Wild camp - Dalehead Tarn, 14th July 2012.

Myself, Lorna, Ruth and Ian drove down to Skelgill, to the west of Derwentwater near Keswick, to do the shortish walk in over Catbells to Dalehead Tarn. This would be Lorna's first real wild camp carrying gear, so it had to be a relatively easy one!

After crossing over Maiden Moor (great views over to the Scafell range), we dropped down over High Spy and Eel Crags to Dalehead Tarn, our camp spot for the night. Unfortuneately the sheepfolds were full with tents, although the main one was wasted by a group of guys having a fire in the middle, instead of using it as shelter! So after a bit of hunting around we managed to find a spot relatively sheltered from the incoming rain. We even managed to light a fire briefly before the rocks we built it on exploded with the heat!

After a reasonable night, we had breakfast, struck camp and climbed up over Dalehead at 753m, and followed Littledale Edge, North West, passing Hindscarth to the right on our way. After crossng over Robinson, we dropped down to Newlands Hause and had a bite to eat at the foot of Moss Force. I would be possible to drop down to Buttermere and camp there for the night as a three day walk. 

Looking across towards High Stile and Red Pike above Buttermere.

Lunch at the foot of Moss Force at Newlands Hause, before turning North East and heading over Knott Rigg and Ard Crags.

Lorna on the short but steep climb up Knott Rigg with the Buttermere valley behind.

Ian and Ruth on Knott Rigg, with Causey Pike (i think?) behind.

Looking South East from near Knott Rigg, back over to High Spy on the left and Dalehead on the right. Dalehead Tarn, out of view, sits right in the middle of the two.

Descending Red Screes after Ard Crags, and looking into the Newlands Valley as we head back to Skelgill and the car.   

Buttermere, Chockstone Ridge, 27th - 29th May, 2008

Having made a snap decision as to where the better weather would be for the week; North to Glencoe, or South to the Lakes, we turned hastily left off the Edinburgh bypass and headed south! See map.

We camped at Syke Farm campsite in the village of Buttermere. The village has two pubs and a small cafe/shop; perfect! We spent two days just doing a couple of walks in the area waiting for a dry day to do some scrambling; High Crag and High Stile one day and another up over the fells and into Honister Pass, with a stop for tea and buns in the not so attractive cafe there!

Finally after two averagely dull, damp days, the sun came out! So we set off from the campsite, heading SE (anti clockwise) round Lake Butteremere, before turning almost due east at the southern end of the lake for the long slog up into Burkness Comb. Our intended destination was the grade 3, Chockstone Ridge, which we thought was the huge buttress in the centre of the above picture! Fortuneatly it wasn't where we were headed. Chockstone Ridge is to the right of the Comb, and after almost a two hour slog the far left of the correct buttress still looked a bit dodgy! We did this as a roped scramble, which although not always neccesaary, there were several times when a slip would've spoilt the day! Also we didn't take many photos en route, I tooke photos later as we descended from the top of High Stile and High Crag.

The ridge is in three sections, the first being Harrow Buttress, graded as a "Diff" climb but turned out to be okay.

The second section (third also in the above photo) was strangely a little trickier. In fact I dropped the guide book at one point so poor Lorna had to downclimb to get it, only to drop it herself a little later on!

There is short section of "V Diff" up a corner near the top that I wished I had done. Instead I opted for the quote, "escape inot the grassy gully on the left to a chockstone, which is turned by a ledge on the right". I didn't know grass could grow on something so steep, so I was glad to get back onto rock where I could at least use some gear! Once up on the large grassy terrace, we packed the rope away for the final section which is well protected.

The above photo shows the whole 150m route to the top of Grey Crag and High Stile.

Lorna descending High Crag, with Haystacks in the centre.

As we walked back SE along the tops to High Crag, we got a great view of Great Gable to end the day.