Stymied on Stybarrow - Photo Gallery

The forecast is for cold weather but it is actually very wet, a combination that I have had trouble with before even before I get to the hills. The small winding A592 road from Windermere twists and turns on its way to Kirkstone Pass, there are streams of water that have frozen across the road but they cause no problems. At the top of the pass outside the Kirkstone Inn the road is like a skating rink and I engaged low gear on the downward slope. The slightest touch on the brake causes the ABS to react noisily, this is a very slippery slope.

I parked the car at Glenridding, it was dull with snow covered by mist on the higher tops as I set off towards the Greenside Road. Past the first terrace of cottages there is a gate with a cattle grid that you cross over and almost immediately you double back on yourself to the right. There is another sharp bend that takes you uphill to the back of the next terrace of cottages. After you reach a small outbuilding there is a small gap in the bracken which is the only clue that the steep slope offers a way up the hill.

There is a faint path up the steep slope although it isn't as faint as it used to be and apart from the steepness there is no difficulty. Eventually the gradient eases and you get to a small col where you meet a wall across your path that goes up to left and right. Firstly you head up to the right towards Glenridding Dodd, there is a reasonable path that takes you to the interesting little summit, it would have been a good deal more interesting but for the mist. Whilst at the summit there were brief glimpses of the colourful autumnal route towards the misty top of Sheffield Pike.

There are fragments of snow on the ground but Birkhouse Moor across the valley looks like there is more and the edges of Helvellyn beyond might be interesting today. I walked back down to the col and followed the path upwards towards Sheffield Pike. The ascent is interesting and rugged without problems, the occasional icy patches are easy to avoid. This ascent of Heron Pike is steep and rugged enough to be interesting without being difficult until you get to the large, flat summit plateau.

The path across is not very distinct at times and the wetness is to be expected, there are fragments of snow and occasional icy patches but wet is was it is. Shortly before I reached the summit of Sheffield Pike the drizzle became more persistent, I was glad the steepest of the climbing was finished as I put on full waterproofs and biggest gloves. The wind became stronger too and I was thinking I might have to abandon this walk once I got to the high ridge so I decided to try an alternative route.

There is a wet and sometimes icy but easy descent to Nick Head, you have to follow a faint path slightly to the right to miss the worst of the muddy peat hags at the col. The ascent up the other side is a steady slog upwards over wet grass, the faint path takes you along the edge of a huge eroded gully that may be natural but may be man made as a result of quarrying. The path will take you up to Stybarrow Dodd but I followed the edge of the cliffs across the top of Glencoyne in the direction of Hart Side and I did find a faint path in that direction.

At the head of Glencoyne the mist lifted for a short time giving views of Hart Side and Sheffield Pike and I thought that maybe the weather was going to improve. That feeling didn't last long as the rain came in a with a vengeance although the rain gives a little bit more visibility than mist. The summit of Hart Side has four cairns in a small area, any of which could be the summit or just a good viewpoint. There is enough visibility to head towards Stybarrow Dodd without the use of map or compass.

There is a faint path on the long, wet walk over grass towards Stybarrow Dodd and the visibility closed in by the time I reached a fairly substantial cairn. I thought I was close to the summit and I was expecting to see a short wall that marks the summit of the fell. After passing a few more large cairns without seeing any evidence of a wall and I was thinking I should turn south to avoid ending up at Watsons Dodd. I was relying on instinct and experience rather than map and compass when I thought that some of the cairns looked familiar. A quick look at the compass confirmed that I was going round in a circle and it was time to start navigating properly.

I followed the cairns back in a westerly direction and I eventually found the cairn with a small upright slate slab set into it, if I had put my glasses on I would have been able to read the inscription on it. I am sure I have seen a memorial stone here before so I thought I knew where I was and proceeded to follow a faint path which disappeared. Now would have been a good time to check map and compass but when you think you know where you are you sometimes don't bother.

Well, I was walking downwards over grass when I looked at my compass and I was still going west, I should be on a very obvious path going south by now. I would have been in danger of becoming very lost without my instinct, I had to go south and find Sticks Pass. There was no visibility and there are no landmarks, there are no clues, I had to rely on my compass and my mental map of the area. I followed the contours southwards and eventually saw a path below me and I joined it at a cairn that I recognised.

The last time I was here I had followed a foxes tracks through the snow up from Stanah and whilst I was standing at the cairn I saw a fox crossing the path about ten feet away. It was a short walk then to the top of Sticks Pass, I hope nobody removes that stick. I knew then I just had to follow the wet path to get back to Glenridding and it's funny how when you know you are safe the mist usually clears.

After a flat wet area surrounded by quarry or mining spoil heaps the final descent is down reconstructed paths through an area that is devastated by mining but is curiously interesting. By the time I got back to Glenridding most of the snow on the hills had been washed away by the rain.

Andy Wallace 21st November 2004