This was to be my big walk of the week and it didn’t disappoint. I’d neglected the Far Eastern Wainwrights during the 80 odd I’d done so far and decided this holiday to put that right. I’d fashioned two walks of 5 and 7 fells each, one that took in Steel Fell, Wether Hill, Loadpot Hill, Arthurs Pike and Bonscale Pike, with another that went around Brock Crags, The Nab, Rest Dodd, Rampsgill Head, High Raise, Kidsty Pike and The Knott. I’d plumped for the latter walk however once on the fells, I realised I’d spent too long in bed this morning and too long taking photos of inversions on the way to Hartsop!! This meant that Kidsty Pike and High Raise will need to wait until I go up High Street, plus my legs weren’t quite ready for the steep ascents of Brock Crags and Rest Dodd and they then failed me when trying to get to Rampsgill Head, meaning lots of stops and snacks!! Still the weather was as good as I’ve had in the Lakes, the views were crisp and the noise of the deer rut an ever present sound throughout. The sight of a hundred deer running 100 metres from me across The Nab is one I’ll remember for a while. I’m heading back next year for sure.
Start – Hartsop
Route – Brock Crags – Satura Crag – The Nab – Rest Dodd – Rampsgill Head – The Knott – Hayeswater Gill – Hartsop
Distance – 8 milesStart time – 9.30am Time taken – 6hrs Highest Point – Ramspgill Head 792m
Weather – Beautiful crisp morning, lovely sunshine, inversion over Ullswater. Clouded over later
I was staying in Keswick and this was the view from the end of the road of the inversion over Derwent WaterHaving driven through an inversion over Ullswater I arrived at Hartsop. Here I’m looking back along the path to another smaller inversion over Brothers WaterThreshwaite Mouth at the far end, Caudale Moor on the right and Thornthwaite Crag left. The fields nearer are part of Pasture Bottom (snigger!!)The dark shadow on Grey Crag right and The Knott in the sunshine, that’s my last fell todayBlimey, that was hard work up the zigzag from Hayeswater Gill. I’m at the pointless gate looking to Grey Crag on the left and Caudale Moor to the rightThe air clarity was superb here on Brock Crags summit. St Sunday Crag is middle left with the pointy Catstycam further rightBrothers Water below with the Hartsop above How ridge running from right of picture up to Dove CragThe shapley Grey Crag from Brock CragsAngle Tarn and the Angletarn PikesA bit of zoom brings out the flat topped Fairfield and Hart Crag to the left, the weather was fantastic at this point with dozens of fells in clear viewBelow me a group of deer were warming up for the day, behind me I’d heard the rut and the stags announcing their presence for the last hour, little did I know at this time that I’d get better views of the herds.Looking back to Brock Crags with that backdrop of Eastern FellsAnother herd of deer on the side of Angletarn Pikes as I pass Satura Crag and head to The NabOn The Nab you get a great view of Helvellyn and its surrounding edges. Striding Edge runs from right to left across the middle of the photo, with Catstycam the pointy fell behind itLooking back from The Nab to Rest Dodd which looks a tough climb from hereI’m at the bottom of Rest Dodd here, looking down to Rampsgill. Wether Hill oppositeThe Nab from the same spot, the brown areas are the peat hagsI then spotted some deer running across The Nab below me, I counted to 70 and gave up!!The stag at the back of the herd was making sure everyone around knew he was boss! The noise of the rut was an ever constant and a glorious sound.Rest Dodd summit looking to The NabRampsgill Head with the Knott to the right. Cloud builds behind High StreetThe Eastern Fells from Rest Dodd, to this point the weather had been picture perfectThe wall the joins Rest Dodd to The Knott, I am heading over to the left though to keep the view down into Ramps GillThis fantastic view down into Ramps Gill. The Nab to the left and the Wether Hill ridge to the rightRampsgill Head summitHigh Raise (Mardale) from Rampsgill Head, however I’d decided that I’d cut the walk short to ensure I got back to the car in good daylight as it was around 2pm at this pointShafts of sunlight pierce the clouds over High StreetKidsty Pike, only a ten minute walk away from Rampsgill Head, however I’d decided at this point to include it in a walk with High Raise and High Street so it wasn’t for todayOn The Knott now looking back up to Rampsgill Head with High Raise catching the sun behindA small part of Hayeswater below with High Street up to the leftRest Dodd and The Nab (in the sun) from The KnottI pick up part of the coast to coast route on the way down from The Knott, here looking across to Brock Crags, my first fell todayDown at the outflow from Hayeswater as the cloud drops down on High Street behindThe Knott at the back as I follow the good path down from Hayeswater to the car.
treksandtors 