Route: Five Fells from Hartsop
Area: Far Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 13th August 2014
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 9.5 miles
Weather: Mainly overcast, but bright spells later on. Windy on tops
Today’s walk visited five Wainwright fells in the far east of the district, known collectively as the ‘Hartsop Fells’. I parked in the car park at the far end of Hartsop village and took the wide path which follows Hayeswater Gill following this for about a mile. The path leading up the nose of Gray Crag isn’t obvious and I needed to keep a sharp lookout along the way for signs of it. Having found it, there followed a long trudge up the slopes of the fell. This was the key to the walk – once I’d gained the summit of Gray Crag the rest of the walk was relatively easy going
I made my way along the ridge to Thornthwaite Crag, then onto High Street. On the way to High Raise I made a spur of the moment change of plan and diverted to Kidsty Pike which was looking irresistible. After enjoying the views from the Pike I went over to High Raise and then came back down over Rampsgill Head. I can hardly claim to have climbed Rampsgill Head, I simply walked over it on the way down
I descended to the foot of Hayewater and rejoined the wide track leading back into Hartsop. I’ve made quite a few visits to the far eastern fells in recent months and it’s become one of my favourite areas. Today was another wonderful day out in this often overlooked part of the Lake District
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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Leaving Hartsop, Gray Crag is straight ahead
Looking along Pasture Beck
Further along the track, with Gray Crag up on the right
Crossing Hayeswater Gill
In order to climb Gray Crag I have to leave the easy track to turn steeply uphill to the right
About half way up at this point
Looking back down to Hartsop - Brothers Water is on the left
Gray Crag ahead
Hayeswater
Summit of Gray Crag
The way ahead to Thornthwaite Crag
Windermere comes into view
Brighter weather approaching from the west
Looking back to Gray Crag, with Ullswater in the distance
The impressive Thornthwaite Beacon on Thornthwaite Crag
Quick progress can be made along High Street
Hayeswater, with Gray Crag on its left
My route will take me along the path ahead and then up to the right
Looking along Riggindale to Haweswater (not to be confused with Hayeswater)
Looking back along the path
Kidsty Pike - this wasn’t on my itinerary at this point, but a little further along I decided to make the short detour to its top
Summit of Kidsty Pike looking across to Ill Bell, Yoke and High Street
And here looking east towards Haweswater and the Pennines beyond
It’s a short journey from Kidsty Pike to the rocky summit of High Raise
Ullswater from High Raise
Rampsgill Head
Start of the descent back to the start, always the hardest part for me - my knees prefer it when I’m going up
Nearly back down to Hayeswater
The end is in sight
Crossing Hayeswater Gill to join the track back down to Hartsop
I always admire this ruined building when passing by here - it’s become part of the landscape and hardly seems man made
A last look up to Gray Crag on the left before arriving back in Hartsop
