| Name of walk | Four Fells from the Old Corpse Road |
| Date of walk | 2011-04-19 |
| Distance walked (miles) | 10 |
| Duration of walk | 6 hours 30 minutes |
| Weather | sunshine and overcast |
| Peaks on walk | Selside Pike, Branstree, Tarn Crag, Grey Crag |
| Walked with | On own |
| Parking | Road down beside Haweswater |
Yesterday morning I set off at 7am for Haweswater and the start of the Old Corpse Road, where the dead of Mardale made their final journey across the fells via Swindale to Shap to be buried. The walk would include Selside Pike (2149ft), Branstree (2339ft), Tarn Crag (2178ft) and Grey Crag (2093ft).
I stopped off en route for the view across to the ridge of Kidsty Pike. Good reflections today. I got to the parking space and was ready to walk by 8.40am.
The Old Corpse Road is well sign posted and I set off up the track, getting good views on the way up. Looking down the valley to Mardale Head, Harter Fell and Mardale Ill Bell.
Looking across to The Rigg and the Riggindale ridge leading to High St.
I passed several old ruins on the way up. Views into Riggindale where the Golden Eagles nest.
A smaller ruin just a bit higher up.....just needs a new roof and french windows and I`d live in it!!!!
Both ruins in view with Kidsty Pike on the far right.
Looking back to a last glimpse of Haweswater as I head over grass to the crossroads for Selside Pike.
Selside Pike summit shelter.
Just about to negotiate Captain Whelter Bog as I head for Branstree on the right.
Looking back to Selside Pike on the left from Artle Crag. A survey post on the right.
The cairns of Artle Crag.
Branstree summit. I head for the stile and the route down by the wall.
It is very warm, and very hazy. I now have to walk all the way down Branstree, then all the way up Tarn Crag ahead!
From the start up Tarn Crag looking back at Branstree.
View to Gatesgarth Pass.
The survey post on Tarn Crag, looking over at Kentmere Pike and Shipman knotts.
Route down and back up to Grey Crag.
I met the first people I had seen all day, sat next to the cairn on Grey Crag. It was midday and I had reached my final fell, so I joined them for lunch. Peter was a retired analytical chemist now living in Kendal and John a retired university professor of economics from Macclesfield. Tom wants to read philosophy, politics and economics at university so we discussed the best places to do that.....which apparently is Oxford.....eek! They were on their first fell having come up from Sadgill. The cairn on Grey Crag with not much of a view down in to Longsleddale.
My route means I need to go back over Tarn Crag.
The view on the descent of Tarn Crag over to the Gatesgarth Pass, with Harter Fell above it. When I got to the bottom of the fell I would not head down to the pass on the pathh as I would lose height and need to regain it again, instead I headed around Branstree over bog, grass and gill meeting the Gatesgarth Pass only about 200 yards from the summit.
Looking down the Gatesgarth Pass having almost reached it.
View back down the pass.
Now going down the other side with Harter fell on the left.
Still a while to go!
Reaching Haweswater again.
Little fish were jumping out of the water.
I took the lakeshore path that leads directly back to my car.
Looking back to Mardale Head from the lakeshore path.
