Ullscarf - no photos today
I had planned a route on the basis that the weather would be bad, but the weather is good so I decide to climb Eagle Crag that I have just been re-reading about in my Pictorial Guide.
From Stonethwaite I should have taken the Greenup path but I took the Stake Pass path and had to follow Langstrath until a footbridge took me across the beck and I was able to double path to the start of AW’s route.
The high bracken makes things difficult, not only by wrapping itself around the ankles but also in obscuring the footpath. It must have been hard going for AW because he would probably have been walking without any guidance at all.
The start of the uphill climb is obvious, follow the wall up the steep grassy slope and try to not get tripped up by the inevitable bracken. The steepness of the climb has the benefit of rapidly improving views of the valley.
The path becomes a bit more obvious as it leaves the wall until the wetness of the fell overwhelms it, but at this point there is a small cairn at which point go straight upwards following a series of small cairns. When the wall is rejoined, a stile now helps to get over it, but not immediately, as this is a fine place to sit and admire the view.
Once over the wall, the route up the gully is obvious and after that begins the least direct ascent of any summit. There is a feeling of real exposure in some places as you traverse the tops of the steep slopes falling down to the valley a long way below. Eventually after a zigzag path along the terraces you arrive at the rocky summit, another fine viewpoint.
The path over to Sergeant’s Crag is straightforward up to yet another good viewpoint, the path over to High Raise over pathless, ankle length grass is uninspiring but not difficult.
The path down to Greenup doesn’t seem half as boggy as when I first ascended it three years ago. Either this is the dry part of the year or more likely the boggy peat has eroded away to uncover the underlying stones which make a better footway.
The walk over Ullscarf is relatively easy and not too wet, the views to either side are excellent, justifying its claim to be at the centre of the Lake District. As you walk along the “ridge” you can identify almost every individual peak apart from the Coniston range which is hidden.
My plan that took 30 seconds to formulate in the car park was to carry on to Watendlath and then return on the path to Stonethwaite. However I have passed the point at which I should have turned to bypass Blea Tarn and have arrived at Coldbarrow Fell.
I am amazed at the lack of footpaths in the centre of the district over what is a large area of easy walking country. Plan B is to take a compass reading and head towards Dock Tarn and descend to the footpath whilst avoiding the steep sides of the valley.
A little bit more patience and confidence in my own direction finding would have got me to Dock Tarn. In fact I ended up descending the steep side of the valley, hanging onto wall as I struggled through the bracken over pathless grass and rock until I reached the main path almost at valley level.
Andy Wallace 8th September 2001