Rambling Pete

The Cumbria Way 2012

OK who nicked my mojo? I had legs of lead today so it was just as well I only had a short walk to Keswick. I had plenty of options with the prime one – take it easy. So I’ve had a real stroll today which has been more than relaxing, but I still had a climb or two.
I had an excellent breakfast at the Royal Oak in Rosthwaite, taken at a leisurely pace. Everything was slow today – even my blogging which is being washed down with some Boddingtons bitter (the cream of Manchester). After having an interesting chat with the owner (a MRT member) I got booted and suited in the porch and wandered out into the day. The cloudbase was still low on the higher fells which instantly put me off venturing up to High Spy, my original choice of route. The Cumbria Way between Rosthwaite and Keswick sticks to the low ground, winding around Derwent Water through forest. So I decided to take to the higher ground for the views. Without a definite plan it really turned into a stroll, along past the Flock In cafe, which was flocking shut, so no sandwich from there. Castle Crag was definitely on the agenda as unsurprisingly it’s another one of my favourites. Along by the beck a new wall has been built, presumably as some form of flood defence. There is lots of work being done around Keswick, which isn’t surprising after the big floods of a year or two ago. The Cumbria Way peels off around the east side of Castle Crag, while I shuffled off up the slopes, steep enough for first thing in the morning. It was a little windy today with enough of a chill to need the Paramo top on, with the sleeves pulled up to the elbow to vent some heat away – too cold without and too hot with. Castle Crag is all pleasure though, a small fell quarried years ago, with a massive slate pile below its summit. A row of Scots Pine lend it the air of a Japanese landscape, fairly unique in the Lake District. I had good views back down on Rosthwaite and Langstrath, and it looked as if my patch of blue would follow me along later on. Up to Castle Crag is a zigzag path through the slate spoil, emerging on a level where people have built many small cairns – there’s more every time I come up here – last time it was plagued with flying ants, which wasn’t nice. Up on the summit is a war memorial and with good views down Derwent Water it’s a fitting tribute. I still hadn’t thought where ‘next’, so I descended down the slate spoil and joined the bouldery path of the Allerdale Ramble – another LDP through here. Skiddaw is nicely framed between the fells, but lower down the path passes through forest to the River Derwent. There are plenty of campsites along the way, but they don’t have much of a view or seemingly many facilities.
I carried on wandering down to Grange and thought about nipping in for tea and cake, but I was saving myself for tonight's Tapas. Then it was decision time, and as my patch of blue sky was developing nicely I decide to walk up to Cat Bells via Hause Gate. This is a hugely popular fell and the well trodden paths are testament to this. I met three delightful ladies on the way up and we had a good chinwag, and they promised to look at the blog. That good rest set me up for the rest of the ascent, probably one of the easiest ways up to Catbells. The wind was a little biting but the views all around made it worthwhile. Over Derwent Water, Walla Crag was basking in sunlight as was Rosthwaite back in the distance. To the west were plenty of Derwent Fells on show – Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head, with Ard Crags and Grisedale Pike to the west. There’s a bunch of others to see with Skiddaw and Blencathra dominating the view to the north. The sun was in and out, lighting up the end of the Cat Bells ridge. Off the end of Brandlehow the slopes give a steep descent down rocky ground – rocky due to the amount of erosion caused by foot traffic coming up from Keswick, and it must surely be one of the most trodden routes in the Lake District.
After reaching the roads the path disappeared into woodland for a little while, emerging briefly at Nichol End boatyard. Plenty of boats onshore getting their bottoms scraped – you can’t beat a good scratch. Then a little bit of roadwork to Portinsvale, before crossing the Derwent again via an iron suspension bridge. All that remained was a walk across the floodplain to sample the fleshpots of Keswick, or just have a pint or several. Another good forecast for tomorrow and I’ll take the high route over High Pike to Caldbeck.

setting out along the lanes from Rosthwaite an early morning glow is welcome - High Scawdel and High Spy ahead

looking back to Rosthwaite

newly laid track alongside the River Derwent. Castle Crag up to the right.

it's called the new bridge on the OS map, where I crossed over the Derwent

the Cumbria Way soon leaves the floodplain and my route  starts to ascend through light woodland

the official Cumbria Way sticks to the low land today

the Scots Pine and slate spoil heaps leading to Castle Crag

looking over to Bessyboot (Seathwaite Fell) and Glaramara in the clouds

a little bit of ascent leads up to the spoil heaps

then it's a question of winding your way up to the top on the zigzag paths

a panorama of Rosthwaite and the big hills beyond - L to R - Great Crag, Ullscarf, Eagle Crag, High Raise, Bessyboot, Rosthwaite Fell, Glaramara in cloud, Great End and High Scawdel

from the summit looking north to Grange, Derwent Water, and Skiddaw. Pointy Cat Bells on the left

another favourite lakes view looking down at the top of the slate spoil

back down to the Allerdale Ramble path

down through Low How Woods I reach the River Derwent at Gowder Dub

the way passes a few campsites. Looking back to Castle Crag.

I followed the road into Grange. Looking over to High Seat and the Armboth Fells

after following the road from Grange to just after Manesty the path steadily climbs up the hillside to Hause Gate. You can see how small Castle Crag is.

nice and steady gets you there

with plenty of stops to admire the scenery - Grange Fell across the valley

higher up the slopes are more paths leading up to the top

up on the top the view back to Maiden Moor

Rosthwaite is now a dot in the valley below

the sun is with me on my way up to Cat Bells, but Blencathra looks like an exploding volcano of cloud. The Pennines are clear in the distance

another panorama looking across to Causey Pike and the Derwent Fells

lots of big hills on view and no wonder that it's so popular up here. Little Town down below, with Hindscarth and Robinson beyond

Keswick from the summit of Cat Bells, with the moody Skiddaw and Blencathra behind

it's quite a steep slope up to the top of Cat Bells

and quite a steep path down as well. Skelgill Bank is below

a choice of many paths through bracken in the summer

the view over to Causey Pike and Ard Crags, with Little Town on the left

L to R - Cat Bells, Dale Head, Hindscarth and Robinson

Swinside is the little round hill in the sun, with Bassenthwaite Lake stretching out in the distance

looking back to Cat Bells

some great light today and I wished I had my big camera

nearly down to the road at Hawes End

through more thin woodland

passing by Nichol End boatyard. Latrigg is across Derwent Water

the suspension bridge as I leave Portinscale

another walk across a floodplain all the way to Keswick

the day fading away and a last look to Cat Bells

and a wander into the town centre to the B&B

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