Red Screes and Middle Dodd

As always a week in the Lake District is much anticipated and goes with plenty of planning, this year the house was in Little Langdale. However, this walk was not really on the agenda, but after 6 or so hours in a car from Plymouth and an hour or so before being allowed in the house, I decided a leg stretch was required. Reaching a long tail back on the road from Kendal to Windermere, I saw a number of cars darting right down a country lane near Ings. Guessing they knew where they were going, I followed, the first turned into a farm, the second into a house. I had 4 other cars behind me, so I kept going and popped out on the road to Troutbeck. Brilliant!! This road becomes the Kirkstone Pass, which for me meant a walk from there. I chose Red Screes via the Kilnshaw chimney (bit of a scree scramble but nothing too hard) and I would add on Middle Dodd if time allowed. A great start to the week.

Start – Kirkstone Pass

Route – Kilnshaw Chimney – Red Screes – Middle Dodd – Red Screes – Kirkstone Pass

Distance – 2 miles Start time – 3.15pm Time taken – 1 3/4 hrs Highest Point – Red Screes 776m

Weather – Sunny to the south and cloudy to the north

© Crown copyright 2014 Ordnance Survey FL 2014 SF

Start of the walk looking to Wansfell in the centre with Windermere just visible to the right and the Kirkstone pass on the left

Climbing steeply looking down to the pub, the road wiggling away to the right (The Struggle) heads to Ambleside.

Looking across the side of Raven Crag to Windermere

Looking up the Kilnshaw chimney

Stopping for a breather to take in the view

Looking back down the chimney to the pub and the Kirkstone pass

Red Screes summit

From the summit looking across to Bowfell and The Scafells

Summit shelter and the view to Windermere

The route down to Middle Dodd with Brothers Water beyond

Middle Dodd summit with Place Fell directly behind Brothers Water, the weather not as good to the north……

as it was to the south, as I look back to Red Screes

Looking across Little Hart Crag to a distant Helvellyn

Back at Red Screes summit, it was here I realised that 6 or so hours in a car was not good preparation for this walk!!! Still at least the sun is out!