Sunday, 3rd August 2008

 

Walk: Seathwaite, Rosthwaite Fell(Bessy Boot), Tarn at Leaves, Rosthwaite Cam, Coombe Head, Glaramara, Allen Crags, Sprinkling Tarn, Styhead Tar, Stockley Bridge
Start Point: Seathwaite Grid Ref: NY 235 122
Distance: 10.8 miles Ascent: 3,400 feet
Weather: A very unsettled day with frequent heavy showers and sunny intervals
Accompanied by:

Ray (leader), Marie, John L, Steve

Comments: Starting from Seathwaite, the “wettest place in England”, the climb to Bessy Boot was pretty tough in the wet conditions. In fact, if it wasn't slippery it was boggy for most of the walk. If we weren't stepping gingerly over the rocks we were dragging our boots out of the boggy ground. The one saving grace was that we finally had some decent views - after two previous trips up Glaramara had resulted in a wall of mist. The descent from Allen Crags saw the weather improve - until we reached the car, when we had a sudden heavy downpour just as we were changing boots, etc!!

 

Scroll down to see photos of the walk

I don't think the campers will be having a very good week!

 

The gill doesn't look bad here - but just wait till we have to cross it

 

Castle Crag is just a 'pimple' from here

 

Bessy Boot - named by Wainwright as Rosthwaite Fell, but not the highest point here

 

Tarn at Leaves from Bessy Boot

 

Rosthwaite Cam, the highest point on Rosthwaite Fell

 

The sun catches the slopes of the Langstrath Valley

 

Crossing Great Hollow - one of the boggy sections

 

Almost the same angle as the third photo - but from much higher up

 

The path to nowhere - or as Wainwright puts it, a 20 foot rock step

 

Finally on Glaramara . . .

 

and looking back down to Derwent Water

 

Lunch in the shelter of some rocks . . .

 

walking round to the other side of the rocks we can see the Seathwaite Valley

 

High House Tarn - Wainwright considered this to be a 'perfect mountain tarn'

 

The Langdales, Lingmoor Fell and Windermere from the path to Allen Crags

 

Windswept on Allen Crags . . .

 

but a different view catches some sun in the distance

 

Esk Hause from Allen Crags

 

Bow Fell hides in the mist

 

Sun and cloud - over Seathwaite Fell and Sprinkling Tarn

 

Sprinkling Tarn looks much better from lower down . . .

 

and a brief appearance of the sun highlights the waterfall on the way to Styhead Tarn

 

Styhead Tarn and our route down

 

The meeting of paths at the mountain rescue stretcher box

 

Esk Hause towers above Styhead Tarn

 

Styhead Gill waterfall

 

Crossing Styhead Gill . . .

 

we head down past Greenhow Knott . . .

 

with the Seathwaite Valley coming into view . . .

 

then across Stockley Bridge . . .

 

where we get a view up Grains Gill

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