Rambling Pete

Date: 03-Aug-2010

Map: Landranger 90, OL 06

Weather: Low drizzle and rain to start, misty with low cloud on the tops

 

From the NT car park at New Dungheon Ghyll, steeply up Stickle Ghyll, around Stickle Tarn, up Jacks Rake to the top of Pavey Ark. Around to Harrison Stickle, down and up to Loft Crag. On to Pike of Stickle, down to Martcrag Moor and Sticks Gill. Down to Mickelden and along the valley to the start: 8 miles as measured on Satmap.

I'd tried to organise this walk for a while and had it all sorted out when work gave me a call and asked if I'd go and do some overtime in Norway. Now as much as I like walking, I quite like overtime as well, so I thought I would have to cry off this meet at the last minute - but...after 8 flights I returned to the UK without any overtime, just a few more air miles. Finally the day dawned when I could climb up Jacks Rake on Pavey Ark. Twice previously I had been thwarted by the weather, with last years aborted trip a particularly vicious thunderstorm. Imagine my surprise then to wake to low clouds and a summit unseen from the New Dungheon Ghyll Hotel - but at least it wasn't pouring down. We had arranged to meet up in the NT car park at 09:00 - we being a good turn out from the walking forum plus one. Most people turned up on time except the blues brothers from Nottingham, who screeched to a halt at around 9:30 - the meet included Cogstar, Pearsy, Micky, TinTin and Lorraine, Tracey (a late addition from the bar), Fit Old Bird, Scarface, Baggie Boy and Emma, Bill and son - I think that's everyone - my memories not so good nowadays. Oh yes we had a fine evening in the bar the night before with Dixie, Mrs Dixie and Sid who unfortunately couldn't join us for the day. A grand turn out all in all and we all enjoyed it in different ways even though the weather wasn't the best, it certainly wasn't the worst. Most of us were kitted out in full waterproofs from the start, with one or two of the ladies wearing shorts.

 on the way up Stickle Gill

 looking back down - we can't even see the start

 Scarface, Baggie Boy and Emma make an appearance

 posing patiently beneath Pavey Ark

 the start of the ascent of Jacks Rake

 Scarface finishing off the first part of the rake

The hills around Langdale have one thing in common - they are all pretty steep ascents from the valley floor up to the top - very unforgiving, and the way up Stickle Gill was no different. Paul led the troop a merry dance, whilst I being a gentleman brought up the rear - it's difficult to get the pace right sometimes, but the front runners always wait for the laggards at suitable stops along the way. The weather was quite heavy, the sort of drizzle that worms it's way into your waterproofs. One of the clan made a novel waterproof cover out of a 'Burtons' plastic bag, but it didn't stay on so well. As we headed higher up the path we unfortunately lost three of the party for varying reasons, and they left us reluctantly to get on with the walk. It's never an easy decision giving up on a walk, but it's the right decision if you're not feeling right - there's always another day. But the three who turned back were replaced by three more who came steaming up the steps - Scarface, Emma and Baggie Boy who had arrived a bit later and were playing catch up. This meant I had another easy walk for the remainder of the way up to Stickle Tarn where the rest waited patiently for us to join them. At this point the clouds lifted a little to reveal Pavey Ark in all it's glory, before closing in again over the tarn. But the day still held some promise as the cloud cover looked like it was breaking up slowly, but the nature of the landscape here seems to be a natural collecting place for mist, as it ebbed and flowed around the tarn. It's a bit of theatre is Stickle Tarn and it's surrounds, which is a fitting setting for one of the lake districts great little scrambles - Jacks Rake.

 a little exposure here where the path narrows

 everyone enjoying the scramble

 looking back down on Stickle Tarn - quite a drop

 exiting the rake to the top is a rock slab or two - very easy to grip here

 looking up to the summit of Pavey Ark from where we left Jacks Rake

 regrouping on the top of Pavey Ark

 the view down Dungheon Gill

This route slants obliquely up the face of Pavey Ark, ending high above the tarn. But before we started our way up Pearsy and Micky did a quick facedown on some pointy rocks - it looked pretty painful to me actually, and cruelly we made them hold the position for longer than we should. Lorraine decided that she wasn't good with heights, so took the path to the right of Pavey Ark which led up and around to the top, agreeing to meet us up there. The rest of us headed around the tarn to the start of the rake at the top of a scree path. Before we started up everyone asked if everyone else was ok, as Emma and Tracey hadn't done any scrambling before. The only shame set back was the continuing mist, but it did clear occasionally on our way up, affording us views to a far below New Dungheon Ghyll Hotel. Jacks Rake is basically a section of rock that has been eroded away a little more than it's neighbours. The bedding planes here dip steeply down beneath your feet, so it has basically ended up as a gulley with some protection on the left hand side, to make you feel more secure from the big drops you can't see on the other side. However its not all plain sailing and the climb does involve climbing at some points, as well as a couple of awkward moves. A little way up the route flattens out, your left hand support disappears, and the path reduces to about a foot wide......drama....but it's only for one stride and there are plenty of hand grips on the right hand side to guide the way. A little further up the second half is a large slab across the rake that requires a bit of a pull up and over, but soon after that the rake gives way to a path that rounds the crags. There is one more scramble up and over some rocks, but again if you keep left and then go up by the well worn route it is fine. An exhilarating scramble which everyone enjoyed, and shortly afterwards we met up again on the summit with TinTin and Lorraine.

 Stickle Tarn - Harrison Stickle up to the left and Jacks Rake over on the right

 a brief clear interlude - note the morraine that forms the edge of the tarn

 this part of the rake about hafway up is a great viewing platform

 the view back down to NDG from Pavey Ark

 a phone interlude on top of Pavey Ark

 the way around to Harrison Stickle

 the way over to Loft Crag and Pike of Stickle

The mist continued to swirl in and out, but up on the top we could see all of the route ahead, with several more peaks to walk up and down to. Thankfully most of the climbing had been completed and the remainder of the walk was a gentle ascent and descent. Harrison Stickle was the next landmark to aim for as we contoured around the crags, but unfortunately we didn't have a view down to Stickle Tarn as the weather continued to come and go. Up on Harrison Stickle everyone got their phones out - 'I'm on the mountain, YES, a MOUNTAIN'....just like being on a train....apparently. I pulled the big camera out of it's dry bag, but didn't manage to keep the lens free of raindrops, as the clouds parted a little to give us a tantalising glimpse of Great Langdale down below. It was fast approaching lunchtime so we decided to descend from Harrison Stickle and find a lunch spot before the next Wainwright of Loft Crag. So we traipsed down the slopes on a windy path to below Harrison Stickle at Dungheon Ghyll - the Ghyll cuts in deeply here and we were on the windward side, so everyone repaired to the other side, found an inviting crag to sit on and started to graze away on various delicacies. There are some steep drops off the tops of these crags and when the clouds cleared it afforded great views down the valley over Great Langdale, Lingmoor Fell, and Windermere in the distance.

 Harrison Stickle summit

 the mist continued to swirl in and around the Ark

 a brief glimpse down to Langdale far below

 the NDG, Langdale, Lingmoor Fell and Windermere

 the flank of Harrison Stickle and Dungheon Ghyll

 Micky and Pearsy -the chuckle brothers on Loft Crag 1 - the other one is behind them

Suitably energised we set off again up to Loft Crag - there was some debate as to where it was, so we visited both cairns to be doubly sure. The views are stupendous when we had them, but unfortunately all the big boys across the other side of the valley were hogging the cloud cover - so we were left with the shapely Pike of Stickle to look at. I've been wanting to visit the Pike of Stickle for a long time to have a mooch around for some remnants of the manufacture of stone age hand tools. There is a band of green tuff that is found near the Pike of Stickle and stone axes made from it have been found all over the UK. The scree chute beneath the Pike of Stickle is where our Neolithic ancestors used to bung their failed axe blanks. I would have liked time to have a good look around but with plenty of people on todays walk, it would have been a bit anti social. I'm definitely going back up there when I get some better weather - a cold crisp day would be nice. Up on the Pike of Stickle the hills opposite were still covered in low cloud but we could see far down into Mickelden, Rossett Gill and our path down Stake Gill. Before we got there though we had to walk down and across to Martcrag Moor, passing around the head of Troughton Beck that flows steeply down the slopes to Mickelden. Unfortunately my camera lens was dotted with rain drops so many of the pictures have been spoiled, but they convey the weather of the day - a sort of nearly day - neither throwing it down or dry.

 looking back to Harrison Stickle

 a glorious view from Loft Crag looking down Langdale - Blea Tarn over on the right

 Mickelden far below to the left - Pike of Stickle ahead - forgive the raindrops

 the troop up on Loft Crag - Lorraine hidden by Scarface at the front

 looking down to Rossett Gill and Stake Gill

 the view back to Harrison Stickle and Loft Crag from the Pike of Stickle

There was a good path down from the Pike of Stickle and this has been well repaired to stop too much erosion continuing. There were very atmospheric views down Langstrath and my best shot of the day captured a brief light spot in a very dark sky. There are many fine morraines to be seen up here, way above the valley floor, sitting like a bunch of pillows. The Cumbria Way cuts up through Stake Gill and this is the way we walked down into Mickelden - it's far easier than the path down Rossett Gill, although looking back up, both look very steep. The Stake Gill path does zigzag a little more to lessen the gradient down. As the others strode ahead of me I found a little patch of eroded peat close to the path, and in it I spotted a couple of stone flakes and debris from stone 'knapping' - I'm going back soon to confirm in my mind what it is. We all descended in a crocodile line, but by the time we were at the bottom next to the sheepfold we were well strung out - well I had to take pictures now and then to record the moment. We stopped for some refreshment and had a chuckle at the old man who had passed us by going up the path - he had a straw shopping bag with a wine(or whisky) bottle poking out of the top, and an old raincoat. He was dressed in his tweed jacket (I seem to remember) with not a stitch of outdoor clothing on him. Why change the habits of a lifetime, and he was obviously enjoying himself, and if he wasn't, he would be soon. We all ate some nibbles and had some liquid before walking back down Mickelden to our starting point.

 looking down Stonethwaite from Martcrag Moor

 across Martcrag Moor

 an atmospheric shot down Stonethwaite - the 'hippo' on the right is Sergeant's Crag

 marching down to Stake Gill

 marvellous morraines

nearly down to Stake Gill

The scenery down here was majestic as well - the Pike of Stickle can't help showing off up to the left - this is one peak that is so distinctive in form that it can be seen from many fell tops all around. As we walked down Mickelden, we knew that we still had a couple of miles left to go, but it was a fairly easy walk back along the stone track - the MRT use this to get a bit closer to the fells. A couple of kiddies were frolicking in the beck - too cold for us though, and the thought of a pint sped us along a bit faster. When we reached the Old Dungheon Ghyll Hotel we thought about popping in, but decided to press on as we had people waiting at the New Dungheon Ghyll. Unfortunately the last mile or so was on the road, but we didn't mind really and we were soon seated outside the New Dungheon Ghyll Hotel having a well earned pint. Another great walking forum meet up, with friends old and new - a fine day out and one to be repeated soon.

 zig zagging down to Mickelden

 Mickelden

 the stone scree chute from the Pike of Stickle

along the stone path to the NDG

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