Route: Wastwater Screes
Area: Southern Lake District
Date of walk: 22nd June 2014
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 9.7 miles
Weather: sun and blue skies at first, clouding over later. Warm
The two fells which plunge spectacularly into Wast Water are Whin Rigg and Illgill Head but are usually referred to collectively as the Wastwater Screes. A glance at the OS map, or a view of the screes from the other side of the lake, makes it plain that a direct ascent from the lake would be suicidal. I doubt if climbers would even try as the rock face is so unstable
An indirect approach is needed and I decided to try a route I’d never walked before, and parked the car in quiet Miterdale. I made my way up through Miterdale Forest to join the easy ridge path running along Irton Fell to Whin Rigg. There can be few people who climb Whin Rigg and don’t go on to Illgill Head, since the walk between the two is thrilling if the path along the edge is followed
I followed the edge as closely as I dared, looking down the fearful gullies and aretes which plunge into the lake below. It was a fantastic mile or so – as good as it gets – with views of Scafell and other lakeland giants ahead making it even more special
When I reached Illgill Head I admired the classic view of the fells at the head of Wasdale as I had my picnic, then wandered down the easy slopes, walking back into Miterdale along a path above Burnmoor Tarn. It was a pleasant return leg, but the memory that will linger is that of fantastic ridge walk between the two fells
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
In the garden the day before, a snapdragon uses all its charm to attract this bee
I took a short detour in the car to see the screes - my route would start behind them and then go right to left along the edge up there
From the same spot, the classic view to the head of Wast Water
At the start of the walk, crossing the River Mite in Miterdale
Walking up through Miterdale Forest
A wasteland at the top of the forest as I emerge onto Irton Fell
Sellafield and the coast from Irton Fell
The easy ridge walk to Whin Rigg
Summit cairn on Whin Rigg looking towards Illgill Head
Looking down to the foot of Wast Water from the start of the screes
The path hugs the edge of the escarpment though there is an alternative path further away from the drops
With sheer drops on three sides I wasn’t going to walk out there……
……but it didn’t seem to bother this lady in the slightest
Summit of Illgill Head and L to R: Yewbarrow, Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Lingmell and Scafell (head in clouds)
Earlier on, a walker passing the other way mentioned that the rare Mountain Ringlet inhabits these fells. There were hundreds, and I spent some time following them around in the hope of catching a photo. I’d more or less given up, then just below the summit this one finally settled and posed for the camera
A moth - possibly a Six-spot Burnet?
A 5 star picnic spot
On the return leg now, walking above Burnmoor Tarn with Harter Fell beyond
On Tongue Moor, with Miterdale down to the left
Looking back to Burnmoor Tarn and Scafell
Miterdale, and an easy track leads back to the start
Cumbrian dialect for ‘head right for Eskdale’ - click here for the story of the sign
Almost back to the start
A last look back to Scafell from the bridge over the River Mite
On the way home, the sign to the Kirkstile Inn enticed me in, as the snapdragon had done to the bee earlier, and here is the nectar!
