The Self Folding Map - no photos today
Started from the parking area across the road from St Peter’s Church at Martindale Hause, it was raining lightly as I made my way round to the back of the church to the foot of Steel Knotts.
I followed a path over grass that didn’t require any scrambling (the wrong path?), the path petered out but taking a direct route up the grassy slope I reached the start of the ridge. The views from the ridge into the valleys on either side below were good in spite of the rain, as I stood on the rocky crown of Pikeawassa I felt like a real king of the castle.
As I descended to a small col the rain became heavy enough to have to put on the waterproof trousers. Five minutes afterwards as I was descending the easy path down to the old church of St. Martin it stopped raining.
Follow the road up the valley until the grassy slopes of Beda Fell reach the road, the zizag path up the slopes included many false zigs and zags. I followed one of the false paths to a point where the slope ahead was too steep to traverse so I had to adopt “route one” up the slope on all fours, even when I reached some rocks they were too loose to be used as reliable hand holds.
Eventually reaching a safer gradient it was easy at this height to see the route of the true footpath coming easily up the fell. Having climbed the steeper ground up to the top of Beda Head, investigate the cairn over to the right that overlooks the valley, close by is a rugged one-man shelter that would protect against any weather. The ridge over Beda Fell as far as Angletarn Pikes provides excellent walking, especially today with the boggy sections being quite dry.
By the time I reach Angletarn Pikes the wind has become quite strong, making the ascents feel steeper than they are. Over the top of the cairn-less north pike, across to the south pike where the full beauty of Angle Tarn is revealed, I have always thought it looked a bit ordinary until seeing it from this height.
Descend down to the main Patterdale path, follow it southwards past Angle Tarn, make a quick detour over grass to the top of Satura Crag for the view, then at the crest of the main path turn right along a wall to Brock Crags.
The boggy plateau that has to be crossed to reach the summit of Brock Crags would be a horrible place on a wet day. The summit commands an excellent view over the valley below including the diminutive Brotherswater, the cairn is substantial enough to act as a welcome wind break. It also sees the bad weather obscuring the Helvellyn and Fairfield ranges that has been threatening to blow in this direction.
Back to the main path and I’ll just check the map, the wind causes me to lose control of the map and whilst I am trying to get it back under control another gust takes it off me. Thinking the worst, I see the map fly off towards the valley below but it falls to the ground about twenty yards away, when I catch up with it is has folded itself up so I can put it straight back into my pocket.
Follow the main path towards the Straits of Riggindale over the boggy peat hags until near the crest of the path when a better stony path takes over. From here, Rampsgill Head is the easiest of summits to reach, the nearby cairn on the edge of the crags is probably the best viewpoint in the area.
There is then an easy walk over to High Raise, not forgetting to visit the cairn that is off the main path. Then really easy walking over to Wether Hill, there is a confusing sign post indicating an alternative route to High Street, it seems to refer to the route of the old Roman road rather than the hill of the same name and it is the right path to take. From the summit of Wether Hill I had some trouble working out where I was and the position on the map of the path I was looking for. Next time I will know that I should follow the new fence almost until it reaches a stone wall at a dry gully, cross the head of the gully to find the obvious path towards Gowk Hill.
At the base of Gowk Hill, at a ruined hut, keep straight ahead towards Fusedale, past the impressive ravine of Groove Gill into one of the loveliest valleys in the Lake District. At the end of the valley road is a four way signpost showing the way back to Martindale Hause, a last little climb on tired legs back to the car park.
Andy Wallace 20th April 2002