Rambling Pete on Walking Places

Lingmell from Wasdale Head

Date: 22-Apr-2011

Map: Landranger 90

Weather: Clear and bright

From the car park near Wasdale Head cross the fields to the lower slopes of Lingmell. Ascend gently over to Lingmell Beck and walk up to Lingmell Col. Turn west to Lingmell and return to walk up to Scafell Pike. Along to Broad Crag and Great End, drop down to Eskdale Hause and Sprinkling Tarn to Sty Head. Return to Wasdale Head via Toad How and Bursting Knott: 10 miles as measured on Satmap GPS.

I was up bright and early and escaped the traffic for a really nice walk up to Lingmell. To be honest I woke up early and drove up to Wasdale to meet up with Dibble from the walking forum and her dog Lexi. But by the time I'd faffed around and stopped once or twice for pictures I was a little late, but we had no problem parking at the ‘green’ at Wasdale Head. It was early enough for us to be first there and after a little more faffing around I carefully placed my my I-phone in the centre console of the car and left it in full view - and there it was 6 hours later..it's a good job that walkers are an honest bunch of people - it would have been pinched in no time at all elsewhere..

Dibble was Lexi-less (her border collie, which was a shame as I fancied some dog biscuits - I'm always hungry first thing). Up here at the head of Wasdale there are routes a plenty to choose from - up to many big peaks. Today I had chosen to walk up to Lingmell and combine it with Scafell Pike and Great End - it had been frustratingly cloudy the last time I was on Great End. It was pleasantly cool with a nice breeze on the way up the ‘tourist’ route to the top - the advantage of setting off so early was that the sun still lay behind the big hills giving us a chance to get up to the top without getting frazzled. . There were very few people around at 07:30, but still a few early birds, all of whom seemed to be wearing bumbags ands Ron Hill leggings. The path took us initially across the fields from Wasdale Head to the lower slopes of Lingmell, where we could see the path steadily ascending across the contours. This led us up to a broad ridge where there is a direct path up to the top of Lingmell, but we chose to follow the tourist route up beside Lingmell Gill and Brown Tongue. The path here is very easy to follow, with many stepped areas leading us higher up towards Lingmell Col. We paused often on the way up with tremendous views down over the sunlit valley around Wasdale Head and over Wast Water itself. At the col the crags of Scafell looked dark and sinister, but they were eventually were lit up by the suns rays coming up over the top of Scafell Pike. It made getting up early all the more worthwhile to see thses sights. The path swung around to walk north to the summit of Lingmell – my wainwright to tick off for the day. The summit was marked by a large cairn with great views down over the crags to Great Gable on the opposite side of the valley. The views were unfortunately marred by the heavy haze and beyond the close mountains everything was a bit of a blurr. We walked right down to the end to Lingmell Crag and new looking stone cairn - someone had built this very nicely - Andy Goldsworthy would have been proud of it. We had more magnificent views over to Great Gable and down over Wasdale Head - what a feeling in the early morning air - absolute peace. Walking back along the crags we disturbed a falcon and it flew up into the sun – it probably melted as we didn't see it again. It was almost perfect walking weather with a cooling breeze, but not cold enough to chill. Next stop was down and up to Scafell Pike, the last big up of the day, but not too bad. Looking across from Lingmell to Scafell Pike we could see the many paths that led up to the top, all stony and well used. We met a couple of early starters but generally there wasn't anyone around. A steady walk up and soon enough we sat in a shelter and donned an extra layer for a little while, had some food and then toddled off over the boulders. Steeply down the rubbly slope and up to Broad Crag, and Ill Crag before cutting across to Great End. Scafell Pike receded into the distance but we could still see the nicely rounded summit shelter, and a broad expanse of rocky terrain between it and us. The last time I came up here, I'd visited Seathwaite Fell earlier and Great End was clear, except for some snow. By the time I got up here I couldn't see very far, so today was a great contrast. Lingmell didn't look so big from Great End, but the crags beneath it were. After taking in the 360 degree views it was all downhill from there, down to the path that came over from Esk Hause, down to Sprinkling Tarn - looking very cold, and down to Sty Head. The tarn looked liked an organised campsite – we’d never seen so many wild campers in one spot - usually there is a lone tent on the far side of the tarn, but today they were cheek by jowl at the north west side. We were glad to be coming down now as there were a bunch of people now heading up the ‘Corridor’ route to Scafell Pike, and it was getting warmer. On the way down from Sty Head we stuck to the higher path that traverses the lower slopes of Great Gable, but runs higher than the valley floor. We met a couple of cyclists taking their bikes for a walk - no doubt the effort must be worth it at the other end. The path down is a nice steady descent with one or two rocky patches, with good views down the valley towards Wasdale Head and Yewbarrow beyond. Soon enough we were down in the valley on the 'Moses Trod' passing by Burnthwaite Farm, where the Sheppard here had put up signs – ‘5 sheep killed this year by Walkers Dogs, keep yours on a leash'. With this positive thought we followed Fogmire Beck around to the Wasdale Inn which was a welcome sight, and a refreshing draught was enjoyed in the sunshine. Then a toddle down the lane passing a very busy, and soon to be a very noisy campsite. A great round of about 10 miles, and near enough 4000ft of ascent. I quite enjoyed starting out early, as the morning light is always a delight - just a shame about the haze, but I can't complain after that - a brilliant walk in good company.