Seven Fells From Lanthwaite Green • Walking the Cumbrian Mountains

Name of walk	Seven Fells From Lanthwaite Green
Date of walk	2010-08-14
Distance walked (miles)	12
Duration of walk	6 hours 30 minutes
Weather	mist that eventually turned to sunshine
Peaks on walk	Whiteside, Hopegill Head, Grisedale Pike, Grasmoor, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Wandope and Whiteless Pike
Walked with	On own. Met Fr. John Inglis
Parking	Lanthwaite Green car park.

Today I decided to do a solitary walk from Lanthwaite Green near Crummock Water climbing up to Whiteside (2359ft), Hopegill Head (2525ft), Grisedale Pike (2593ft), Grasmoor (2795ft), Crag Hill (Eel Crag) (2749ft), Wandope (2533ft) and Whiteless Pike (2165ft). A walk of over 12 miles. I left home at 6.45am……well I was awake!

When I came over Newlands there were blue skies and the fells were clear, but by the time I had reached the car park the mist had begun to settle on the tops. I was ready to walk by 8.35am. I`d made good time. This early in the morning the roads were totally clear. It was quite cold so I put the leggings back on my shorts, put a coat on and gloves too....in August! View from the car park at Lanthwaite Green to Whin Ben with Whiteside in mist behind.

Looking up to Grasmoor.

View to Mellbreak and Crummock Water.

The purple heather is looking good!

Just after this I disappeared into the mist which had begun to envelope all the surrounding fells too.

Looking up Gasgale Gill.

Whiteside summit with the ridge to Hopegill Head behind......really.......supposedly one of the finest in the lakes.....and the second time I`d been this way and not had the opportunity to admire it! Grrrrrrr!

After Hopegill Head I went on to Grisedale Pike seeing absolutely nothing. I did meet a few fell runners and some walkers heading back the way I came. I then made for Coledale hause and the route to Grasmoor. Coledale Hause was just out of the mist and I could make out the top the waterfalls that lead into Gasgale Gill.

Near the gill I met a man called John who had never done this route before and was a bit uneasy about the mist. He had come up by way of Gasgale Gill. As we were both heading to Grasmoor and Whiteless Pike he asked if he could walk with me. Fine with me. Turns out he was a Catholic Priest from Brighton who was here for a week or so, covering a parish in Keswick and taking full advantage the of the hills. He had been out walking all week. He had two masses tonight, one is in Keswick at 5 and one in Cockermouth at 7 and needed to be back at the car park by three o`clock. Which was roughly the time I thought we would get back. So we headed for Grasmoor. This is taken by the shelter.....still nothing to see! The weather was supposed to clear later in the morning but it was already midday. We headed for Crag Fell which wasn`t a fell he had planned to do but I told him it wasn`t too far and on the way......just a small detour!

Coming back down from Crag Hill in the col leading back to Grasmoor the mist had started to clear. We headed off left to take in Wandope, another fell John hadn`t planned on!

On Wandope we could finally see out to the Red Pike range and down on Buttermere.

Looking across Ard Crags towards Catbells.

We headed for Whiteless Pike. View from the summit looking back to Crag Hill on the right, still in mist.

Grasmoor is also still in mist

Heading for Whiteless Pike.

As we headed down the mist cleared totally. We stopped briefly for lunch with this wonderful view. Looking across Crummock Water to Mellbreak.

John negotiating the ridge of Whiteless Pike. Red Pike behind. As we descended it got warmer and walmer so gradually I removed my coat then my trouser leggings and fleece. Finally I was in t-shirt and shorts.....summer at last!

Looking back up Whiteless Pike with Grasmoor on the left

A mistless Grasmoor and the Lad Hows ridge.

Looking towards Loweswater.

Looking towards Causey Pike with Sail to its left and Ard Crags right.

High Stile and Red Pike with Bleaberry Tarn in the corrie.

Rannerdale Knotts. The valley route to Ennerdale behind.

Rannerdale Valley.

We now head down into Rannerdale. John leads the way.

Rowan (Mountain Ash) berries.

The steep northern end of Rannerdale Knotts.

We kept to the grassy paths for as long as possible before having to walk on the road back to the car park. Whiteside now in blue skies.

We arrived back at 2.55pm. Right on time! The walk had taken under six and a half hours. Over one and a quarter hours quicker than last time, even after adding 2 extra fells to the walk route! I must be getting fitter…..(or it`s Ged that holds me up!). I`d spent three and a half hours with John, discussing many subjects. He was excellent company. I think he was pleased to have done two more fells than he`d planned. We shook hands, said our goodbyes and he headed off back to prepare for mass number one. I`ll email him some of the photos.

It took a bit longer to get home as there was a lot of traffic, I returned via Lorton and Whinlatter, but I was home by 5pm and could listen to the football on 5 Live on the way back.