Conniston to Grasmere August 29th-30th

View of Low Water

Windermere and Conniston

Dad dropped me off in Conniston, just after 10am. I made my way along a field until I came to the path up to ‘The Old Man of Conniston’ (that’s the name of the fell by the way). After Some hard work I was on the summit in about an hour. The views showed Windermere, Conniston and the coast rather nicely, with the morning sun shining through the high clouds. This didn’t last for long. I was in the shelter of the cairn and knew the other side of it was gonna be a whole lot worse. I set out onto the wide ridge between The Old Man and Brim Fell where the winds suddenly picked up. I didn’t bring any gloves as my cheap ones just get wet and cold anyway. As I got to Brim Fell I sheltered from the wind behind the cairn and put my waterproof jacket on to keep the wind off. Rain was bound to come as well. It wasn’t long before a mean looking cloud started sweeping in from the coast. The rain started and visibility became minimal. As I headed on to Swirl How, I had begun to lose track of where I was on the map, I asked another walker and they told me. Great Carr was my next destination where I was told the path to Grey Friar was clearly marked. By this time the fog was thick but I could see the cairn of Great Carr so took a bearing on my compass and made my way over to Grey Friar with a little uncertainty. It is at these points where I wish I had a friend with me, just to talk to when I feel the most lonely (best start trying to make some). The fog cleared to my right to show Wynrose Pass running behind Cold Pike and Pike o'Blisco. This was where I was heading down to after Grey Friar. With newly found confidence I continued walking towards Grey Friar when the path cleared to reveal some Land Rover Tracks in the grass. I wouldn’t call it a “clearly marked path” but once I found it I was able to make my way up to the summit with a much calmer feeling. I gradually made my way down the hill and crossed the Wrynose Pass to make my way up the Public Bridleway west of Cold Pike and Crinkle Crags along the Moesdale beck. After a long lonely stroll through the boggy ground and the rain I came to the path leading up to Ore Gap (the col between Bowfell and Esk Pike). It was about 5:30pm and I was ready to pitch my tent and have a good nights sleep. I was glad to have a signal so rung Mum and Dad for a quick chat, before descending to angle tarn where I’d camp that night. After having tea I went to sleep at about 7pm and had a good nights sleep.

Nice and Dry

At Stickle Tarn

The next Morning I got up at 8:30am and was off by 9:30am. The weather was the same as yesterday. I could see Pike of Stickle watching over the Langdale Valley. The paths were muddy and on my way to the crossroads where the Cumbria Way meets up with the path from angle tarn, my right leg went knee deep in Peat Bog. By the time I got to the crossroads I wasn’t sure what to do. I had decided I wasn’t going to go up High Raise today, just the Langdale Pikes, but a part of me wanted to take the Cumbria Way path into Langdale and get picked up there. I couldn’t though. I had to go on. If I did I would beat my self up about it all week. I took the black path marked on the map. After a few hundred metres on it I was off the boggy ground and on a nice graveled path leading up to Pike of Stickle, the first of my Langdale Pikes. After a bit more walking and a short scramble, I was on the summit and Loft Crag and Harrison Stickle had escaped the cloud and were looking quite magnificent. Elterwater and Windermere were visible as well as the Langdale valley. Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell were hidden by cloud, but Pike o’Blisco, Lingmoor Fell and Blea Tarn all stood out making Langdale look fantastic. I found and easier route of descent of the summit, which I took before making my way on to the summit of Loft Crag. Again Langdale looked fantastic. I stopped by a stream to clench my thirst and then began the short ascent onto Harrison Stickle, the highest of the Langdale Pikes. On it was a Mum and her son about 6, who asked me where I was going. The boy was keen to show me the way they came. It’s nice to see someone that young getting so much out of fells, even when the weather is bad. I made my way on to Pavey Ark where I rung Dad before descending. I made my way for Stickle Tarn to Easdale Tarn, where I met a small group of men from west Cumbria who showed me the best way off down to the tarn. At the end of the tarn I went up a small hill to get a signal to arrange the pick up time with Dad. After a 40 minute descent I met Dad outside the Cotswold shop and we then went and had Lunch in the pub next door. I’d had a good trip but there were plenty of times where I wished I had someone to talk to. 

Harrison Stickle (left), Pavey Ark (right) and Stickle Tarn

Next week, if all goes to plan I should be going on a 2 day walk with Calum (Fergus’ brother). I was thinking of going over in to the Scafell area from Langdale via Crinkle Crags and perhaps doing Scafell Pike and maybe Scafell as well, depending on the weather.

Feel free to post comments as always.