Date: 26-Feb-2010
Map: Landranger 89, 90, OL6
Weather: Very wintery.
From Overbeck car park steeply up to
Yewbarrow, back down to Overbeck and up to Low Tarn. Up to
Red Pike, then quickly down to Scoat Tarn, returning to the
start via Netherbeck :
10.6 miles as measured on Satmap GPS
I wasn't
feeling full of energy this morning after last nights failed
attempt at restraint - 'we'll only have a couple' was the
usual refrain. This was the first real trip out for my new
camera and I'd bought a new camera case from Lowepro. I
thought it would be great but it turned out far too bulky,
so I bought a dry bag instead and that worked well - it
fitted the camera and more importantly kept it dry, thogh
the lens fogged up a bit whenever it saw daylight. After a
bit of trial and error I used the chest strap on my sack,
and my hip belt to stop it wobbling around. I walked with
Dibble and Lexi again - that dog puts in some mileage - full
of energy and eating sheep shit. I thought better of
replicating her diet for the sake of adding a bit of zest in
my stride. We all met up in the small car park at Overbeck
Bridge next to Wast Water. I knew that the forecast was
gloomy and so it proved, and it's rarely wrong 24 hours
beforehand. So I prepared for the worse as it was cold
around 3deg and wrapped up well.
Yewbarrow looking very steep
the view over to Lingmell and the Scafells
the view down Wast Water
looking up Overbeck from the flank of Yewbarrow
The first peak Yewbarrow
looked ominously steep from the valley floor, and we walked
up steadily by the stone wall, praying that the top would
stay clear of the cloudbase just above the summit. Poor
light restricted my photo's today which meant Paul had to
take a few more than usual as mine didn't want to get wet. I
stopped frequently on the way up to catch my breath and
glimpse the views back down over Wasdale. I noticed that a
huge amount of the boulders cleared by the farmers were made
up into walls in this area, and some of them were mighty
thick. These would have been from a huge glacial outwash
that deposited lots of side morraines off the retreating
glaciers in the last ice age. In the fields where there were
too many the farmers just walled them in where they are
piled high. We soon reached the scree and a rock scramble,
and thankfully these were relatively free of snow and ice.
Lexi the collie had no problems going up the slopes and was
ever obedient, going where she was directed - if Carling
made sheepdogs they would be like Lexi. The slopes ahead
were steep, but for me not too difficult, and we took
slightly different routes to crest the summit, with me
ending up next to the 'Great Door'. A suitably named rift in
the rock above and a steep scree slope below - I'm glad we
came up our side of the hill. Up on the ridge of Yewbarrow
we could see only down and across the valley, all the boys
were hidden from view. There are plenty of Wainwrights
around here but it's a big walk to link them all together.
The Great Door
steeply down to Overbeck
a long way down to Wast Water
looking down to the way up Yewbarrow
the snapper snapped along Yewbarrow
There are two summits on Yewbarrow, the SE and the NW which is
the higher of the two. We made our way along, a bit chillier
and windier on the top, with steep views down to Overbeck
below. We could also see Seatallan and Middle Fell across
the way, but still couldn't see up to Red Pike. The ridge
led us up to Stirrup Crag and apparently the square end of
the earth. There's a very long drop from here down to Dore
Head and it's not for the faint hearted. It looked very
dodgy from the top and Paul disappeared from view. Dibble
already expressed some reservations and Lexi looked back as
if to say 'you must be blinking joking'. As the way down
looked icy with some scrambling to the valley, we decided to
leave Paul to it and return down to Overbeck from a little
further along the ridge. I had a scan of the hillside and
picked out a gap in the crags that we could weave down.
Dibbs said there was a cairn that marked a path down but it
looked a bit close to the rocky bits so we went further
along. Where we descended were tow huge slabs of snow, full
of wrinkles and ready to go to the valley below, so we
gingerly tiptoed away and tried not to trigger an avalanche.
The snow was melting at this level, so it was a little
slippery at times where it lay thinly on the grass. Further
down we hunted for snow patches as it made the descent much
quicker and easier, zigzagging to the valley below.
Lexi with cold feet probably
the NW summit of Yewbarrow
it's not hard to wonder what Lexi thinks of this
steep down to Dore Head
on the way down to Overbeck
windswept up to Red Pike
Paul was
waiting for us and explained the route down from Stirrup
Crag - it sounded a bit hairy and Lexi would not have made
it without having a bit of trouble. Rather than tackle Red
Pike head on in the inclement weather , we decided to head
up to Low Tarn for a spot of lunch. We made our own path up
to Low Tarn, up the tufty grass and once we were up there we
ate quickly - it doesn't take long to lose some bodyheat in
these conditions - especially from the extremities. A quick
snack and then Paul ventured the immortal words - 'it's only
20 mins to the top'. Well it might be for Usain Bolt but not
for me - but as we were there we all agreed. Pretty soon we
met the snowline and the steeper ground, but thankfully we
were relatively sheltered on the lee side of Red Pike. Paul
led the way doing the hard work to break the trail, and we
followed in his footsteps and gradually gained higher
ground. As we did the wind picked up and we were into the
weather - a stinging combination of sleet, snow, and
spindrift. It took me an age to get the camera out and get
sorted, and Paul was at the top by the time I got going
again. It should have been spectacular views from up here
but we didn't have any, just a white space. The snow
conditions were a mix of icy snow with 1" of powder lying
around, and the cornices looked treacherous as well. We
stayed well away from the edge plodding like Arctic
explorers until we got to the summit cairn. The cairn stands
at the top of a steep corrie, with vertiginous drops down to
Mosedale below - but we didn't get to see them for long.
Lexi spun around in a circle, telling us it was time to drop
down out of the weather.
up to the peak
Red Pike cairn and Lexi is ready to go
on the way down to Scoat Tarn
Netherbeck down in the valley below Seatallan
down Netherbeck with Yewbarrow behind
We headed for the next col and then
dropped down out of the wind towards Scoat Tarn as quickly as we
could. The original plan was to take in Scoat Fell, Steeple
and Haycock, but there was no way today without crampons and
ice axe. We quickly walked down in soft snow, not so easy
going but a lot safer, and we only fell over a few times,
but nothing spectacular. We had to stop to de-ice Lexi as
she looked like a model for snowballs as her fur got snow
bound. Scoat Tarn sits in a corrie below Red Pike and Scoat
Fell and then the valley takes another big dip down towards
Netherbeck, before another dip down to the valley below -
like a double dip. Looking at all the surrounding hills made
me realise that this was a huge catchment area in the ice
age, which gave rise to some great features in this area,
the glaciers flowing out to the west - I guess that's why
Wast Water is the deepest of the Lakes lakes. Dibbs
refreshed our palettes with some lovely crunchy biscuits
that went down well. We wandered down to the valley of
Netherbeck, over a boulder field and crossed to the other
side of the stream. Paul bounded onwards while I paused to
take a few pictures as the views improved.
Illgill Head across Wast Water
bet that's cold
nearly at the road
a last look over to Yewbarrow
There were plenty
of small falls and the path was pretty boggy, not surprising
considering how much snow we've had this winter, and when
the thaw sets in it will be a splodge. It was a pleasant
walk all the way down to the road at Wasdale - the small
bridge and stand of Scots Pine a fine exit point. We had a
short walk back along the road to the car park with fine
views of Yewbarrow. I know I will like Wasdale when I get
around to actually seeing it! If you look at the Wasdale
views you'll see that I did eventually see it.....and what a
view I had, well worth the wait.
a soggy shot
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