All Hart - no photos today
A dark, wet journey up the motorway and my expectation is that this is going to be a wet day, as I arrive at Cow Bridge car park it starts to rain heavily. Along the footpath past Brotherswater and Hartsop Hall to the old barn at the foot of High Hartsop Dodd and then up the steep grassy slope of High Hartsop Dodd itself.
There is at least a semblance of a path, that is more than can be said of its neighbour, Middle Dodd. The steepness of the slope means that height is quickly gained, as the rain eases and the mist on the summits begins to dissipate there is a good view over Brotherwater to Place Fell.
By the time I reach the stile in the fence at about two thirds of the way up there is blue sky to be seen, the rain has stopped but there is a bite in the freshening breeze. Angletarn Pikes twin summits are clearly in view and it is very reminiscent of Wembley Stadium with its twin towers. At the summit there is an excellent view down into Dovedale, the path along Hogget Gill looks interesting – certainly a future “must do” route, Red Screes is massive and the crags which give Dove Crag its name look moody and magnificent.
It’s difficult to tell where High Hartsop Dodd ends and where Little Hart Crag begins but there is no mistaking the location of Little Hart Crag’s summit. On the summit itself and the view is exceptional, I always regard a good view as a bonus when I am on the fells – this is a bumper bonus.
Great Mell Fell is clear to the north, the range of hills from Place Fell to Caudale Moor is lit by sunlight, behind them I can clearly see Kidsty Pike, High Street and the shapely Ill Bell. Red Screes is more massive that ever, and to the south Windermere and Coniston Water glisten in the sunlight. In contrast to these smooth hills the ruggedness of Dovedale, Dove Crag and Hart Crag provide startling contrast. There is not another soul to be seen in this wilderness – nobody else to feel the magic of this place.
A short scramble takes me down to the path, at the fence (OK, only the fence posts remain), follow it to the right all the way up to the ridge path which forms part of the Fairfield Horseshoe. As I follow the fence over Bakestones Moss, the cairn on High Bakestones is watching me, having gained the ridge I have to give up valuable height to go and visit the remarkable work of art which is the cairn.
Back to the path, over Dove Crag on to Hart Crag and a quick visit to Fairfield, where in defiance of the clear skies the summit is as usual shrouded in mist. The small fragments of ice, too small to be hailstones, are a clear indication that colder weather is on the way. Rather than follow the usual 10-foot wide path back to Hart Crag, I follow the path along the edge for spectacular views of Fairfield’s crags including the remnants of an ice cornice at the top. The views down into Deepdale and over to Hart Crags are also spectacular – how have I missed them in the past?
At Hart Crag the deteriorating weather starts to catch up with me and it starts to snow – nothing serious but enough to suggest that tomorrow will bring some interesting conditions.
I take the path towards Hartsop above How, Wainright’s description of this route is “an easy walk”, his description of the walk in the opposite direction mentions a rough scramble. This descent from Hart Crag isn’t dangerous but it demands plenty of concentration until the level ground is reached. Having got to this point it looks as though there is a grassy path that avoids most of the rocky scramble, but it wouldn’t have been half as stimulating.
The path to Hartsop above How is now generally broad and grassy, with the inevitable rain sodden peat hags to be avoided, there are a couple of small scrambles but generally easy walking back down to the road. Take the permitted path back to the car park.
Andy Wallace 1st December 2001