Name of walk	Whin Rigg & Illgill Head
Date of walk	2021-06-22

On Tuesday I drove to Wastwater parking opposite the road to Gosforth on the side of Wastwater. Ged and I were going to do a circuit of Wastwater climbing up to Whin Rigg and Illgill Head (the top of the Wasdale Screes) and then walk back along the road. The walk is ten miles. The best of the weather was to be early morning and late afternoon, so we arrived early.

View from our parking spot at 8.15 am.

We head for the island, which is no longer an island after the lack of rain. The Wasdale Screes are behind. We will walk the full length of the top today.

View up Wastwater towards Yewbarrow, Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Lingmell and Scafell Pike.

The same view from the top of the island.

Looking back to my parking spot with Buckbarrow and Middle Fell behind.

Looking back to the island from the viewpoint. There is more cloud than was forecast today.

We walk along the road beside the lake then take the track to the south end of the lake.

The Rhododendrons are looking superb.

We pass beneath Wasdale Hall, a Youth Hostel.

The Boat House.

Reflections of the water works building.

We head on for Lund Bridge where we cross the River Irt and walk back on the other side of the water.

Water weed in the river outlet.

Lund Bridge.

Heading back on the opposite side.

We take the track up beside the wall which keeps to the left of Greathall Gill.

The track up is steep, but easy enough with wonderful views along Wastwater.

Towards the top it becomes grassy and eventually you join the track coming from Irton Pike and head for Whin Rigg summit.

Ged on Whin Rigg summit. The view out to sea behind him.

We look down on Wastwater.

Looking ahead to the route up to Illgill Head. We head first for the tarn before then heading left for the path along the edge with all the good views. It always surprises me the number of people who take the main path up the middle and bore themselves to death!

Looking back to Whin Rigg summit.

The views from the edge path are always superb.

Views to die for! But not today! Ged keeps away from the edge.

This is the rock we stood on, it looks quite innocuous from here!

Lunch stop with a view. By midday the sunshine had gone and the cloud was thick above us and we continued on towards Illgill Head.

Another view from the edge.

We move over to Illgill Head summit, the way ahead.

Summit view to Harter fell.

The light is not good now as we head down.

Wasdale. Yewbarrow, Kirk Fell and Great Gable.

Ahead Scafell in cloud, but it is starting to brighten up.

Burnmoor Tarn.

We head down to the track to Brackenclose.

Ged climbs over the stile with Illgill Head behind him.

We pass the peat huts.

Scafell and Scafell Pike in cloud, from the road walk back to the car.

Same view with Daisies.

Yewbarrow, always a good hands on scramble!

Back at where we started.

The sunshine has now returned to light up the screes.

The walk took us six and a half hours, but we didn’t rush. This is always an enjoyable walk, and apart from the initial steep climb up Whin Rigg, is very easy, and has superb views.

Jo.