Walk : Branstree (2,333ft) & Selside Pike (2,142ft)

Date : 4^th September 2014

Weather : Overcast but warm around 23°C

Distance : 7 miles round trip

Time Taken : 2 hours to first summit (Branstree)

Terrain Overview

£d view of the walk up to Branstree and Selside Pike

Overview

The ascent I took from the roadside leading to the car park at Mardale Head was particularly tough. Steep and at times pathless

through dense bracken takes some resolve.

Driving past the north end of Ullswater on the way to Mardale

Kidsty Pike from the road leading to Mardale

This small wicket gate by the side of Hopegill Beck waterfalls is the start point for the walk

To the right of the waterfall is the faintest of grass tracks veering upwards to the right

The Beck in full flow

The path is non existent however you need to aim for “Hollow Stone” peeking up through the undergrowth

Keep parallel with the Beck until you reach the old sheep pens, at which point to tend to veer right away from it

Looking back to Haweswater and The Rigg

Its noticeable the low water levels in the reservoir

Eventually we reach Hollow Stone

Thankfully now out of the bracken and a view of the ridge leading to High Street

There is now the faintest of paths to follow upwards across the grass

Getting closer to the summit and Im desparately wanting to see Artlecrag Pike to confirm we are on the right track

At last !!! – the summit is close

Whilst not the actual summit it does signify the end of a difficult ascent

Heading out north past the subsidiary cairn towards the Survey Post (the small column in the centre of the shot)

Selside Pike is just over half a mile away and the fence line connects the two summits

The Survey Post built by Manchester Corporation

Heading on to the summit of Selside Pike

The shelter cairn summit on Selside Pike

After returning back to Branstree we followed the fence line going south towards Mardale Head to get the track back down

We follow the track as it swings round back towards Haweswater

Harter Fell from the track

Nearly back down now

What Haweswater is all about

Back down at the Car Park