Route: Castle Crag
Area: North Western Lake District
Date of walk: 16th March 2016
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.1 miles
Ascent: 1,000 feet
Weather: mostly cloudy
At a height of 985 feet, Castle Crag is the lowest of the lakeland fells as classified by Alfred Wainwright, and the only one under 1,000 feet to be honoured with the full treatment in the Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells – ‘a distinction well earned’ according to AW, who went on to say ‘If a visitor to lakeland has only two or three hours to spare, poor fellow, yet desperately wants to reach a summit and take back enduring memories of the beauty and atmosphere of the district….let him climb Castle Crag.’
With limited time to spare this afternoon, and recalling those words of wisdom, we parked in the National Trust car park in Rosthwaite and walked towards the bank of the River Derwent, following the course of the river for a short distance before crossing over New Bridge to start the climb up to Castle Crag. Eventually we reached the quarry area, and from here it’s a short but steep pull up a zigzag staircase of loose slate
The views from the top were as wonderful as ever and after savouring them for a while we retraced our steps down the slate staircase and then joined the Cumbria Way heading south towards Seatoller.
After passing through Seatoller we followed the River Derwent through Johnny Wood and from there back to Rosthwaite. It had been a wonderful walk in one of lakeland’s most beautiful valleys
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)
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A dawn visit to Buttermere before the start of the walk…
On the way back I noticed some mist over Loweswater…
The track from Maggie’s Bridge to Loweswater
Heading back to the car
Back home, the local wildlife was out in force - a jay…
Tortoiseshell
Buzzard, one of 4 which were working the valley
Red squirrel
Spring lambs in an adjoining field
After all those distractions we didn’t set off until the afternoon, by which time it had clouded over. This is the start of the walk from Rosthwaite
The track leading out of Rosthwaite to the River Derwent
Castle Crag
Looking back along Borrowdale to Eagle Crag
We could have crossed the Derwent via the stepping stones, but I enjoy the cobbled path on this side, and the lovely old bridge at the end of it…
New Bridge, which was new once upon a time
We walk along the other side of the Derwent for a short distance in the direction of Grange Fell
We leave the path here to start the climb up Castle Crag
Looking back to Rosthwaite
We follow a zigzag path up a spoil heap of discarded slate - there are numerous old quarries and caves around the fell
The summit quarry
Skiddaw and Derwent Water from the summit of Castle Crag
Bonnie
Looking down to the Cumbria Way, which we’ll be following shortly
We descend the same way we’d ascended
Derwent Water again
We follow the Cumbria Way
Looking back to Castle Crag
We pass above Rosthwaite
Descending to Seatoller
Seatoller, at the foot of the Honister Pass
Johnny Wood
The River Derwent
A good use for old walking boots, as we walk through the grounds of the youth hostel
We cross over the River Derwent at Longthwaite
Castle Crag again as we walk through the fields into Rosthwaite
Back to the start of a superb walk
