BB0626 The Deepdale Round.

The specifications were quite clear.  No rocks to scramble as Philip's rib hasn't fully healed and he can't raise his arm.  No exposure as Tony and I don't do exposure.  Nothing too strenuous and back home by 4:30 as Philip had to pick up his grand-daughter.  Mind you, it was probably my fault.  I had wanted to do St Sunday's Crag as I had not been up there since about 1974 with Pete McL, us dressed in our winter gear, and the late Andy Hodson, him dressed in light shirt and shorts despite the frozen ground and snow flurries.  Stan neatly converted this request into the Deepdale Round.

The forecast had steadily improved through the week and although we had to be prepared for showers, there was a good chance we would see none but that it would cloud over.   We parked at Low Wood, near Brother's Water, on what had become a pleasant early autumn morning, and headed through the wood to Bridge End and then up the valley to wall end.  It was then that Stan muttered the words we have come to dread, "I've not actually been this way before but there must be a route up Latterhaw Crag."  What is it about fell runners, even retired ones, that makes them want to take the most direct ascents?

After a bit of a fight with bracken we found a gill and scrambled up it.  Not exactly what Philip wanted.  Or any of us for that matter.  It seemed quite steep although by the time we had finished the day, that section seemed easy in hindsight!  A moment of light relief was seeing the hounds being exercised in the valley below.  If you have a good imagniation you can just see them running along the valley path in the photo on the right..

A steep trail of multiple false summits led us to (yet another) Lord's Seat and Gavel Pike and eventually on to St Sunday's Crag.  By this time the wind had got up and offered what MWIS refers to as "considerable buffeting that might impede progress".  We found shelter for lunch and watched as the weather started to close in from the west.

Team  picture on St Sunday's Crag

The gathering gloom

Stan predicted that it would soon pass and he was right.  In fact we had only a spot or two of rain as we made our way down towards Deepdale Hause.  Whether is was better or worse that it cleared was debatable as the closer we got to Cofa Pike the more we could see that our initial ascent had been a doddle in comparison and this looked pretty serious stuff.  "It's not as bad as it looks," said Stan, but did we believe him?

It was actually pretty steep and scrambly and hard going with a short ridge near the top with some certain death moments if you stopped long enough to think about it.  "Come and look at the exposure!" said Stan.  "No Thanks" said Tony and I.

From then on it was an easy stroll to Fairfield with quite a panorama in all directions but too dark for decent pictures.  The way back involved another little scramble to Hart Crag by which time it had cleared sufficient to build this panorama photo of our route- St Sunday's Crag in sun on the right, travelling left to the drop and climb to Cofa Pike and then Fairfield and the trail back off to the right.

Fairfield and St Sundays Crag from Hart Crag

By this time, as we made our way down the long undulating ridge back to Deepdale Park it was clear that we were not going to get Philip back in time, even with a dash along the road to the car and a brisk drive back to Kendal!

Although not the longest walk we have done recently, this was certainly the most strenuous.

Don, 28th September 2006

STATISTICS

Distance:
9.5 miles

Height climbed:
3,648 feet

Map reference:
See Map

Wainwrights:
St Sunday's Crag, Fairfield, Hart Crag

Wildlife count:  
A pack of hounds and a solitary crow!

 

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Slipper Strolls:

 

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  • BB0631  Coppermines
  • BB0630  Relocation, Relocation, Relocation
  • BB0629  Stone Arthur and a Mystery Plume
  • BB0628  Knocking off Wainwrights.  Oh! Plus Skiddaw!
  • BB0627  Blencathra and the Mungrisdale Round
  • BB0626  The Deepdale Round
  • BB0625  Les Garçons de la Botte
  • BB0624  The Crookdale Horseshoe and then some
  • BB0623  Selside Pike revisited
  • BB0622  Round the Dunny!
  • BB0621  The Malham Experience
  • BB0620  Newlands Horseshoe
  • BB0619  Old Man Succumbs!
  • BB0618  Kentmere Horseshoe
  • BB0617 QH2QH High Street (the length thereof)
  • BB0616 Thornthwaite Beacon
  • BB0615  Fairfield Horseshoe
  • BB0614  High Street Racecourse
  • BB0613 The Coledale Round
  • BB0612  Well, Well, Well, Wansfell and Troutbeck Tongue      
  • BB0611  Carlin Gill
  • BB0610  Whitbarrow, Yewbarrow and a history lesson
  • BB0609  Clough Head and Great Dodd
  • BB0608  The Corpse Road and beyond
  • BB0607  Grim Fell!
  • BB0606  A Bit on the Side.....
  • BB0605  Angle Tarn with Surprises! 
  • BB0604  Hart Cragg via Dovedale
  • BB0603  Islands in the Sky with Brocken Spectres
    (or High Street via Gardiner's Grind)
  • BB0602  Holme Fell, Black Fell and Electric  Eyes
  • BB0601  Ingleborough
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