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HARTSOP ABOVE HOW (53) - HART CRAG (54)
Scroll down to view the photographs after the report or click here Today's trip to the Lake District was a last minute decision, the night before actually, as soon as I realised Granddad wasn't required for baby-sitting duties! I had hoped to take in the summits of Hartsop above How, Hart Crag, Fairfield, Saint Sunday Crag and Birks. However, due to worsening weather conditions and no visibility once Hart Crag had been reached, I only managed to climb Hartsop above How and Hart Crag. Still, it was just great being in the Lakes again! After a short stop alongside Ullswater to take a few photos of the fells reflected in the still water, I arrived in Patterdale at 8.40a.m. and was walking along the A592 by 9.00, passing The White Lion pub along the way. A short distance on, and passing the Youth Hostel, I reached the path leading into a field just after the telephone box at Deepdale Bridge. The weather was overcast but the rain was holding off...for now! Following the path across the field, a ladder stile lead into woodland. I found the route a little confusing through here but, after climbing a steep grassy rise, I reached a wall which was to accompany me for most of the way to my first summit, Hartsop above How. As height was gained along the ridge, the views started to open up all around me. Looking back towards Patterdale, Place Fell and Angletarn Pikes looked magnificent in the little bit of sunshine that had managed to peak through the dark, menacing clouds. Looking ahead of me I could see that Hart Crag and Fairfield were hidden amongst the cloud. I was hoping it would clear as I neared them but I didn't hold out much hope of that! The ridge is a pleasant route to follow, not too strenuous, and height is gained gradually. Just how I like it! It wasn't long before I came to the little craggy summit of Hartsop above How, and its little mound of stones indicating its highest point. There were great views down into Dovedale and of the streams running off the side of Dove and Hart Crag, before joining Dovedale Beck, Kirkstone Beck and eventually Brothers Water. Saint Sunday Crag towered above me to my right but Hart Crag and Fairfield remained hidden from view. I decided to stop here for a bite to eat and to see if the weather was going to improve before making a decision as to carry-on to Hart Crag, bearing in mind that Mr Wainwright states that this route should only be followed in clear weather! I had also heard that Fairfield summit was very confusing in mist so I would sit a while and hope the cloud lifted. As it turned out, the weather, if anything, had worsened. I decided to follow the ridge to Hart Crag and at least climb to its summit so that I could get a better idea of what the conditions were really like on the tops. The rocky face of Hart Crag looked menacing as I approached, or rather what I could see of it, as the low cloud hugged the upper reaches of the fell as if teasing me and beckoning me to go onward to discover what lay beneath its veil. It worked, I was tempted, and I followed the grassy path to the base of the fell before starting the climb up the rocky face of Hart Crag. It was quite hard going and the damp conditions made it difficult underfoot but eventually, as I neared the top, I could see a couple of walkers up ahead stood alongside a cairn. I could see they were changing into waterproofs and I was soon doing the same as I neared the cairn. The rain was starting to fall heavier now and visibility was very poor. I'm not a fair-weather walker in the sense that I don't mind getting rained on, however, what really annoys me is when poor weather restricts the views. The views are a big part of my fell walking experience and I don't take too kindly to those views being spoilt! I came across two major cairns on the summit, the first I reached when gaining the top of Hart Crag is, I believe, Wainwright's top. However, reading through John and Anne Nuttall's book, 'The Mountains of England and Wales', they mention a second cairn, approximately 100 yards further on, which is, apparently, slightly higher. It wasn't the weather to hang around in so I took a quick photo of both cairns, just to make sure! I decided it wasn't really worth continuing on to Fairfield and so chose to retrace my steps off Hart Crag and back over the Hartsop above How ridge. Its amazing how disorientated you become in cloud/mist and started heading off in the wrong direction! Having realised my mistake, I was soon back on track and starting the steep descent off Hart Crag. It was here that I lost my footing and slid down the wet scree on my behind for about six feet, ripping a hole in the backside of my Rohan's! I love these trousers and have had them for quite a few years now. I wonder if they can be repaired! Picking myself up and brushing myself down, I continued, cautiously, down the fell side to join the well defined path back across the ridge. It was very muddy and boggy in places but the going was fairly easy even though the rain continued to fall. I soon reached Hartsop above How for the second time today and stopped at the same spot as earlier for another bite to eat. Even though the weather wasn't ideal, I still sat there, hood up over my head, just enjoying being there, surrounded by glorious lakeland fells. It really is such an uplifting place. After a short stop I made my way along the ridge, managing to get a brief glimpse of Brothers Water by peering over a dry stone wall, before coming across 4 elderly walkers, two male and two female. I stopped for a chat and discovered that they were on their way to Hartsop above How. They had travelled over from Chorley and two of them only needed 14 more Wainwright's to complete their 214. I believe the other two had already done theirs. They pointed out that they had to complete their round because they were running out of time! I would say that at least three of them were of pensionable age and, as I bid my farewells and continued on my way, I could only marvel at their fitness and determination. I hope I'm still climbing the fells at their age! Ahead of me I could see that the tops of Place Fell and Angletarn Pikes were now also hidden beneath the cloud. Luckily, I didn't have much further to go and soon found myself entering woodland and following the winding path through the trees until I came to the ladder stile reached earlier at the start of the walk. From here it was just an easy stroll across the field to rejoin the A592 and a mile of road walking back to Patterdale and the car. I managed to walk past The White Lion pub without calling in for a pint of beer shandy, as I had done on my last visit here, but instead, stripped-off in the car park to change into a set of dry clothes. I think the local sheep got a bit of a shock! Travelling back along the A592 towards Pooley Bridge, it became obvious how much rain must have fallen over the last few hours. The road took on the appearance of a river at times. Water was streaming down the road causing vehicles to come to a virtual standstill when passing through deep water which covered the road completely in places. Other than that, and being held-up in heavy traffic at Appleby because of the Appleby Fair, it was a very enjoyable walk. I only wish the weather had been better and that I had managed to visit all of the tops I had planned on visiting, but hey, they'll be there for another day :o)
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