Route: Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head and Whiteside
Area: North Western Lake District
Date of walk: 17th March 2016
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 6.2 miles
Ascent: 2,800 feet
Weather: sun and cloudless blue skies, rather hazy
Today’s walk was a linear one and in order to make that possible Gilly and I drove in separate cars to the small car park near High Swinside. I left my car there and we then drove over the Whinlatter Pass. Gilly dropped me off at the foot of the pass, just above Braithwaite. The climb up the subsidiary hill of Kinn starts immediately and before long I was enjoying extensive views back towards the Skiddaw fells and Keswick
A steeper rockier section along Sleet How brought me to the summit of Grisedale Pike and from there I followed the path above the awe inspiring chasm of Hobcarton Crag, which took me to the next fell – Hopegill Head.
I then followed the wonderful narrow ridge from Hopegill Head to Whiteside east top, one of my favourite miles in lakeland. It was tempting to carry on along the ridge and visit the west top but the normally superlative views towards Crummock Water and the western fells were very hazy, so I descended the northern flank of the fell in the direction of Lorton Dodd. At the col in front of Dodd I turned right to follow the valley path, crossing Hope Beck just before reaching my car
It had been a wonderful outing in perfect walking weather
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The start of the climb from the roadside parking space above Braithwaite
Looking across to Skiddaw
Bassenthwaite Lake (the answer to a trick question: ‘what is the name of the only lake in the Lake District?’)
Further up Kinn, the lower ridge of Grisedale Pike
Looking back to Braithwaite…
…and Skiddaw
The head of Coledale
Easy going up the ridges of Kinn and Sleet How - the final rocky section is a lot steeper
Looking back to Keswick, and a glimpse of Derwent Water
The final section to the summit of Grisedale Pike
Layers of fells
Force Crag Mine below
Looking back along the ridge
Eel Crag and Coledale Hause from the summit of Grisedale Pike, with Red Pike making an appearance between the two
Sail in the foreground, the Scafell range in the background
My route will take me above Hobcarton Crag, following the path top left to Hopegill Head, and then along the ridge beyond to Whiteside
I follow the path around Hobcarton Crag
Bonnie
Looking back to Grisedale Pike
Hobcarton Plantation far below
The final section above Hobcarton Crag to the summit of Hopegill Head - I choose to take the path on the left!
Looking back to Grisedale Pike…
…and again
Summit of Hopegill Head looking along the ridge to Whiteside
Looking down into Gasgale Gill, with Crummock Water beyond
Looking back along the ridge from the east top of Whiteside
Mellbreak, where I’d been a couple of days ago
From the east top I follow the easy ridge down towards Lorton Dodd, with Low and High Lorton beyond
Looking back up to Hopegill Head
At the foot of Dodd I turn right here towards Swinside
Crossing Hope Beck
The road to High Swinside - and the end of a wonderful walk
