Walk 2645r - Honister repeats - 1st April 2022 |
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Wainwright's Walking Guide to the Lake District Fells - Book 7 The Western Fells and Book 6 The Western Fells |
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Grey Knotts,
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Distance |
9.2 miles |
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Time |
5 hrs |
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Lowest Point |
700 ft |
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Highest Point |
1775 ft |
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Total Ascent |
2156 ft |
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Walk rating - hard |
Mini Route Map Go to start on OS map Go to start on Google |
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11.40 It was so handy to be staying in Rosthwaite, just 2 miles from Honister. |
11.43 Panorama 655 Looking across at the old mine workings on the side of Dale Head. |
11.53 The main path from Honister. |
12.02 Nice framing guys, well done. |
12.05 Panorama 656 At the junction where the path splits for Haystacks or towards Great Gable. |
12.29 This time I went up the way we came down in the rain last time, by turning off the Brandreth path after 10 minutes or so and heading straight up the fell. |
12.40 The path was unclear but just keep heading upwards.. |
12.50 Panorama 657 I first visited the east summit which had amazing views today. |
12.50 Panorama 658 The real summit is visible in front of Pillar. |
12.51 Skiddaw behind Dale Head |
12.52 The real summit in front of Pillar. |
12.52 Base Brown |
13.01 Between the summits. |
13.07 Panorama 659 Grey Knotts summit. Excellent views of the snowy Scafell range. Last time we were here we couldn't even see Brandreth. |
The view is good on all sides with a skyline of giants to the south. The finest prospect lies north-west where the Buttermere district, seen over a foreground of rock, is of superlative beauty. |
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Alfred Wainwright - The Western Fells, Grey Knotts. |
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13.08 Panorama 660 On the actual summit I could confirm that we had been in the right place last time. |
13.14 The ground was cold but the air was very still and it felt pleasant all day. |
13.27 Green Gable had the best snow cover I could see anywhere. |
13.37 Panorama 661 From the eastern side of Brandreth. |
13.49 Descending Brandreth, back on the Gable path. |
13.51 Ennerdale from Brandreth. |
13.53 Buttermere valley from Brandreth. |
13.55 Looking back at the stile on Brandreth. |
13.57 Even colder on the ground on the sheltered side. |
13.58 All of the trickles and streams were at least partly frozen. |
13.59 |
14.27 Back near the Haystacks path and making the decision to go for Fleetwith Pike. |
14.32 Kirk Fell |
14.34 Honister mine waste pile. |
14.54 After a snack stop I pressed on up Fleetwith Pike. Looking back at Grey Knotts. |
14.59 Kirk Fell again and I'm trying to spot the gully we walked (and crawled) up. I think it is that snowy section in the centre of the picture. |
15.11 Approaching the summit of Fleetwith Pike with High Crag and High Stile behind. |
15.12 The positioning of shadow on the end of Hindscarth gives a strange effect. |
12.03 Panorama 662 On the summit of Fleetwith Pike in good visibility at last. |
Most visitors to the cairn will consider the prospect along Buttermere valley the best thing in view, and this is certainly remarkably fine, and exclusive to Fleetwith Pike. |
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Alfred Wainwright - The Western Fells, Fleetwith Pike. |
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12.03 Panorama 663 Looking south west over Haystacks. |
15.15 Buttermere, Crummock Water, a tiny piece of Loweswater and another part of Crummock Water. |
15.17 The bothy is just visible by the path on the side of Haystacks. |
15.20 Whin Rigg and Illgill Head over Black Sail Pass. |
15.20 Haystacks and Pillar. |
15.22 Causey Pike. |
15.26 The path goes very close to the edge on the way to Black Star. |
15.41 Panorama 664 Black Star looking back at Fleetwith Pike. |
15.42 Black Star and Dale Head. |
15.56 Panorama 665 Back on the quarry road. |
15.57 |
16.05 I found the quarry road much less pleasant to walk on than the path I had taken up. |
16.10 Honister Slate Mine opened by The Duke of Edinburgh on 4th August 2001. |
16.38 I just managed to grab a coffee and a slice of cake before the cafe shut and then began up the Dale Head path. |
17.32 Panorama 666 A darkened sky and white tops made a pretty picture of the Helvellyn range. |
17.58 A nicely lit Scafell group. |
18.02 Panorama 667 Dale Head summit looking down Newlands Valley. |
18.04 Panorama 668 Dale Head summit looking towards the Scafells. |
18.04 The snow speckled Helvellyn range looked great in the evening light. |
18.49 A glimpse down the pass to Buttermere as I descended. |
18.54 By the time I got back to Honister it was nearly empty and was glad it was only a 2 mile drive back to Rosthwaite. |