| Name of walk | Carrock Fell and High Pike with Father John. |
| Date of walk | 2014-08-18 |
| Distance walked (miles) | 9 |
| Duration of walk | 5 hours 10 minutes |
| Weather | Sunny intervals, windy |
| Peaks on walk | Carrock Fell and High Pike |
| Walked with | Fr. John Inglis |
| Parking | Roadside Mosedale |
On Monday I met up with Fr. John in the car park of Our Lady of the Lakes R.C. Church in Keswick and we headed for Mosedale, off the A66, in order to Climb Carrock Fell (2174ft) and High Pike (2157ft), then to return via Lingy Hut and Swineside. A walk of about 9 miles. The forecast was for sunny intervals,with rain later in the afternoon, but the wind on the tops would be gusting at 35mph.
We parked the car on the Mosedale road east of Carrock Fell and followed the grassy rake up the side of the mountain towards the tree on the horizon.
My car can be seen middle right of the photo. It is quite an isolated area.Once we had gained a bit of height we were sheltered from the wind and it suddenly got very warm, especially on the next steep bit.
The steep bit up to the horizon.
We have now reached the tree.
The purple heather was flowering and looked wonderful in the intermittent sunshine.
Soon we reached the old sheepfold and turned right for the summit.
The rocky summit is now seen ahead. The strong winds had returned, so I put my coat on for the first time in weeks.
The remains of the walls of an oval-shaped Iron Age Hill Fort, built by the Celts and destroyed by the Romans. Carrock Fell’s geology is unique in the Lake District in that it is predominantly composed of Gabbro, a rough igneous rock that also makes up the famous Black Cuillin on the Isle of Skye.
The summit cairn ahead.
John on the summit of Carrock Fell. Skiddaw behind shrouded in cloud.
Me on the summit.
On the right is High Pike, our next summit.
Back o`Skiddaw ahead and the slopes of Mungrisedale Fell on the left and Great Calva and Knott on the right.
In this close up Skiddaw House can be seen at the back of the valley.
In the dip is Bowscale Tarn, I camped out here overnight a few years ago.
Looking down Drygill Beck with Carrock Fell on the right.
Stone seat put up in 1961 to replace an iron one that sheep got their horns caught in. In Memory of Mick Lewis who died in 1944 aged 16 "Who loved all these fells" and his mother, Millicent who died in 1971. The main inscription says "He is a portion of that loveliness that once he made more lovely." a quote from 'Adonais' by Shelley.
Top of the cairn
John on the seat.
Now my turn! It was a bit too windy to have lunch sat here, so we went on the other side of the shelter to eat.
It was very pleasant on this side out of the wind. John had once more kindly made sandwiches and coffee for both of us. We were soon joined by a father and his ten year old son, Ben, who was walking up his first ever fell.
We got Ben to take our photo.
Then two more people appeared and were brave enough to relax on the seat. It was now blue skies over High Pike as we set off in the direction of Lingy Hill along the Cumbria Way Path.
View back to Carrock Fell.
Lingy Hut is to be found out in the middle of nowhere.
It acts as a bothy, but more resembles a garden shed. It is free to stay in, but lacks all basic facilities except shelter from the elements.
John signs the guest book.
The wooden box that contains the guest book and other bits and pieces. It is customary to leave something for those that may be in need of shelter and sustenance. I leave a Rhubarb and Custard Nakd bar in the box.
There is a raised floor section, room for three or four people in sleeping bags.
We head of down the valley leading to Swineside.
Looking back up to Lingy Hut.
It is an easy track to follow through heather and bracken.
Grainsgill.
John heading in the direction of the old Tungsten Mines.
Remains of the World War One Tungsten Mill.
The have installed a new sign since last time I was here. The the sign that said £200 fine for removing minerals without a permit has now gone. Carrock Fell is rich in mineral ores and has been mined extensively for many centuries with tungsten, lead, arsenic and iron all being extracted from the fell. Carrock Mine was the only source of Tungsten in Britain outside of Devon and Cornwall. The mine was opened in 1854 but has only been worked in periods when the price of Tungsten has been high, for example during war time, the mine was worked extensively during both World Wars and the Korean War when supplies of Tungsten were threatened. The mine closed in the early 1980s and in 1988 the site was bulldozed and landscaped to its original outline.
Map of the workings.
View back up the valley. Lingy Hut can just be made out on the horizon.
A closer view.
In Swineside walking beside Grainsgill Beck.
View back towards Knott.
We passed some very noisy, but friendly sheep. Just after this point it started to rain, so it was back on with the coats. It rained until we had got back to the car, but at least it had held off for the majority of the walk. We stopped off at The Mill pub in Mungrisedale for some medicinal rehydration. I tried their 'Sharp Edge Ale'....very nice.
On the way back through Mungrisedale we met some sheep on manoeuvres.
The walk was just under 9 miles and took us five hours and 10 minutes. Another excellent little walk with no major difficulties. Once you are on the tops the walking is very easy, on clear tracks. Today we were lucky to get some superb panoramic views across to the Pennines and the Scottish hills and the northern fells. The purple heather was spectacular! John was excellent company, as usual and kept me entertained! 🙂
Jo
