Route: Grasmoor, Wandope and Whiteless Pike
Area: North Western Lake District
Date of walk: 14th July 2016
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 7.1 miles
Ascent: 2,900 feet
Weather: Perfect
I parked in the small car park at Cinderdale Common, from where the climb up the Lad Hows ridge of Grasmoor starts immediately. There is no respite from the ascent, though it’s fairly easy going until the last steepish section to the summit of the fell, which seems to go on forever
The views from the summit of Grasmoor were superb, and I could clearly see across the Solway Firth into Scotland, with glimpses of the Pennines and the Irish Sea. It was a privilege to be up here on a day such as this
I retraced my steps from the summit for a short distance and then descended to Wandope Moss. I decided to take a short detour to climb up the grassy slopes to the summit of Wandope and from there I descended to Whiteless Edge before the last ascent of the day to the top of Whiteless Pike
I then descended, quite steeply at times, to the junction at the head of Rannerdale. Having turned sharp right here it was an easy walk down the valley back to the start
The weather was perfect for fellwalking today – good visibility, sun, blue skies and a cooling breeze on the tops helped to make this a special day
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
Start of the walk, looking up to Grasmoor. I hop over Cinderdale Beck and follow a path to the right of the beck up the ridge known as Lad Hows
Small waterfall higher up the beck
Looking back to Crummock Water, Red Pike top left…
…Mellbreak…
…and Loweswater coming into the picture
Rannerdale Knotts
The High Stile Range above Rannerdale Knotts
Fairly easy going up Lad Hows, the only steep section being near the top of Grasmoor - a buzzard circling overhead which I didn’t notice when taking the photo
Heather is just starting to come into flower
Rannerdale, which will be my return route later on
Onwards and upwards - the summit of Grasmoor is to the left
Great Gable in the distance
Foot of Crummock Water, Loweswater, and the Solway Firth beyond
Looking back down the ridge
Whiteless Edge leading to Whiteless Pike - I’ll be over there later
Another retrospective view to Crummock Water, with the Irish Sea in the distance
Rannerdale
Whiteless Pike from near the summit of Grasmoor
A fellow walker approaching the summit cairn
Uninterrupted views over the Solway Plain to Scotland…
Cockermouth, the Solway Firth and the hills of Scotland
Loweswater, with Low Fell to its right, looking very low from this height (2,791 feet)
Buttermere fells from the lower cairn
Hangliders near Haystacks
I follow an easy path in the direction of Crag Hill
Looking down to my descent route over Whiteless Edge and Whiteless Pike…
…zooming in
I’ll turn right at the hause below and then climb diagonally up the slopes of Wandope
Grisedale Pike
Looking down to Mill Beck from the summit of Wandope (2,533 feet)…
…and looking back to Grasmoor
On Whiteless Edge, Buttermere to the left and Crummock Water to the right
Whiteless Pike
A good view of the Lad Hows ridge which I’d climbed earlier
Crummock Water and Loweswater from the summit of Whiteless Pike (2,159 feet)
Much of the higher part of the route is shown here - the ridge to Grasmoor left, Wandope far right, and the path leading down to Whiteless Pike
My way back to the start along Rannerdale, the valley below below Rannerdale Knotts
The path continues down to Buttermere village but I turn right at the hause ahead
Descending into High Rannerdale
I cross the bridge over Squat Beck to enter into the bluebell area which is a spectacular sight in May
Foot of Rannerdale Knotts with Mellbreak beyond
Looking across to Crummock Water
I follow the path above Rannerdale
The end of the bluebell area, looking back to Whiteless Pike
Approaching Cinderdale Common
Roadside sign by the car park at the end of a memorable walk
Back home, two young red squirrels- I’m happy that the local population seems to have thrived this year
