Saturday, 5th October 2013

 

Walk: St Raven's Edge, Caudale Moor (Stony Cove Pike)  Hartsop Dodd, Mark Atkinson's Monument, St Raven's Edge, Woundale Valley, Kirkstone Pass
Start Point: Kirkstone Pass Grid Ref: NY 401 081
Distance: 10 miles Ascent: 1,670 feet
Weather: Dull with a cool breeze in the afternoon Time: 6 hours
Comments: The climb from the Kirkstone Pass to St Raven's Edge includes a number of rocky sections that entail some easy scrambling. The next part of the route has some very muddy/boggy sections but rocks have been placed to enable easy passage without getting muddy boots! While continuing on to Stony Cove Pike low mist rolled over surrounding fells but stayed clear of our position. An easy walk then took us down to Hartsop Dodd with its great views down the valley to Ullswater.
After making our way back to Caudale Moor we diverted to visit the memorial to Mark Atkinson, a landlord of the Kirkstone Pass Inn who died in 1930 aged 60. He wanted to be remembered from a point where he could forever see the inn. His son, Mark Iain Atkinson who died in 1987 aged 83, is also mentioned on the cairn.
After returning to St Raven's Edge we decided to head down to the Woundale Valley before returning to the car park. Initially taking a pathless route, we eventually found a clear footpath which accompanied the beck through the valley to the Kirkstone Pass road. It was then just over a mile along the road and back to the car.

Scroll down to see photos of the walk

The Kirkstone Inn from St Raven's Edge . . .

 

with Windermere in one direction . . .

 

Red Screes across the road . . .

 

and Brothers Water in the opposite direction

 

Ill Bell and Froswick catch the sun  . . .

 

while the mist brushes the top of Red Screes

 

From higher up we can just about see both ends of Windermere

 

The mist has moved over to Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick . . .

 

as we reach Stony Cove Pike

 

Thornthwaite Beacon can just be seen to the right with High Street to the left . . .

 

and it looks like Kidsty Pike is enjoying a little sun

 

Our next target is Hartsop Dodd . . .

 

with Ullswater coming into view

 

Sheila ticks another one off . . .

 

while I make my fourth visit

 

Making the most of the views down the valley . . .

 

and across the fell tops . . .

 

before retracing our steps - with Caudale Head and Red Screes to the right

 

A slight detour takes us to . . .

 

the Mark Atkinson Memorial

 

from where the sun highlights layers of fell tops . . .

 

together with Red Screes and Middle Dodd

 

As he wished, the memorial overlooks the Kirkstone Inn . . .

 

and the sun highlights the rocky outcrops on Red Screes

 

A large sheepfold . . .

 

beside Woundale Beck

 

Some fell ponies come to greet us . . .

 

as we walk along the valley bottom . . .

 

but we soon leave them behind

 

Looking back up the Woundale Valley - an interesting change to the planned route

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