk. I hadn't been out walking much for the last five weeks so lacked my hill walking legs, falling behind the others for long sections of the ridge walk. I didn't mind too much though as there is plenty to see up there and as you will find out lots of opportunity for taking pictures.

This was my third visit up here, once with snow and once on my 'Wobbly Coast to Coast' long distance walk. The views will never disappoint and the evr changing aspect of the hills either side of the High Stile Ridge are superb. Not much wildlife to see this time as there were too many people around If you can get up here early you may well see Red Squirrel around Buttermere.

A really satisfying walk around the southern shore of Crummock Water with Scale Force waterfalls very impressive with a good amount of water tumbling over three sections. Anna said you could scramble up the side in fine weather and low flow, but I wouldn't fancy that nowadays. I'm getting older nowadays and taking longer on my walks and toady it took almost 8 hours to complete this route, but we did stop an awful lot and stood and stared - it's compulsory on a walk like this.

setting out from Buttermere, our route takes us along the south west  side of  Crummock Water until we meet Scales Beck



not looking promising first thing - Red Pike and High Stile up to the right



blue skies ahead though looking towards Mellbreak to the north



while Grasmoor beyond Rannerdale Knotts holds it's cloudy cap



Scale Bridge



Looking back to Fleetwith Pike at the far end of Buttermere



Crummock Water ahead with Mellbreak towering above



looking back down over Crummock Water towards Buttermere



atmospheric over Buttermere



rounding the corner and ascending gently beside Scale Beck. Looking back to Grasmoor and Rannerdale Knotts



ever upwards until we reach the summit of Great Bourne



it was quite boggy along this stretch towards Scale Force



Scale Force and the impressive falls



the view out from the falls towards Mellbreak



my favourite shot of the day looking down Scale Beck towards Grasmoor



the view north along Mosedale to the Loweswater Fells - Mellbreak up to the right



the path crosses Black Beck on it's way to higher ground



and it's quite boggy at times - looking back down the valley



eventually the steep ascent up to Great Bourne comes into view



and for me it was a real plod up this grassy slope, using the fence as a guide



fortunately we sat down about half way up and had some snacks to refresh - looking west over Banna Fell



and east over to Grasmoor



the view north to Gavel Fell and Blake Fell



the ground ease towards the summit



up on Great Bourne the vista ahead is magnificent with High Stile to the left and Pillar to the right



and Grasmoor is now cloud free



the next steady ascent up towards Starling Dodd



Looking across to Grasmoor, with the shapely Mellbreak to the left



next along is Red Pike and you can see in the scree ahead why it's called that



the summit mangle of Starling Dodd looking across to Grasmoor



views down over Ennerdale entice and invite a visit there. Great Gable at the head of the valley



looking back up to Starling Dodd



the beauty of ridge walks is the ever changing aspect of the same hills in your view - Grasmoor and Mellbreak either side of Crummock Water



a steady ascent on the way to Red Pike with a steep little finish to the summit



looking back along the route from Great Bourne and Starling Dodd



up red scree to Red Pike



end on now looking at Mellbreak with Crummock Water on the right and Loweswater to the left



the view from the top looking down on Bleaberry Tarn and over to High Stile



High Stile is ahead with Pillar rock starting to show across Ennerdale



fantastic views down over Crummock Water and over to the Grasmoor massif



looking back to Red Pike



and down to Buttermere with Skiddaw and Blencathra in the distance



another steady pull up to High Stile



where the views are ever more expansive



the last ascent up to High Stile



what can I say



looking back to Red Pike, Starling Dodd and a distant Great Bourne



top of the world today - High Stile summit



Red Pike and Dodd above Bleaberry Tarn



High Stile summit area with Robinson across the valley



Glyn, Paul and Anna who often waited for me to catch up, only to speed off into the distance once more



Pillar across Ennerdale with the Scafells in the background



the shapely Fleetwith Pike now comes into view



next along is High Crag before the descent begins



looking back to High Stile on my way across to High Crag



the views now change to the southern end of Buttermere over to Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head



across the valley I had a good look at the high level traverse to Pillar Rock



High Crag up ahead and Great Gable over to the right



at the end of the ridge walk and now it's time for descent. Cracking views over Seat, Haystacks and over to Great Gable



far above the valley below. Fleetwith Pike is across the way



and down we go



it's steep down off Gamlin End, but ok on the zigzag path



glad to be down to Seat, looking back at Gamlin End



down to Scarth Gap below Haystacks is next in line



the path down from Scarth Gap



Great Gable at the head of Ennerdale



the view back up to High Crag



a busy stretch along here



looking back to Scarth Gap



and over to the spot the 'Camel' scree on Fleetwith Pike



Buttermere down below



the route down from Scarth Gap



and now down along the southern shore to return to Buttermere village



it's a very well used path for one and all



Fleetwith Pike



Comb Beck tumbles down the hillside in many cascades



a delightful view down Buttermere towards Fleetwith Pike - I could have framed this better though



almost back at the village



Sourmilk Gill tumbles into Buttermere, and I tumble into the Fish Hotel for a pint

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