Sharkey's Dream

For the past few weeks as you know I’ve been struggling to get back on the Fells, mostly due to the god awful rain the North West or indeed much of the country has been experiencing, panic kind of started setting in approaching the last few weekends  prior the Football season kicking back off again, I’d warned the Mrs Ill be on the Fells as much as possible leading up to the Season, & as we all know it bucketed down from the beginning of July right through August & all my plans had been washed down the drain, I even averted to local walks just to get boots on, as the Bank Holiday approaches again this weekend again I find myself booked up & unable to get out.

So there was only one thing to do, hastily book a day of work & get planning, now I hadn’t much on my mind where to walk as it was a last minute decision, then I remembered a particular photo I took back in January 09 whilst ascending Stone Arthur on route to Fairfield, I remember at the time thinking that looked a classic ridge route, yes I recognised Helm Crag as a previous fell I’d walked but this whole ‘Horseshoe ridge walk’ was new to me, back then I was nowhere near as serious about fell walking as I am now, I just knew one day I’m going to walk that Horse shoe & I’d forgotten all about it untill I started thinking where to go, so here it is… hope you enjoy it as much as I did

ASCENT: 2,456 Ft, 758 Mtrs.

AREA: Central.

WAINWRIGHTS: 4, Helm Crag, Gibson Knott, Calf Crag, Steel Fell.

WEATHER: Lows of 14 ° Warm & Overcast, Highs of 16°

PARKING: Grasmere C E Primary School.

MILES: 8.5

WALKING WITH: On My Own.

ORDANACE SURVEY: OL7

 The Central Fells.

This is the photo I took back in Jan 09, with the start of the walk ‘Helm Crag’ to the left & the ridge route that follows & finishing off on the right ‘Steel Fell’ it was a beautiful winters morning with all the bracken in there winter reds, I cant believe I’d almost forgot about this route!

But first of all I had to start of in Grasmere Village, & this morning I had it all to myself.

The old stone bridge crossing Easedale beck, now if I’d of carried on right down the Easedale road it would of took me to the same spot this bridge does,. mmm,..a tarmac road or this bridge & open fields?

Helm Crag through the trees my first fell of the day, not before crossing New Bridge where I layered down somewhat, I say ‘down’ I mean I unzipped my trousers at the knees turning them into shorts

It isn’t the particular steepest path & it isn’t really that hot, so why am I sweating!

Looking back on Blind Tarn Cottage.

L to R, Blea Rigg, Sourmilk Gill & Tarn Crags.

Far Easedale lower centre & my ridge route all the way  to Calf Crag on the right, but first I have to summit Helm Crag.

Grasmere.

Summit bound, The Lion & The Lamb over shadowing the A591 down below, with Grasmere & Loughrigg Fell on the right.

The morning really is starting to turn out beautiful, here we have the natural bowl formed from the previous ice age of Easedale Tarn, Tarn Crags & in the background is Pavey Ark & Harrison Stickle.

The ever impressive Howitzer, the true Summit of Helm Crag.

Next is my ridge route, & my next Fell of the day Gibson Knott.

And approximately one mile on, Gibson Knott summit cairn.

Looking back along the ridge with Greenburn Bottom taking centre.

Stepping stones!!

On the final approach to Calf Crag.

Calf Crag summit cairn with the Steel Fell ridge in the background.

The unnamed tarn found just below the summit, I’d just been chatting to a fellow walker at the summit for a moment or so, a now local man to the Coniston area originally from Blackburn retired to the lakes for over 8 years & ‘living the dream’ this gentleman had a good twenty years on me  & was as fit as a fiddle, he’d escaped the grand kids of whom him & his wife were minding  for a few days ‘there wrecking the bloody house!’ he said, I had to get out! he was on his way to High Raise & then on to Harrison Stickle, a no mean feat for someone my age never mind in your middle fifties, I could only walk away humbled, especially when he spoke about his Wainwrights, looking down to his boots, I did them many years ago…

Making my way over to Steel Tarn now & the stomachs making all sorts of weird noises, so its out with the tuna sandwiches I’d made last night & perch my self on this nicely positioned rock.

I think I have a visitor..

That’s one tame duck!

I think I’ve definitely found a friend!

I’m making good time, but looking over to the ridge I walked earlier seems such a long time ago now.

The grassy plateau of Steel Fell’s ridge, this route incorporates quite a few false summits, more so on the other ridge,.I’m not too far from the summit now.

 

‘Dead Pike’ the true summit of Steel Fell,  with the head of Greenburn just behind, the ridge in the background is Greenup Edge & High Raise.

Thirlmere the Wyth Burn Fells & a distant Blencathra from the second cairn on Steel Fell summit.

Time to descend Steel Fell, with a great view of Helm Crag & beyond.

Front to back we have my ridge route & Gibson Knott, Blea Rigg & a distant shot of Wetherlam, Swirl How Great Cars & finally Grey Friar.

The huge mass that is Seat Sandal .

Dunmail Raise, Dollywagon Pike, Nethermost Pike & the Helvellyn range.

Looking back in to Greenburn Bottom.

I think I could manage to live there

St Oswold’s church Grasmere, the burial place of William Wordsworth, & looking a lot busier than this morning, this ridge route comes highly highly recommended & should keep me going for a few weeks until I’m back exploring theses wonderful fells.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasmere#Notable_persons

I hadn’t anything planned at all for the weekend (well anything that didn’t involve me putting my walking boots on) but as a Wigan Athletic fan comes the hangover of a 0-6 defeat at home to Chelsea, yes the score line was drowned out with plenty of beer but the memories & hurt are still there the morning after, I could of sat on the couch all day wallowing in my stupor & self pity that next season we are looking at championship football, I could of spent it on the laptop or Xbox but I didn’t.

Rivington Pike is a clear half hour drive away from my house, it and Winter Hill dominate the skyline all around Wigan & as my house is situated on the top of a hill so to speak its the first thing I see when I open the bedroom curtains every morning, If its not there then we’re in for a dull day!

I’ve visited Rivington quite a lot, more so in my teens tearing around the country lanes in our Vauxhall Astra’s & Nova’s making  general tits of our self’s, I’ve even cycled up to the transmitter on Winter Hill but never actually made a meal out of the walk, nothing too planned so to speak. Today wasn’t an exception, I just needed to get out the house or its going to be another Sunday wasted & as I’m booked up for next weekend too, that’s another weekend not out on the Fells, so I grabbed Owen, took Lucy’s lead & headed off for Winter Hill.

ASCENT: 1,190 Ft 363 Meters.

AREA: Rivington Country Park (Just Outside Howich)

WAINWRIGHTS: N/A

PARKING: Rivington Barn Hall.

WEATHER: Warm & Sunny, Highs of 19°

MILES: 3

WALKING WITH:  Owen Sharkey & Lucy Dog.

ORDANANCE SURVEY: Landranger Map 109

Passing through Rivington Barn Hall where every weekend is a meeting place for anything on two wheels,.that BBQ does smell good though!

Owen & our Westie Lucy making there way through a small section of woods on route.

Seven Arches Bridge, much of the structure is hidden by shrubbery, we would cross this bridge on our return.

And a short while later we reached Rivington Pike spectacular summit, this castle tower  like cairn can be seen from miles around & on a good day its said can be seen from the Cumbrian Fells, I’m not to sure if that’s true but through the haze & although my camera isn’t powerful enough to picture them I can see the Welsh Mountains, the Flyde Coast & Blackpool Tower from up here.

The telecommunications mast on Winter Hill with the path in the foreground.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Hill_transmitting_station#Height

Winter Hill & sadly a hill too far for us, poor Lucy is really feeling the heat, I did want to try & get up to the mast but I honestly don’t thing  Lucy shares the same enthusiasm!

Lucy dog & Owen

Squirming as I write this..the Reebok Stadium.

Next stop is the Pigeon Tower, as a kid this tower scared the life out of me,.its prison like gothicness sent shivers through my bones, but now years on I actually love this building

The Pigeon Tower, built in 1910  The top room used to be used by Lady Lever as a sewing room, which gave wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. Ornamental doves and pigeons were kept in the lower two levels, so Paul no prison eh!! twerp!!

Yarrow & Anglezarke Reservoir’s, the town behind is Chorley.

I’m not quite sure if this pond was part of the Chinese gardens or in actual fact a swimming pool for Lord Lever the once owner of this estate.

Smile Lucy

Owen looking down on the path from Seven Arches Bridge.

And finally back to the roars of bike engines & well cooked burgers,. nice afternoon had by all 

And we’ve got Chelsea at home next week.. and that’s all I have to say on the matter (still sieving)

Me & this route has unfinished business, back in Dec 09 I attempted these fells but had to abandon the walk due to bad weather, the kind of day that started off round about -2° crisp & clear, ideal walking conditions really then an approaching weather front hit me from the west & basically landed me in all sorts of conditions & I turned heal & abandoned the walk, I guess what I’m saying is its like being scalded,.it will only ever happen once to you.. and that’s the same feeling I carry when in a previous walk I had to abandon mmm…maybe because yeah I missed a path (it was under a foot of snow!) & I walked in the wrong direction for about twenty minutes before I realised my mistake & turned around & found my bearings. So with this walk in the back of my mind I’m carrying a wound but its a beautiful warm summers day, a perfect day for walking & all I need is to take  my mind off what happened the previous day.

During the week I received a text of my mate Tim ‘mind if I tag along?’ of course not mate, what he didn’t expect is the ear bashing he received for the first twenty miles or so into the journey, me unleashing 90 minutes of frustration & anger into why Wigan cant beat a side like Blackpool, now Tim is as mellow as a mellow tree & after this ear bashing his only reply was ‘I love talking football with you’.

ASCENT: 2,760 Ft 841 Mtrs.

AREA: Eastern.

WAINWRIGHTS: 5, Hartsop Above How, Hart Crag, Dove Crag, Little Hart Crag High Hartsop Dodd.

WEATHER: Warm & Sunny Throughout With Little Wind, Lows of 15° Highs of 18°

PARKING: Cow Bridge Car Park.

MILES: 7

WALKING WITH: Tim Oxburgh.

ORDANANCE SURVEY: OL5

EASTERN FELLS

Starting the walk at Cow Bridge car park which gives easy access to these two main paths, left here will take you along Brothers Water, Hartsop Hall & the main routes up Little Hart Crag & Middle Dodd & Dovedale itself, our path on the right is Hartsop Above How ridge route.

Although its right behind the car park & easy access it sure makes up for it in steepness, nothing too much to worry about given a minute & a half ago I was behind the wheel of the car,. phew!

A somewhat hazy view of Hartsop Dodd & Caudale Moor from our ascent.

Looking back on the Angle Tarn Pikes  prominent peaks (R) & Place Fell centre & (L) Birks.

Looking towards Cova Pike (L) & Dollywagon Pike background, the huge outcrop of rock foreground is The Step forming Fairfield’s south eastern tip.

Looking ahead towards Hart Crag & Fairfield to the right.

And back down the ridge of Hartsop Above How.

Hart Crag taken from Hartsop Above How summit cairn.

Both me & Tim had heard about the Priest Cave situated in Dove Crag itself, what we didn’t know was exactly how to find it,.I think this climber has just given it away! so as impressed as two impressed things we decided to summit Hart Crag then go & have a look at the cave.

A clear view of Fairfield & Link Hause.

And our second summit of the day Hart Crag.

Looking over to Dove Crag & a possible way down to the cave from Hart Crag’s summit,. meanwhile its time for a satsuma or two.

Looking down on Dove Crag our third Fell of the day not before a visit to the Priest Cave.

After descending Hart Crag we’ve basically left the main path & headed straight for the buttress of Dove Crag & hopefully a path towards the cave.

We’ve located the path all be it a faint one, I kind of got my guard  up here as I could see one wrong move could end up in a nasty fall over some very rugged rocks, the path today was manageable but any other conditions other than like we had today I’d have to think twice.

The Priest Cave.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dove_Crag (Under Rock Climbing)

From inside the cave, the cave itself has its uses as a emergency shelter for climbers caught out in bad conditions, an overnight stay easily substainable as there is an ‘Emergency Box’ if ever you should need it.

That has got to be top priority ‘a half empty bottle of vodka’ sultanas, canned meat this is 5 star roughing it! What we didn’t expect was what we found next in the box..

A visitor book written by a 10yr Old girl called Megan  from Blyth Northumberland, it read..

Of course me & Tim obliged.

A very moving experience for a 10yr old girl to do, and if Megan you ever read this,. we loved your idea & we loved reading all your messages.

Views over to Helvellyn, Striding Edge & Catstye Cam.

Dove Crag summit, and if you take a closer look infested by flying ants!

Looking back up on now a very busy Dove Crag.

The Beacon at Scandale Head with a distant Windermere in the background.

Descending down to Little Hart Crag with Scandale Tarn to the right.

Final approach to Little Hart Crag.

Little Hart Crag Summit cairn & again if you look close the little black specs are flying ants! god these guys have built in compasses for summits!

Looking down the ridge of High Hartsop Dodd with Hartsop Dodd, Brock Crags, Angle tarn Pikes & Place Fell to the right.

High Hartsop Dodd summit cairn.

Dovedale.

And looking back up the steep slopes of our descent of High Hartsop Dodd.

As Alfred Wainwright himself said or words to the affect..’A man can forget about a raging toothache while walking these Fells’ (what about a football team with no passion!)

Seriously, the Fells as always have done there job