Haystacks – my final Wainwright fell

/ 06/08/2024

So this was it, 14 years, 30 visits to the Lakes, around 24,000 miles driven and 91 walks. It all boiled down to this final walk, which would be number 92 and would take me to almost 540 miles of walking to bag all of them. Lots of people leave an easier fell to finish with, so that family can join them, I certainly wanted Linda and my boys to be there, but having my sister, brother-in-law and their two boys also on the walk, was a real treat. It was also a nice symmetry, as my sister was on my first walk to Helvellyn in 2010, and also on my final one as well. I’d decided on a nice ascent to this summit, leaving from the Honister Youth Hostel and heading up the gently sloping Drum House path. From there we had a challenging crossing of Warnscale Beck, after rain the previous day the beck was fairly high but eventually we managed to get across the stones, they were less slippery than we originally thought. Next we passed Blackbeck Tarn and our first views of many stunning views down towards Buttermere. Before I knew I was walking past Innominate Tarn, Wainwright’s resting place, and the summit was ahead of me. My final few steps to my last summit. We took a few photos from the top, and visited a few of the other tops around the summit area, to see if the views were better. We then fancied some food, so headed away from the cairns to a top overlooking Ennerdale, for some lunch. For some reason every other party that reached the summit assumed we were sat at the top. One party of older gentlemen were all a bit sweaty and tired as they stumbled around us as we ate, one fella kicked my camera and bag as he shakily tried to make it to his friends. I couldn’t be bothered telling them it wasn’t the summit.

Food consumed myself and Linda headed off for the summit one more time for a photo with my 214 T shirt, before heading back down. I had a little moment to myself by Innominate Tarn, to thank Alfred for giving me a reason to keep coming back so often to this superb place. We crossed Warnscale Beck easier the second time, and enjoyed watching other groups struggle to get across, on reaching Dubs Hut again, we decided that we could take in Fleetwith Pike as well, the path wasn’t great across here, and was boggy in places. However, the youngest of the group was still going strongly, and Linda played Pied Piper with a pocket full of sweets to make sure he made the top!! The cloud had covered the skies by the time we made the summit, so the edge had been taken off the normally superb views down to Buttermere. A simple walk along the path took us back to the mine workings and the road/track back down to the mine. So that is that, Wainwright’s bagged, 214 done. Ding, ding round 2 anyone!!

Start – Honister Youth Hostel and Mine

Route – Drum House trackway – Dubs Hut – Warnscale Beck – Blackbeck Tarn – Innominate Tarn – Haystacks – Innominate Tarn – Blackbeck Tarn – Warnscale Beck – Dubs Hut – Fleetwith Pike – Honister Crag – Honister Youth Hostel and mine

Distance – 6.5 miles  Start time – 9.30am  Time taken – 6hrs Highest Point – Fleetwith Pike 648 metres

Weather – Lots of sunshine until Fleetwith Pike, then mainly cloudy

© Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey FL 2024 SF
Looking back down the Honister Pass towards the Seatoller, the Helvellyn ridge is at the back.
We’d parked in the National Trust’s car park by the youth hostel, here we are walking past the slate mine building. Honister Crag is the steeply angled rock face up there.
The Buttermere side of the Honister Pass
The mine level can be seen clearly on the face of Dale Head, showing that the mine was on both sides of the road.
Looking back down to the slate mine and the car parks
A herdy gives us all a glance as we walk past heading up the Drum House path
The Drum House path, this would have had carts bringing down the slate towards the mine workings at the bottom
At the top of the Drum House path you get views towards Pillar (just in cloud) with High Stile over to the right. You can see Haystacks peeking up just above the path.
Further left you can see Kirk Fell to the left of Pillar. The Moses Trod path sets off from here in that direction as well.
Looking back the other way towards Helvellyn
Dubs Hut was soon reached, there was obviously a large cloud shadowing High Crag behind
As it says on the door
We’d all taken shoes off to cross Warnscale Beck, which was running pretty high. As it was the stones were pretty grippy, so there was no need to take shoes off.
Two lots of 8 legged, 2 headed sheep watch our crossing efforts 😂
Heather covers the hillsides as we head over towards Blackbeck Tarn, again High Crag in the distance, this time without the dark shadow
Now then, that’s what its all about. Stunning views down to Buttermere. High Crag and the High Stile ridge is up on the left, that’s Grasmoor back right
Myself and Linda, soaking up the sunshine on this walk
Blackbeck Tarn backed by high fells. Great Gable is in the centre, with pointy Green Gable to the left of that, and Brandreth further left. Kirk Fell is to the right
The outflow from Blackbeck Tarn heads into Buttermere, here we head down to cross the outflow, before climbing back up for the final section to the summit
Another stunning view to Buttermere, with Crummock Water at the back of that
Nearing the top, Great Gable looking ominous at the end of Ennerdale
So this was it, the final summit. Myself and Linda at Haystacks
And the boys join in the photo
Fleetwith Pike on the right, Hindscarth on the left. Behind Fleetwith Pike you can just see Dale Head peeking above, the darkest fell peeping up, I think is High Spy, and at the back in the dip is Skiddaw
Helvellyn away in the distance, some superb views on this sunny day. I couldn’t have asked for a better day to complete the 214.
High Crag with Gamlin End the scree slope up to the summit on the left. A tough ascent or descent of that fell.
Ennerdale, with Ennerdale Water looking miles away from here. High Crag up to the right, Pillar is on the left and at the far end of Ennerdale Water is Crag Fell
Kirk Fell to the right and at the head of Ennerdale is Great Gable from our lunch spot. Scafell Pike can be seen in the gap between those two fells at the back. We soon would be swamped and trampled on by a group of older fellas all thinking we were sat at the summit, which we weren’t, as we are considerate walkers who don’t sit by the summit, to allow others to take their photos.
Our lunch spot, the summit is over there on the right, there’s another option straight ahead of us here. But not where we are here, at least 3 sets of people came here thinking they had made the summit.
Tiffin at the top
Myself and Linda had popped back to the top to get one more photo in my 214 t-shirt
Innominate Tarn with Pillar behind. I was last to reach this point, so stopped and said thank you to Alfred for giving me a brilliant reason to keep visiting this part of the world
Looking down the outflow from Blackbeck Tarn to Buttermere. Warnscale Bottom is the flat green area this side of the lake
All in a line back towards Dubs Hut
We crossed Warnscale Beck with ease this time. Linda had given advice to those trying to cross behind us, but they didn’t want to heed that advice. One person has gone rogue and tried to cross much further upstream and is now trying to dodge the bogs on the way back.
Dubs Hut with Haystack behind. High Crag to the right and Pillar standing guard at the back. It was at this point that we decided to also summit Fleetwith Pike with the sun shining, Linda broke out the sweets and the little ones were fueled again to the top.
By the time we reached the top of Fleetwith Pike, the sun had gone and cloud covered the skies. Still its a lovely view down from up here.
Fleetwith Pike summit cairn, Haystacks, Pillar and High Crag beyond
Cloud now touches the top of Scafell in the distance. For now both Great Gable and Kirk Fell are clear
My sister and her youngest take in the view along Buttermere
The cousins play ‘pile on’ with my eldest.
On the way back you pass some vertiginous views down to the Honister Pass from Honister Crag
Slate mine workings, as we reach the main track back
On the track now, with the Helvellyn ridge at the back again
Playing peek a boo with a huge truck!
Not far now, I was at the back with Linda at this point, not wanting my 214 walks to finish
And this was it, back at the car. We did look for a pub on the way back to the house, but Stonethwaite was rammed with cars and the new pub in Seatoller wasn’t open. So we headed to the house instead for a celebration pint. So what to do next, well I will certainly look to visit other parts of the UK, but the Lakes will always keep drawing me back. I’ll definitely look to visit my favourite fells again, possibly by different routes, and return to those ones were clouds obscured the views. Plus Linda has now bagged 47 of her own Wainwrights, my eldest has 66 and my youngest 63, so maybe helping them to add to their lists as well. Plus there is always round 2 😁

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29 thoughts on “Haystacks – my final Wainwright fell”

  2. Wow, congratulations, looked like you saved the best for last! Nice that the family joined you including your sister, having done the first one.
    I’m sure you will be helping everyone with their Wainwright tallies in the future. And how about Wainwrights outlying fells…

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    • Not sure about all the outlying fells, quite like the area of the Duddon Fells, so might look at some of those, but a revisit to lots of my favourites and those that were covered in cloud will be first up

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  3. Congratulations! Always nice to finish something worthwhile like that – not that I am very familiar with that feeling! Fabulous photos btw. Both the eight-legged sheep and the ‘pile-on’ made me chuckle. In the summer, I attempted an Ennerdale round over two days, starting with Caw Fell. When I got to Haystacks the sight of Gamlin End totally did for what little resolve I had left! You’ll probably see it on my blog some time in 2052.
    Munros next?

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    • Have to say travelling to the Lakes is far enough, I’ll certainly look at walks in Scotland now, but 282 Munros is probably too much for me. I’ve got lots of the south west coastal path to do still, Peak District to start looking at, and loads I want to do in Brecons, Snowdonia, Dales and some revisits to the Lakes as well

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      • So many places to go! I’ve been stalled with the Munros for decades, although I do occasionally do a new one, mostly I only climb ones I’ve already done with friends who are more single minded than me. I’ll never finish them, but I’m very relaxed with that!

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      • If I lived nearer to Scotland I can’t see me completing them, those on Skye look too tricky for me, the Fisherfield ones look demanding in remoteness. Liathach and An Teallach as well look difficult. I’d probably have 10 or so that I wouldn’t be happy attempting

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      • Quite. I’ve done Liathach, more than once, always in the winter, but that was a long time ago. Some of the Fisherfield hills too (with Andy, surprise, surprise). I’ve also done bits of the Skye ridge, but I can’t see me ever adding to my tally there. I do still harbour an ambition to have a proper look at An Teallach.

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    • South West Coastal Path is probably next to finish on my list, being 2/3rds completed now. But there’s always Brecons, Snowdonia, Peak District, Dales and more to see. Might even go abroad at some point as well😁

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  8. Congratulations! Great report.

    Haystacks was actually my first Wainwright – back in 2010 as well. I was more focused on Munros back then but the Wainwright bagging picked up when I realised I’d never finish the Munros. Still not sure I’ll finish the W’s either as I’ve left a lot of the harder ones till the end.

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    • Thank you. You’re getting closer, just pick off the ones you can first. Kirk Fell and Yewbarrow are probably the ones that I was concerned with the most, but Kirk Fell is easiest from the Great Gable side, and Yewbarrow on the middle path up to the saddle

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    • It was a strange feeling, proud of myself for finishing, but I remember sitting at the house later that evening, wondering what to do for the rest of the holiday. Thankfully we picked up our boots the next day and did Walla Crag, so its nice to keep going and visit the best places again

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  10. Well first off… Congrats!! 🎉😁 And second, love the family photos, great memories for all! Ashame not all could make it, but at least the special achievement wasn’t alone 🙂 !

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  13. Well done!

    Plenty of lists for you do yet. How about the Nuttalls both in England and Wales. Like Mark, I’ll never finish the Munros, I have about 60 left but I’m not dedicated enough to either get someone to take me up a couple of the Skye ones that are above my grade or to bother with some of the dreary ones I have left when there are loads of great hills in Scotland.

    And of course, you have my unfinished business in my neck of the woods – you planning a trip next spring again so we can meet up?

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  14. Well done indeed. I remember climbing Haystacks on my 50th birthday visit (now quite a long time ago unfortunately) and everywhere was covered with snow, it was just magical. I’ve always wanted to do AW’s coast to coast path, perhaps that could be added to your ‘possibles’ list too…

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