Grike to Haycock

Grike - Crag Fell - Whoop - Lank Rigg - Caw Fell - Haycock

25th March 2008
14.6 miles - 3854 ft As.

I guess many people don't bother to read my ramblings and comments about the walks I do, many just want to look at the photo's, and that's cool with me, but for those that do here is a little more info on the walk I did today, and how I broke not one, but two of my cardinal rules of walking.

When ever I go walking I have a set routine the night before, regardless of whether I am walking alone or with the family or friends. I check all the kit that I always have with me, first aid kit, water proofs, etc. I print out a map of my route as well as making sure the GPS is programmed and I have my OS map to boot.
Then it's down to the kitchen to make my butties. I make two lots, one for the walk and one for the car when I get back after the walk. I rinse out my flasks and hydration unit basically leaving myself as little as possible to do in the morning.
Come the morning, usually around 5am, I have a very set routine. Dog out the back, kettle on - Bathroom - Fridge. Butties out and into my back pack and spare bag. Dont ask me why but for some reason this last part of my 'set routine' failed to happen today, and because it's so set, once I had got to the having breakfast part of the morning it went totally out of my head.
It wasn't until I arrived at Ennerdale car park that I peared into my pack and thought... well actually I can't tell you what I thought... it was ermmm not nice. Had I been on holiday, been in the middle of my quest to do AW's 214, at this point I would have gotten back in the car, driven back to Keswick, bought some food when the shops opened, and then gone and walked some other smaller walk. Instead I chose to do the walk anyway, an eight hour walk, in snowy conditions with no food at all. If anyone want's to shout at me please feel free... I'd do the same if it where you.. my only escuse is that this was my 3rd to last walk, Ennerdale is about as far away from Blackpool as you can get and I really needed to get these five fells ticked off.. still no excuse.
More late on my 2nd naughty moment

The route through the trees near Crag Farm House is for once very easy to see.. and the steep ascent
certainly got my blood flowing from the very start of the walk

Once through the trees you come out to a wonderful view of the end of Ennerdale.
It is to be noted that at this point the path veers off to the right up the steep hill and looking at the map
I did think about going that way .. for once I thought best to stick to the route I had and carried on to Ben Gill.
As it turns out going the other would have saved me some time and is the most direct route up to Grike.

A close up of the end of Ennerdale and the path I would use some eight hours later ..

Crossing Ben Gill was wonderful, its a great little place to sit and watch the water flow by..
no time for that today sadly.

The rock faces of Ben Gill

Once I had followed my route around the Gill and climbed up towards Grike I got my first views of Lank Rigg..

and of Crag Fell off the the left.
Follow Crag Fell down to the right and you can see the forrestry area,
and then the wall that leads all the way to Iron Crag.

Looking back the other way from Grike's summit - the water is Meadley res.

I set off towards Crag Fell and got this photo of the VERY long walk up to Iron Crag from Crag Fell
which if off to the left out of shot.
It seems a long way, but you have to realize that where the wall looks like a letter S, center of picture,
is where you turn sharpe right and head off towards Whoap and Lank Rigg... so it's even further than it looks.

From the same place the view back to Grike

Crag Fell Summit with Herdus and Great Borne behind

From Crag Fell's summit looking along the zig zag wall to Iron Crag and Caw Fell to the right.

Knock Murton to the left, with Blake Fell and Gavel Fell Center and right.

I'm guessing that on a clear sunny day this is one of the best views in the lakes...
it wasn't half bad today!

Someone is playing games in the snow...

I'm not sure I'd like these conditions all the time... Jay on the other hand....

The far end of Ennerdale, High Stile and High Crag off to the left.

Having left Crag Fell it was now right turn and the slog over Whoap and up Lank Rigg.
This really was a slog, the snow in places was deep enough for my feet to disappear
and when you get to the summit of Whoap...

... the climb up Lank Rigg is a lot steeper than it had looked from the other angles.

Looking over the summit to Lank Rigg tarn. I bet the view from the cairn you can see is brilliant,
I didn't have the energy to walk over to it today..

From Lank Rigg summit a close up of Caw Fell.
A.W. wrote that Caw Fell, "should not be underestimated .. that a fair march is needed from any direction'!
AMEN say I!

Lank Rigg trig point with Whoap near left and the wall leading to Iron Crag and Caw Fell.

Have to say I was really in need of a break at this point, the climb up through the snow had tired me out.
However the wind was really starting to get up and so after only a short stop for a cup of coffee I pressed on.

Great Borne in the distance and that dreaded wall again..

Looking over to Crag Fell

Finally I make it back to where I had left the wall to go over to Whoap.

Iron Crag's cairn with Pillar and Steeple behind in the clouds.

Still a long way to go, Caw Fell off to the right with Haycock in the distance to the left.

I'd like to wander around here some more one day.. when I have some more time.. Iron Crag's cairm...
It was some where around here that I first started to feel the back of my right leg twinge.
It wasn't a full blown muscle pull, but it hurt more and more as I went on.
This is my second slightly iffy decision.
Normally with any injury I would look on the map and find my quickest way back.
Unfortunatly with this place there was no quick way back and I really did not fancy having to
come all the way back again just to do Caw and Haycock.. I pressed on.

The wind was really blowing as I walked down from Iron Crag into the valley which is the top of Bleaberry Gill.
The climb up to Caw Fell was the worst climb of the day by a long way..
I didn't even get the camera out it was that hard.
The snow had drifted all over the place and what path there was had vanished.
Finally I made it to Caw Fell's summit.

There was no hanging around up there, back to 'that wall' and the walk to Haycock.

The dark area just left of center is Little Gowder Crag, to the left of that is Haycock.

Looking through the mist to what I think will be Ravenglass

Haycock's summit and time to find shelter and collapse in a heap..
my leg was really sore now and I wasn't looking forward to the 5 mile walk back to the car.
I was also really missing those butties!

Through the snow storm and the mist, Scoat Tarn

From near the summit of Haycock looking down on Little Gowder Crag and Ennerdale.
Time to put the camera away and concentrate on the long walk

At the bottom of Woundell Beck some locals

Please do email us if you have any comments. Chris

BACK to the WALKING PAGE.