Walk

Walk : Brock Crags (1,842 ft), Rest Dodd (2,278 ft), The Nab (1,887 ft) from Hartsop

Date : 20^th March 2020

Weather : Dry fine, extreme wind chill on the tops @ 9°C

Distance : 8 miles round trip

Time Taken : 1 hour 35 mins to first summit (Brock Crags)

Which part of Lakeland is this walk situated

Terrain Overview

Overview

Amid what is the National crisis over the Global Pandemic surrounding the COVID-19 (Coronovirus) outbreak all facets of normal life as we know have changed

overnight it seems to a level probably never experienced since the war. All the gloom and doom beamed 24 x 7 to our TV screens became just a bit too

much to endure – hence an escape to God’s Country and an 8 mile jaunt from Hartsop to Brock Crags, Rest Dodd and The Nab. Very challenging

conditions and at times equally challenging terrain – especially from Rest Dodd to The Nab made this walk the perfect remedy for forgetting all the woes

of the World if only for 6 hours or so

The approach to the car park just off the A592 – certainly made us laugh !!!

Parking is reasonably limited but free of charge, however there is an honesty box at the southern exit of the car park where it is suggested to make a donation

Through the gate we set off down the stone track that heads towards Hayeswater

Through the gate and keep on the path till you reach a cattle grid

At the Cattle grid take the left fork that climbs gently towards the old Hayeswater Pumphouse

The old Pumphouse. Approximately 100 yards beforehand, take the wide grass track on the left that doubles back from the direction you have just come

The grass track starts to climb gently across the base of Brock Crags

Looking across to St Sunday Crag from the grass path

The path continues on until it reaches a broken stone wall. Approximately 100 yards past the wall the path doubles back on itself again and starts to climb more steeply across

the southern face of Brock Crags. Note !!! – its fairly important to find the start of the path as it assists greatly with the steepening climb.

The start of the double back path. Use the wall coming down as an assist to locating the path

Looking across to Pasture Beck and Threshthwaite Mouth right at the top end of the valley

The path passes through a gap in the stone wall and heads right up to the shoulder seen here just right of centre

A brief pause on the steep climb to look back and take in the marvellous views to be had over Brothers Water

Higher on up the path and we see the skeletal remains of a sheep that’s been devoured by something. I wish the discs in my lumber spine were as thick as these J

Nearly at the top of the shoulder now and soon ready to turn left towards the summit

Hayeswater peeping out from behind the bulk of Gray Crag. The path shown will be used on our return journey

As we turn left at the top of the shoulder to get on the track leading to the summit we look across to Rest Dodd on the left which will be the second port of call for the day

The left turn from the shoulder signifies the end of the steep climb and the trail to the summit starts to level off a little now

At the point at which you reach this broken wall turn immediately left towards the summit

Following the track that leads to the true summit of Brock Crags

On the true summit of Brock Crags, the smaller height about 300 yards away can also be visited, its marked with a modest pile of stones resembling a cairn

Click here for a 360 degree view from the summit of Brock Crags … https://youtu.be/weBYonbmJtc

The glorious Eastern Fells from the summit of Brock Crags, Catstye Cam to the right of Helvellyn very prominent in the centre of this picture

Looking towards Hayeswater and the towering bulk of the High Street range

Lunch break on top and Sue tears herself away from reading the Brock Crags entry in the Wainwright Guide … essential reading !!!

The stunning Angle Tarn below Angletarn Pikes from the summit

From the summit we then head east to pick up the trail leading to Rest Dodd, seen here branching off left away from the wall

One of the many paths that can lead to the summit of Rest Dodd

First view of The Nab from the climb up to Rest Dodd

On the summit of Rest Dodd looking north along the path down that leads on to The Nab

Making the steep descent from the summit of Rest Dodd

On the very boggy path now to The Nab and here looking back to Rest Dodd. The wall running across the upper slope of the fell will be our route back to Hartsop

Heading to The Nab and as a wise old sage once said … “People who`s boots let water in will soon be cognisent of that fact” The whole area around here is part of a conservation

area for Red Deer and the Estate Management request that walkers use only this route as an “out and back” to avoid disruption / stress to the Deer population

On the summit of The Nab

Click here for a 360 degree view from the summit of The Nab … https://youtu.be/CVk4acrepFU

Looking towards High Raise and Rampsgill Head from the summit

We journey back to the wall and travel westwards along it to get back on the trail to Hayeswater. Here Sue pauses to look back to the journey we have just made. The extent

of the peat bogs can be more clearly seen from here, and they do take a bit of negotiating

We were so lucky to see this herd of Red Deer on the upper slopes of Rest Dodd

Heading back down to Hartsop as the sun drops below the Line of Eastern Fells

Back down at Hayeswater now to pick up the path that skirts the base of Gray Crag

The final descent to the car park in Hartsop, at the end of a most welcome escape to God’s Country

Post walk debrief in The Lily in Ambleside and due to the impending closure of Pubs, Restaurant and Clubs – the offer was 2 for 1 on Lowesater Gold. Well it would be rude not to !!!