This is the first walk of our annual week in the Lake District, I make no apologies (to Dartmoor) when I say I love this place. Yes there are higher places, more remote places, however when I’m heading past Lancaster and the high fells come into view I feel happy, very happy. After a horrific 9 and a half hour drive up from Plymouth on the Friday, I was almost ready to turn back and give the week up!!! However the next day all that angst has gone away and by the time I took the first photo, the world was right again. This walk is a simple one on paper, Honister provides a bit of elevation meaning the final climb is halved to the top of Grey Knotts, the views are therefore immediate. Enjoyment started from the car door, the steep climb up to Grey Knotts doesn’t give much time for a warm up but you want to stop to enjoy the views to the eastern fells anyway!! Grey Knotts was bagged and the walk to Brandreth is easy from there. We looked to possibly bag Fleetwith Pike as well however a later start meant we walked back along the Drum House track to the slate mines and an ice cream. A brilliant start to the week.
What a view. Looking towards Seatoller from Honister with the Eastern Fells the furthest ridge away.Me and the boys start the climb with Honister Slate Mine belowFleetwith Pike from the climb to Grey Knotts, the mine road can be seen snaking its way up the fellFollow the fence up the steep climb!As we near the top you get this wow view to the east. The ridge in the distance includes (left to right) Clough Head, The Dodds, Raise and Helvellyn in the cloudGrey Knotts summit area and the large bulk of the High Stile ridge in the centre of the photoThe north western fells, with Grasmoor the dark fell at the back left, Dale Head in the sun on the rightFantastic clouds over the Scafells, Base Brown the nearest fell to us in the sunBrandeth is just beyond the tarn with Green Gable further on and in the cloudAdmiring the view from Grey KnottsMe and the eldest on Grey Knotts summitIts a very short walk to Brandreth, here’s the boys with the pile of wooden stakes that have been here (unerected) for years now.Green Gable has cleared the cloud now but Great Gable just hangs on to a cloud top!The view east from Brandreth to the Helvellyn rangeThe view to Buttermere is a little restricted from Brandreth summit, however a short walk in that direction solves thatEven on a dull day one of the best views there is. Ennerdale on the left with Pillar rising to the left. The High Stile ridge in the centre. Buttermere and Crummock Water to the right with Grasmoor the large fell furthest right“What a view”. Couldn’t agree more!Haystacks furthest left with High Stile looking huge from here. Fleetwith Pike on the right and purple heather everywhere. It was at this point I decided to pass on Fleetwith and head for the carPillar with a cloudy top, Haystacks in the middle and High Crag and High Stile to the rightLooking from Drum House down the path back to Honister, this would have been the old mine cart trackHonister Slate Mine and that view on the first picture. Just a stunning way to start the walk and the holiday
treksandtors 