Walk : The Coledale Round – Grisedale
Pike (2,593ft), Hopegill Head (2,525ft),
Eel Crag (2,749ft),
Outerside (1,863ft), Barrow (1,494ft)
Date : 11th August 2012
Weather : Hot and humid around 20 °C
Distance : 10 miles round trip
Difficulty : Medium hard – the pull up to Grisedale Pike is unremittingly steep
Which
part of Lakeland is this walk situated
Terrain
Overview
Overview
A circular walk from Braithwaite
that takes in the breathtaking scenery that the Coledale valley
has to offer. Be prepared for a
very steep pull up to Grisedale Pike
As I journeyed down the A66 towards
Braithwaite a close up view of Blencathra
From the Royal Oak pub take the Whinlatter road which veers off to the right
As you travel up the road a small
and indistinct path opposite this entrance to Greengarth
is the
start point for this walk
After navigating through thick
heather bushes the path becomes more distinct as it heads
towards Kinn
Once the fence is crossed the route
becomes very clear
Looking across to the Skiddaw range
from the path
Further up the path toward Kinn
The full extent of the path to Grisedale Pike now comes in to view
Looking across the Coledale valley
to the return leg of the horseshoe – Eel Crag and Sail
Looking down to the valley floor
and the old mine road
This section of the path is very
pleasant walking, however things are about to get a
whole
lot steeper
The really steep bit on the ascent
that Wainwright drew in Book 6 – hardly changed at all
Looking to the head of the valley
and the Force Crag mineworks dwarfed by Eel Crag and Sail
The summit cairn on Grisedale Pike
Looking across to Keswick and
Derwent Water
The second fell of the day – Hopegill Head. This is easy walking
Looking across to Hindscarth and Robinson
Don’t know how you get a bike up
there but fair play to the bloke
On the path to Hopegill
Head
The path skirts very close to the
imposing Hobcarton Crags
The summit of Hopegill
Head
From the summit I drop down to
Coledale Hause. Here a brief view to Crummock Water and the
north tower of Melbreak
The path to the next summit (Eel
Crag) runs parallel for a time with Gasgale Gill
The footpath leads up towards a
cross roads and here take the left fork that carries
on to the
summit of Eel Crag
The summit cairn on Eel Crag
Looking across to the Scafells from the summit
Looking down the valley towards
Braithwaite and an idea of the steepness of the climb
The ridge path down to Sail
The new path created by the “Fix
the Fells” Team leading up to Scar Crags
I made the quick detour to Scar
Crags then doubled back to pick up the path to Outerside
At the head of the Coledale Vallley – the Force Crag mine
The indistinct path up to the
summit of Outerside
The summit of Outerside
The path to Barrow
Passing Causey Pike on the way down
to Barrow
Approaching Braithwaite down from Barrow
at the end of an epic circular walk
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