Name of walk	Haystacks from Honister
Date of walk	2021-04-01

On Thursday I decided to do a solo walk to Haystacks from Honister via the Moses Trod Path, visiting the perched boulder, returning via Dubs Quarry. I’d not been via this route and it is a lot easier than starting at Gatesgarth. I left home early in sunshine, but the cloud increased the nearer I got to Honister. Then after I set off on my walk even more cloud came and the sunshine was gone until I was driving home again!

Fleetwith Pike in blue sky from the NT car park at Honister.

View down the Honister Pass.

One of the old mine trains.

The footpath I am to follow.....and a slate bird with a fish.

A sheep and Dale Head.

A sheep minus Dale Head.

I turn off here.

View back to Honister Slate Mine, and my car.

Looking back as I head up the old dram road. Across the valley are the Yew Crag Mine Workings with multiple horizontal adits, a funicular railway and two access tracks. Towards the high ground many of the mine workings are open quarries.

The path climbs quickly and soon joins the old mineral railway track.

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

Railway sleepers.

The Drum House. This was a large structure with a wooden drum and cable system with a manual braking system. It controlled the ascent and descent of the trucks or drams that were used to transport the slate down to the processing sheds.

I turned left at the drum house and joined the old track known as Moses Trod. Moses was a miner and mule-driver who used this track to carry the finished slate to the coast via the Ennerdale Valley. Rumour has it he transported liquor for his work mates too.

I soon head up into the mist and no views.

I locate the track where I turn off for Haystacks, there is a very missable small cairn beyond my sticks. This is the highest point on today's walk, about 2000ft.

There is a slight decline towards Haystacks and I begin to see some views. Buttermere in some sunshine.

I descend towards the fence line. Haystacks is now almost out of the cloud, and I can now see Crummock Water too.

In close up. Mellbreak on the left and Low Fell in sunshine.

I go through the gate. No view to Pillar which is in cloud.

Ennerdale Lake on the left.

I descend down to Loft Beck, and cross it. Haystacks ahead.

Looking down Loft Beck which leads to Ennerdale.

View back after I have gone through another gate.

The landscape of Haystacks is filled with pools.

Summit ahead.

A good view of Ennerdale as I follow the fence.

After a while I head east in search of the perched stone.

I know it is south west of Blackbeck Tarn and this is where I find it....on the left.

Blackbeck Tarn.

I think it is an erratic, but I suppose it could be just a fallen piece of rock!

It is quite big!

View from my coffee spot. I'm in no rush as I'm hoping that the clouds will clear further.

Still no views to Great Gable and Kirk Fell today.

I'm back following the fence and the views down the Ennerdale Valley.

Kirk Fell a bit more visible.

Ahead is High Crag and High Stile.

View back to Innominate Tarn.

Summit view back.

I wander around the summit tarn.

The summit tarn and the view north encompassing the twin valleys of Ennerdale and Buttermere.

Panorama from the far end of Haystacks. Left click to enlarge, click again to return. Fleetwith Pike on the far right.

A narrower panorama. Left click to enlarge, click again to return.

I continue around the tarn.

I am not alone! Good reflections.

I head down to Innominate Tarn.

I have lunch here. I share it with the ducks.

Green Crag ahead.

Good views down the Buttermere Valley.

Blackbeck.

Blackbeck Tarn.

I head up towards Green Crag.

View back to Haystacks.

I did consider heading down to Warnscale Bothy, but the light wasn't good enough today to be worth a detour.

Dubs Quarry ahead.

Dubs Hut Mountain Bothy with cold running water!

View back as I head back on the dram road.

Last view back.

Grey Knotts now out of cloud with the diagonal path I followed this morning.

Back at the Drum House where I turned off this morning.

I head back down to Honister Slate Mine.

Some of the slate sculptures....

I'm back at the Honister Pass and walk to the car park.

The walk was 6.4 miles and took me four hours and fifty minutes, but over an hour of that was spent sat admiring various views in the hope that the sun would break through the clouds.

A good walk, with no great difficulties. Thanks to Roger Hiley (http://www.loweswatercam.co.uk/) for giving me the inspiration for this different route to Haystacks.

Jo.