Cumbrian Way, Over the Tops to Langdale.

Ascent from Coppermines Valley, Swirl How on the skyline ahead.

On the second day of our epic adventure we walked from Coniston to Great Langdale 12.5km, the highest point of the day was Swirl How 770m. We descended to the Three Shires Stone on Wrynose Pass then walked N. over the pass between Cold Pike and Pike of Blisco past Red Tarn and down into Langdale and a welcome pint at the ODG.

Kennel Crag above Levers water is ahead, beyond the old mine buildings, the route went up the right hand side of the crag on a stone causeway just visible to the left of the stone built buttress in the foreground. 

The group take a break beside the old mine buildings above Coppermines valley.

Looking S. down Red Dell Beck into Coppermines valley

Ascending the stone causeway that leads from Red Dell past Kennel Crag to Levers Water 410m

The hot dry weather had left Levers Water at low ebb. Beyond the reservoir are Great How Crags on the E face of Swirl How. 

Ascent from Levers Water towards Swirl Hawse the 620m col between Swirl How and Wetherlam.

Prison Band is the steep ridge that ascends from Swirl Hawse to the summit of Swirl How. Levers Water is in view below and far beyond is Coniston Water. 

The group with Pete and Bella on the summit of Swirl How 770m

Great Carrs from Swirl How. To the right of the peak of Great Carrs, far in the distance can be seen Red Tarn, our objective before descent into Langdale.

Red Tarn lies in the dip between Pike of Blisco and Cold Pike, beyond are Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell. Our descent into Great Langdale is to the right following the outflow of the tarn, Browney Gill.

Red Tarn looking back along our route towards the Coniston fells



The steep descent down Browney Gill into Oxendale, the view dominated by Pike o' Stickle above Great Langdale.

Four Days on the Hill in July

The beginning of the adventure at Stonestar in the Duddon Valley 10.30am Tuesday 30/6

Between Tuesday 30 June and Friday 3 July Pete and his intrepid group of walkers made their way N to S on a high level route across the Lake District from the Duddon Valley to Caldbeck. The route offered an immense variety of differing landscape, we were often off the beaten track, on rough paths and tracks, sometimes on no path at all, there were steep rocky ascents, bogs, head-high bracken and bugs and midges to battle with, there was never a dull moment. The weather was kind to us, not a drop of rain and a dry baking heat and clear skies for much of the four days we were walking, I lost a few pounds and I'm sure we all did.

Day One took us from Stonestar in the Duddon Valley to Coniston, 15.5km over the tops of Great Stickle, Stickle Pike and Caw which at 529m was the highest top of the day though the highest point of the day was the crest of the Walna Scar Road 600m. The accompanying photos were taken by Judith and Pete, they are in chronological order and should provide both a snapshot and a flavour of our four day adventure...

Great Stickle 305m our first top of the day.

Stickle Pike 375m Reigning Peak of the Dunnerdale Fells



Alan scrambles the Pike the hard way.

Pete takes a "selfie" on Stickle Pike  

Stickle Pike looking N. towards Caw and the Coniston Fells

A break between Caw and Pikes, layers are coming off 

Looking N. from Pikes towards White Maiden, this was a pathless section though a good track below led to the Walna Scar Quarry. 

Looking S. to Caw from the Walna Scar Quarry

Pete and Bella, Colin, Ingrid, Alan, Tommy, Julie and Judith who took this selfie of the group at the Walna Scar Quarry,

Waiting for stragglers at the bridge over the Torver Beck on the Walna Scar Rd.

Today...A recce of the route...

Doggedly determined Bella with Pete in Mosedale.

There's a place to park at the head of the valley in Mosedale, but not knowing this, Pete and Bella left the car in Mosedale village and walked the three kilometres up the valley. Anyway it was supposed to be a work-out, a get fit session, as well as a recce of part of Day 4 of the Cumbrian Way Walk which starts next Tuesday and it was certainly that!

I wanted to find a track that rises from the valley of the River Caldew towards Knott, there's one marked on the 25,000 map at NY314313 which leads up the blunt ridge of Cocklakes towards Comb Height and I thought it was a good idea to explore its possibilities.

Mosedale in June

Mosedale means the valley of the peat bog and there are several Mosedales in the Lake District, however this one is probably the most attractive of them, it is a delightful place in June and I was glad I'd left the car far behind.





River Caldew looking West

When approaching from the W the track in question starts up the fellside in a northerly direction 200m after the Blackhazel Beck joins the Caldew from the SE. The track was clearly not subject to a great deal of useage but was quite distinct and was a useful and rapid way up the fellside which would otherwise have meant slow progress in tussocky grass and knee-high heather. The track gave out at about 560m just as the slope eased before reaching the plateau of which Comb Height is marked on the map as the high point at 627m. An increasingly intermittent path led N to a better one which led from Comb Height towards Knott about 1.5km to the WNW.

Comb Height 627m looking towards Knott in the distance centre

 Though dwarfed by mighty Skiddaw to the SW , Knott at 710m is the high point of the surrounding Caldbeck and Uldale Fells and the highest point of the walk on Day 4.

The track gives out and Pete and Bella are in the rough!

After taking a few shots of the sky and his shoes Pete managed this "selfie" up on Comb Height just as the path down the ridge ran out and left them in really rough going. The weather just got better and better though and then they found a path again and all was well with the world.

Mosedale from the lower slopes of Comb Height

A windy recce of the Cumbrian Way route.

Coppermines Valley Coniston

Pete, Lyn, Bella and their old college mate Graham went down to Coniston on Tuesday to recce part of the Cumbrian Way route which they were unfamiliar with. The plan was to see if the path marked on the map from Levers Water up onto Swirl Hawse, between Wetherlam and Swirl How, actually existed or was it one of those rights of way that the OS mark so prominently by a green broken line that may or may not exist on the ground.

Mysterious constructions above Coppermines Valley

It was wet and the wind was increasing, but not too wet and windy to deter the intrepid quartet on their route finding quest. In addition they found an alternative way up to Levers Water from the one we followed last year.

The stone ramp below Kennel Crag

There was a stone-built ramp above the old mine workings in Red Dell, marked on the OS map by two parallel lines. We ascended it then followed a steep path to the top of Kennel Crag from where Levers Water is just a short distance beyond.

Levers Water from Kennel Crag

Levers Water looked grim, enclosed by mist with columns of spray whipped up by the wind, we decided that we would continue alongside the tarn to try and find the path to Swirl Hawse but we would not climb higher. The outlet of the lake (centre) was a raging torrent which we would not be able to cross today.

View across Levers Water to Black Sails, mist lifting.

The path we were looking for is marked on the map ascending the West flank of Black Sails above Swirl Hawse Beck. We discovered that the path does undoubtedly exist and though we didn't follow it far up the valley because of the wind we could clearly see it snaking up the fellside towards Swirl Hawse, which is the pronounced dip in the skyline in the photo above. We crossed swollen Swirl Hawse Beck with difficulty and completed a circuit of Levers Water then as we couldn't cross the outlet we descended into Boulder Valley, traversed across below Grey Crag and went on down to the YHA in Coppermines valley for tea.

Coppermines Valley YHA for tea and a bun.

A Cumbrian Way 2015

Last Year, 2014 expedition at Greenburn Mine.

A Cumbrian Way...Tuesday 30 June to Friday 3 July.

This year Pete and Lyn's expedition will be a four day high-level walk across Cumbria from the sea in the S. to Caldbeck in the north of the county. This is not the "Cumbria Way" of the guidebook, it is rather Pete's own Cumbrian Way, taking a high-level route across the tops of the fells rather than one down along the paths of the valley bottoms. There will be three overnight stays, two in Coniston and one in Keswick, transport and other organisational details will be arranged by ourselves. Only a day sack needs to be carried on the walks.

Tuesday 30/6...Day 1.

Transport by Minibus will be arranged early am. from Keswick to the starting point in the S. Lakes. The day's walk will terminate in Coniston where we stay overnight. Accommodation in Coniston is plentiful but early booking is recommended.
Only a day rucksack is required as the Minibus will deliver overnight bags to our Coniston accommodation.

Wednesday 1/7...Day 2.

The day's walk, from Coniston, will finish in Langdale from where transport will be arranged back to Coniston where we stay for a second night and enjoy a meal together at one of the town's fine dining establishments.

Thursday 2/7...Day 3.

Transport will take us back to our finishing point of yesterday and continue with our overnight bags to our accommodation in Keswick, where Day 3's walk terminates.

Friday 3/7...Day 4.

After a jolly evening together in Keswick the day's walk takes us over the Northern Fells to Caldbeck, our ultimate destination. From here return to Keswick will be arranged by Minibus.

Below are some images of the route taken by Pete in November 2014 

The Walna Scar Road with Coniston in the distance to the N.

On White Maiden, Coniston Water beyond.

Coniston view of the Old Man of Coniston from the Yewdale Hotel



 

Looking S. from White Maiden towards Caw.