Dale Head with Fr. John • Walking the Cumbrian Mountains

Name of walk	Dale Head with Fr. John
Date of walk	2020-08-24

On Monday I met Fr. John in the Seatoller NT car park for a walk up to Dale Head via Rigg Head Quarries and back down to Honister via Yew Crag Quarries. A walk of five miles.

Heading up the hill towards Honister.

The footpath is on the right.

We head up.

Looking back at the road to Honister.

We take the path beside the wall. Everywhere is still rather wet.

Close up of Castle Crag.

We follow the path until we reach Tongue Gill and the turn off for Rigg Head Quarries.

View back to Borrowdale from the walk up to Rigg Head.

Tongue Gill.

A small section of track? Or the mountings for a wheel.

I leave John and take a detour to see the buildings hidden by the hill. I have been meaning to come here since I noticed them a few years back.

Rigg Head Climbing Hut.

Plus some old quarry buildings.

I head back along the narrow track to where john is. I can see him waving!

We continue up. Good views back to Borrowdale.

The steep approach to the main quarry area. Some levels off to the left.

View back.

Lots of levels here.

View back at the ruins. We continue on up and go over the stile.

Dale Head on the right.

The route to High Spy on the right.

Panorama. Left click to enlarge, click again to return.

We head down to Newlands Beck. Then cross it and head up towards the tarn.

Dale Head Tarn.

View to High Spy from the climb up to Dale Head.

View back down to Dale Head Tarn. The Dodds and Helvellyn range at the back.

John had stopped to put his jacket on as there was a cool breeze coming up the Newlands Valley.

Ta da! Dale Head summit cairn.

We pose for a selfie.

And again.

A glorious view down the Newlands Valley! We have lunch here. John had once more brought some coffee. We sat for over half an hour absorbing the views.

The panorama from our lunch spot on the grass. Left click to enlarge, click again to return. On the left is Hindscarth, behind that is Grasmoor,Eel Crag, Sail and Causey Pike. In the centre is Skiddaw and Blencathra, and to the right Cat Bells, Maiden Moor and High Spy. Behind them are the Dodds.

Panorama to the south west. Left click to enlarge, click again to return. The Scafells, Great Gable, Kirk Fell, Pillar. Centre is Fleetwith Pike. To the right High Crag, High Stile and Red Pike. Then far right is Grasmoor etc.

We head down towards Honister. Bessyboot and Glaramara on the left. Bowfell and Esk Pike centre. Great End, the Scafells and Great Gable to the right.

Once the fence line is reached and it starts to have gaps in the wires, a small track can be seen leading off to the right. This goes to the top of Yew Crag Quarry.

We have a look around the upper section of the old buildings.

From here there are great views down to Buttermere and Crummock Water, and across to Fleetwith Pike.

Close up of Buttermere and Crummock Water with Red Pike on the left.

Fleetwith Pike and the route of the via ferrata.

In Panorama. Left click to enlarge, click again to return.

Looking down on to the lower section of quarry which I investigated on my last visit.

A tunnel.

Plenty of slate!

I take a last look before we head back to the fence line and regain the path down to Honister.

We head down to Honister Slate Mine. Our objective is to catch the 13.31 bus back to Seatoller. We have left ourselves 15 minutes, so we don't hang about and jog down the grass.

Almost there with several minutes to spare! Then the bus was ten minutes late, typical! We remembered our masks for the bus and had a leisurely ride down the hill back to the NT car park.