Pete's Mountain Festival Walks

Cat Bells and Maiden Moor seen across Derwent Water

Below are the walks that Pete's guiding during the Mountain Festival in Keswick which runs from Thursday 19 May until Sunday 22 May.  This year Pete has no connection with the KMF, these walks are independent of the festival and can be booked directly from Pete either through his website or ring 017687 71302. Cost this year remains at £20 per person for the day and you'll need some change to pay for transport by bus, launch or Minibus.

Friday 20 May.

Catbells and Borrowdale.

We meet at the Theatre by the Lake at 10am for a trip across Derwent Water to Hawes end on the Walkers Special Launch. From the landing stage below Cat Bells we take the Quiet Way to the top of the fell, past Skelgill and along the old mine road and up into Yewthwaite Comb to the col of Hawes Gate where a spectacular view of Dewent Water rewards the climb. From here it's an easy progress to the summit of Catbells at 451m. We descend into Borrowdale at Manesty and cross the valley by the boardwalk for tea and cakes in the garden of the Mary Mount Hotel. It's an easy ramble back along the lakeside from here, and even easier if you can take the open top bus back to Keswick. 



Saturday 21 May

Esk Pike and Langstrath.

We meet at the Bus Station at 0900am and take the bus to Stonethwaite in Borrowdale. From the village the route takes us along Stonethwaite Beck towards Eagle Crag where we turn south along the long valley of Langstrath and ascend the valley to its head below Angle Tarn. We climb to the tarn then on to Ore Gap and on to the summit of Esk Pike at 885m and a well earned lunch stop. The return route takes us down to Esk Hause and then by way of Styhead Tarn to Seathwaite from where transport will take us back to Keswick.  



Sunday 22 May

Buttermere to Keswick over the Tops. (6 Wainwright peaks)

Meet at the Bus Station at 0900am for transport to Buttermere. From the village we ascend sharply to our first top of the day, Whiteless Pike 660m. The route then takes us on to Wandope and  Eel Crag which at 840m is the highest top of the day. We follow the ridge over Sail and Scar Crags to Causey Pike our final summit which makes a total of six Wainwright tops in the day. Descent is into Newlands where a drink is waiting at the Swinside Inn and where transport will be arranged back to town.

Crinkle Crags, Bow Fell & Esk Pike

The walk over Crinkle Crags, Bow Fell and Esk Pike into Borrowdale on Thursday 23 June was probably the toughest walk on KR's programme this year. The total distance from the Old Dungeon Gill Hotel in Langdale to Seathwaite Farm was 14.5 kilometers or 9 miles including 1,155 metres of ascent. The group of 10 walkers and a dog, including leaders Pete and Lyn, left the ODG at about 10am and arrived at Seathwaite at 5.30pm. Here we all are outside the ODG ready for the off.

Crinkle Crags 860m or 2816ft loomed above us as we walked towards Stool End farm in Oxendale. It was overcast at first though the sun came out as we began our climb out of the valley towards the first of the five crinkles high above.

This view was taken by Judith our photographer from Great Knott above Oxendale, looking down Browney Gill back towards Pike of Blisco.

The first crinkle of Crinkle Crags comesinto sight as the contours ease off above Great Knott at about 700m.

Looking towards the second crinkle as we approach from the south; this is the summit of Crinkle Crags. There are two paths towards the summit in view, that on the right leads towards the formidable Bad Step which Wainwright refers to as..."the most difficult obstacle met on any of the regular walkers paths in Lakeland." No wonder some of the group opted to walk round it.

Three Tarns 720m. The 3 tarns nestle on the flat col between Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell, a good place for lunch. The weather had changed; it was cool, windy and there was rain in the air.

Looking from the jumbled mass of boulders on the summit of Bow Fell 903m or 2960ft, the highest point on our walk, t0wards the Ore Gap 112m below with Esk Pike 885m or 2903ft beyond. Great End can be seen in the distance behind Esk Pike lit by the sun that smiled on us for the rest of the afternoon, all the way to Seathwaite.

We took a few minutes break at the Ore Gap after descending from Bow Fell to peel off a layer or two of clothing and chat.

The descent into Borrowdale from Esk Hause; here we are above Sprinkling Tarn.

Crossing the bridge over Ruddy Gill just before it joins Allen Gill to become Grains Gill which we followed to Stockley Bridge and Seathwaite. It had been a long day but a most rewarding one.

Yesterday

We had a superb walk over Crinkle Crags, down and up again onto Bow Fell and then onto Esk Pike, before descending via Esk Hause off down to Stockley Bridge.  Photos are coming soon as we had an enthusiastic photographer amongst us as well as our efforts.  So hopefully all will be revealed in a special report here soon, of a very exceptional and hard day.