I was by myself again today as Edith was visiting her brother. I didn't want to do any "new" Wainwrights as this would mean that we would have to revisit them at a later date for Edith so I decided that I would go to one of my favourite spots, the valley of Mardale. I left home just after 6:30am and was parked up ready to walk at Mardale Head for 8am. My aim was to walk around the head of the valley taking in some of in my opinion the finest fellwalking in Lakeland. My first objective would be the High Street otherwise known as Racecourse Hill. There are many routes to the High Street but none finer than the Rough Crag - Long Stile ridge which leads directly to the summit with fine views all the way.

Part 2 of the Walk

From Thornthwaite Crag I made my way across to Mardale Ill Bell at first keeping to a path above the head of the Kentmere valley.

Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick from the path to Mardale Ill Bell

Mardale Ill Bell summit cairn

From the summit of Mardale Ill Bell looking to the Rough Crag ridge with Haweswater beyond

Moving left the Long Stile ridge with Kidsty Pike behind

and the delightful Blea Water below

My route from Mardale Ill Bell would take me down to the Nan Bield Pass with its summit shelter before rising again to Harter Fell

From Nan Bield looking across the Kentmere reservoir to Yoke and Ill Bell

The summit shelter on the Nan Bield Pass

On my way up the path to Harter Fell looking down to Small Water

and looking back to my path from Mardale Ill Bell to Nan Bield

Yoke , Ill Bell & Froswick from the path to Harter Fell

The Zig-Zag path from Nan Bield down into Kentmere. I just love these paths but more and more they are getting spoilt by those who in their haste decide to cut the corners.

After reaching the summit of Harter Fell I followed the path down to the better viewpoint of the lower NE cairn

Haweswater from the NE cairn

Mardale Ill Bell, High Street and Kidsty Pike from the NE cairn

Haweswater from the NE cairn showing the typical scar of a reservoir shoreline

The path down to the Gatescarth Pass with Tarn Crag behind

It had been my intention to go up onto Branstree and Selside Pike next but I think the after effects of the cold were catching up on me and at this point the path down to Mardale Head looked very tempting.

This is probably my favourite viewpoint of Haweswater taken from just before Little Harter Fell

Having decided to cut it short at Gatescarth I made the short diversion to the boundary stone on Adam Seat

Branstree from Adam Seat

The path down from Gatescarth to Mardale Head with Rough Crag foreground and Kidsty Pike and High Raise behind

Haweswater from lower down the path.

The High Street with the Long Stile - Rough Crag ridge

Getting lower down the path now the valley starts to open up

Small cascades on the way down

Nearly back now and having a few regrets that I didn't go up Branstree

Looks like the car park as filled up a bit!!

The cars in places hadn't been so much parked as abandoned. I counted nearly 90 cars between here and the Haweswater Hotel.

To return to part one of this walk click here

Next Walk:    27th July 2007 -- Gay Crag and Thornthwaite Crag from Cow Bridge

Home

Argos UK Shopping