Catstycam and Birkhouse Moor

/ 11/05/2024

Well this would be my penultimate drive to the Lakes, in order to bag the Wainwrights, on my way to the ultimate 214 total. Around 400 miles of driving before a step was taken. You’d think that sort of drive would put me off walking when I got there, errr no, it didn’t and doesn’t! I’ve summited the likes of Red Screes, Little Hart Crag, Wetherlam and Bakestall after driving up and this time I figured a 7 mile ish walk to Catstycam would be possible. We try to leave around 5am, to avoid the worst of the traffic and give a chance of a walk when we get there, I’d also looked at Sizergh Castle and Scout Scar as a walk on the way in. But when the sun is shining in the Lakes, you go big, and take advantage of the views. We’d made good time on the drive up, arriving in Patterdale around 10.50am, originally I wanted to park in Glenridding in order to follow the Red Tarn Beck back down, after the two fells. However parking on a sunny Saturday in May, in Glenridding was probably gone by 10.30am, so we missed out. Turning around we went back to Patterdale and seeing a ‘P’ sign we followed to the cricket pitch in the village. A good move as there was lots of space on the grass, we pulled up as the mower went back and forth over the 22 yard track. Paying the suggested fee, we headed off up the road towards Grisedale, reaching the stone bridge quickly as we started off uphill in earnest. As we climbed I was struggling, my blood sugars dropping badly all the way up to the Hole in the Wall. It took us around 2 1/2 hours to get from Grisedale Bridge to Hole in the Wall. I was struggling badly and we stopped regularly for micro breaks and 3 or 4 times, for me to take on food, chocolate and sweets. Finally we made Red Tarn and ate lunch, before settling off in a better spirit for the summit of Catstycam. The views from the summit to Ullswater are superb but its the look back at Swirral Edge that draws the gaze. I think if I’d have been in a better condition then we would have done an up and down to Helvellyn (maybe we will save that for another day). We descended quickly and picked off Birkhouse Moor before descending back towards Patterdale. So that was Wainwright number 204 and 205 for me, we were staying near Skelwith Bridge, and had some southern fells to tick off around the Wrynose Pass, plus another visit to Patterdale on this trip up. I’ve also promised to talk about my youngest’s attempt at the Ten Tors 35 mile 2024 route, well that’s at the end of this post, so you’ll have to be patient!

Start – Patterdale

Route – Grisedale Bridge – Grisedale – Grisedale Brow – Hole in the Wall – Red Tarn – Catstycam – Red Tarn – Hole in the Wall – Birkhouse Moor – Grisedale Bridge – Patterdale

Distance – 7.5 miles  Start time – 11.30am  Time taken – 6hrs  Highest Point – Catstycam 890 metres

Weather – Sunshine all the way

© Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey FL 2024 SF
Place Fell dominates the view, the cricket pitch is off to my left here and my car is parked on the right here, more than a 6 and a half away from the cricket square! We start off in warm sunshine at around 11.30am, having been up for nearly 7 hours already.
Leaving Patterdale and entering Grisedale, we will need to get up on that ridge to the right, eventually.
Linda and Striding Edge above her, our path will angle up that way.
Grisedale, with Dollywaggon Pike at the end. St Sunday Crag up on the left, looking huge from down here. St Sunday will be on our list later in the week.
Linda with Place Fell behind her. I’d already stopped once by this point to take on lucozade, and sustenance to get the blood sugars up. Even after 37 years as a type 1, diabetes continues to surprise me.
Grisedale behind Linda (I think I’d stopped again by this point). Stunning scenery all around us, if there is only one valley you ever come to in the Lakes, then come here. Just stunning.
Heading towards Hole in the Wall, I’m struggling with Linda well ahead
Hole in the Wall, Birkhouse Moor is up there on the left. I won’t be alone in standing here and then walking up to Striding Edge, returning via Swirral Edge and back down to the start, missing off both Catstycam and Birkhouse Moor. Only on getting home and the years later, finding out about the Wainwrights and then realising I was metres away from two more fells. And hence having to repeat the same walk again! Almost!
Turning around is the dramatic scene facing the walker. I remember being here in 2010 and looking at the headwall of Helvellyn ahead, Striding Edge was up to the left and looks ok from here. I ignored Catstycam on the right as I didn’t know it existed, this time however we would follow the path through the centre towards the hidden Red Tarn
We’d stopped for lunch by Red Tarn Beck, the outflow from Red Tarn, and then followed the path up towards Swirral Edge. This view gives a lovely view to Striding Edge, which looks very benign from here however the ramp up to Helvellyn from the end of the Edge looks steep!!
Swirral Edge though looked superb from down here, I found Swirral Edge far more difficult in descent when I did it, compared to Striding Edge. I believe its horrible in icy conditions.
Turning at the join of the Swirral Edge path to look at Catstycam, why on earth did I not bag this one 14 years ago!!
Catstycam summit looking down over Birkhouse Moor to Ullswater, as it wriggles away from us towards Penrith. Sheffield Pike on the left.
Looking across to St Sunday Crag and the Far Eastern Fells, including High Street.
Summit selfie
Awesome look back up Swirral Edge, Brown Cove down to the right
Looking at the North Western fells in the distance, with Helvellyn Lower Man up on the left (not a Wainwright) and White Side to the right (which is)
The north ridge of Catstycam, allegedly a great route up, Keppel Cove Dam is at the bottom
Back down near Hole in the Wall and looking back at Catstycam
The headwall of Helvellyn, and our path heading up on the right
Birkhouse Moor summit, next to the wall
Looking back to Helvellyn and the bowl holding Red Tarn, the pointy Catstycam to the right
Linda heading down, Ullswater below and Place Fell beyond that
We join the wall again to follow it towards Patterdale. We would cross the wall on a stile to drop to the right and gain the views along Grisedale again
Stunning views along Grisedale
Dropping down and the best views are still behind us, Striding Edge is up to the right, the good news is I was feeling much better heading in the opposite direction.
Linda is still in front of me however, as she was for most of this walk. Place Fell is rising above us to the left. Ahead are the bumps of Angletarn Pikes.
Grisedale
And the cricket on the pitch to finish an amazing walk. I’d struggled pretty much all the way to Red Tarn but from there it was a superb place to be. Not sure I’d pick such a high fell again after a 400 mile drive, but then again I don’t need to!
Now this is my youngest, 3rd from the right at the end of a successful 35 mile walk over two days. They started at 7am on the Saturday (not a time my youngest normally is awake) and walked on Saturday from Okehampton Army camp to Postbridge, via Prewley Moor, Kitty Tor, Hare Tor, Willsworthy, Standon Farm, Whitebarrow and Higher White Tor. they camped around 7pm that night. We could watch their progress via a live spreadsheet, which updated as they hit the tors and check in points. As we drove up and walked to Catstycam I updated the page and could see they were on target for Postbridge, their target for the day.
His bronze medal, given to 35 milers, silver is 45 and gold to 55 miles. He hopes to go for 45 next year. After Postbridge they went for Sittaford Tor, then Kes Tor, Shilstone Tor, Steeperton Tor, Dinger Tor and then back to the camp. We didn’t walk the Sunday and I spent most of the day refreshing the spreadsheet page, knowing that they had to hit certain checkpoints (or tors) by a certain time. They made Shilstone Tor by 15 mins before it closed, and Dinger Tor by 3 mins. Missing these times means they are forced to stop as they won’t make the 5pm finish time. They finished at 4.30pm, with much celebration in the Lakes!! Proud dad moment! He wants to carry on and do the 45 mile route, which is a good sign!

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15 thoughts on “Catstycam and Birkhouse Moor”

  3. Congratulations to your son on his Ten Tors achievement and to you for persisting and reaching the summit of Catstycam.

    I went to the summit on a wonderful day in October 2021 and was fortunate to realise I could incorporate it with a traverse of Helvellyn up Striding Edge and down Swirral Edge. I thought it was an awesome summit and even appreciated it after the elation of achieving the ascent of Striding Edge earlier in the day. These were the comments in my blog: “Catstye Cam is a very understated summit, nestling as it does in the shadow of the mighty Helvellyn. In fact the views from the summit are second to none in all directions. The top is actually the tenth highest of the 214 Wainwrights and the twelfth highest mountain in England. If it was not so near its dominant neighbour it would surely receive more attention.”

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  8. That’s commitment form both Senior and Junior! Probably such an early start long drive, then the brute of a climb to Hole in the Wall did for you on the way up. Well played Father and Son!

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    • I was cream crackered as we started up the snaking path to the Hole in the Wall, I stopped far too often my own liking. Thankfully after lunch by Red Tarn I’d got my mojo back a bit. As for my youngest, he did superbly, I’ve never been so transfixed by a spreadsheet before, constantly refreshing it as the time of his arrival at the next checkpoint approached.

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