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Gray Crag and Stony Cove Pike

Date & start time: Saturday 14th August 2010, 12.30 pm start.

Location of Start :The top car park, Hartsop Village, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 410 130 )

Places visited : Gray Crag, Thornthwaite Beacon, Threshthwaite Mouth, Stony Cove Pike, Caudale Moor, Hartsop Dodd and back.

Walk details : 6.6 mls, 2750 ft, 5 hrs 50 mins including lunch.

Highest point : Thornthwaite Crag 2569 ft - 784 m.

Walked with : Jo, Ann and the dogs, Jodie, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : The odd shower to start but clearing beautifully.

 Gray Crag and Stony Cove Pike at EveryTrail



 

We left the sunshine of Loweswater and travelled east into the poorer weather with some trepidation

but the forecast was good for an improvement later in the day.

We set off from Hartsop Village with the prospect of a fine day ahead

and three dogs and a Herdwick have a wonderful afternoon on the fells above Hartsop Village.

The sheep folds at Hartsop

The local farmer (red Land Rover) has opened a small refreshments trailer and allows overflow parking in the first enclosure which is really handy to know if you arrive a bit late in the day. Look for a special notice if the second car park is open.

Pasture Bottom from the Water Board track to Hayeswater.

Our walk will take in the skyline of Threshthwaite Mouth at the head of the valley in a couple of hours time.

I stay low and catch a photo of the old mill building, complete with old mill wheels in the floor.

These two seem to be taking advantage of the fresh grass inside the old ruin.

The vegetation covered old slate barn alongside the track.

   
Harry waits as we start the steep climb up Gray Crag.
Looking back past the same three sheep to Hartsop Village.

Harry has managed to roll, rather extensively, in something green and sheep like.

He's really pleased, but I'd be more pleased if he stayed down-wind a bit further away.

Dark shadows on the side of Gray Crag as a rain shower passes overhead.

The bright sunshine on Caudale Moor really stands out in contrast.

Having walked up the northern end of Gray Crags

this was our first full view of Hayeswater, backed by High Street.

The sunshine is building now as we leave the last small shower behind.

These are Brock Crags, Angle Tarn Pikes and Place Fell as seen from the top of the Gray Crags climb.

A view of the summit cairn on Gray Crags looking south to Windemere.

Stopping in the shelter of the wall, we enjoyed a light lunch.

Behind us are the slopes of Rampsgill Head and the dark summit of Kidsty Pike.

In front, the view extends across to the Hartsop Fells, Dove Crag, Fairfield, St Sunday Crag and Helvellyn.

Harry and I play football with a small tennis ball I had with me.

He drops into a small pool to cool off

and was encouraged in further by us after his smelly-sheep episode on the way up.

Unfortunately the second pool he found was a lot deeper and more peat boggy !

   
He was not happy after falling in that trough . . .
. . . though composure was regained after a good shake.

We now have three dogs and one smelly Herdwick looking beast in tow for the rest of the walk !

Threshthwaite Beacon on Threshthwaite Crag ahead.

A large raven sits on the wall but flies off as we approach, probably due to the smell !

Looking south past the Beacon to Windemere.

On the other side now . . . looking down to Froswick and Ill Bell.

The Beacon was our southernmost point on the walk

so we turn and make our way across and down to Threshthwaite Mouth.

Jodie and Polly pause on the steep descent to the hause.

A steep and slippery descent with lots of minor zig zags across the loose stones.

No prizes for guessing the dog's name on this photo !

As we reach the hause, the weather has improved and blue skies are the order of the day.

To one side (south) is Troutbeck Tongue and Windemere . . .

A close up of Ill Bell across the wall.

To the other side, Place Fell and Ullswater.

Ebony and Ivory.

"There, there . . . you don't have to go near that muddy friend."

Jo and Jodie on Stoney Cove Pike summit cairn.

The western ridge of the Kentmere round . . . Froswick, Ill Bell and Yoke.

Big skies over Caudale Moor

looking south and west to Wansfell with Coniston Old Man on the extreme right.

Looking west to Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, the Scafells and Great End.

Click here or on the photo above for a Loweswatercam 360 degree annotated panorama.

Caudale Moor is an extensive upland area with several summits. Stony Cove Pike Cairn is regarded as the official top

but Caudale Head is not far below it in height. I was standing on what appears to be the highest point for the panorama above.

Setting off towards Hartsop Dodd on the northern leg of today's walk.

We are aiming to walk along to the lower summit behind the two girls.

Navigation is easy . . . just follow the wall.

Looking back at Caudale Head and the quarries on the slopes above Caudale Beck.

Zooming in on the extensive spoil heaps.

Some of the addits travel the short distance though the fell side and appear out on the opposite side.

A clean tarn turns slightly browner as Harry turns slightly more golden.

   
The big cairn on Hartsop Dodd . . .
. . . but the summit cairn is actually nearer the wall.

Time to launch ourselves off the end of Hartsop Dodd

as we start the steep descent to the valley and the cars below.

The village is bathed in late afternoon sunshine and we stop temporarily to enjoy the view.

[ Note to myself . . . must book a haircut . . . that's the second photo of me looking like my dad ]

Did I tell you it was a steep descent ?

A view down to the old mine workings and the water wheel pit at Hartsop Mine.

We actually took a slightly easier route down following the path as it headed for the village again.

That red Land Rover is still there but it's nearly six o'clock so he'll be closing before we get down.

Sure enough, the black trailer is all closed up by the time we reach the bridge so no chance for a cuppa.

No matter . . . it's been a great walk and the weather cleared beautifully.

- - - o o o - - -

Mmmm . . . now where do we know that does a nice meal and a pint ?

The White Lion in Patterdale . . . " Top Pub "

Dinner for three please.

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon 75 or my Canon G10 digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . a nicely scented doggy shampoo for Harry on our return home.

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Previous walk - 12th August 2010 Place fell and the Knight

A previous time up here - 22nd August 2006 Stoney Cove Pike and the Last of the Hartsops

Next walk - 18th August 2010 Glaramara and Bessy Boot