Scar Crags

Only 2 walks this year but we were about to have our second walk in a month!  Peter arrived for me at 6.30 am as we were only heading past Keswick.  We had decided that Scar Crags would be the destination today.  The last top in the Coledale Round which we had done the others back in July and August 2008.  We would drive to Braithwaite, just past Keswick and park just outside the village.  We arrived about 8.30 am and parked in the little car park just as you climb out of Braithwaite on the way to Whinlatter.  There was a path out of the car park which would take us towards Grasmoor, Eel Crag etc.  However this would mean we would have to do two tops before we reached Scar Crags.  So we decided to walk back into the village and pick up the old mine road mentioned in Wainwrights book which was a much more direct route.  It took a little finding but we eventually picked it up behind the Coledale Inn.  Initially it was a long residential road climbing towards the fell.  There was actually some parking at the top of the road which if we do this again will cut about 20 minutes off the walk and a bit of a climb.

Early morning view of the Fells

We were now on the fells heading towards Stile End.  It was a steady trod up towards the foot of Stile End and once there we walked around the bottom through the Barrow Door with Barrow on our left and Stile End on the right.

Barrow Door looking towards Barrow

We stopped here for our first bait stop with Causey Pike and todays target Scar Crags in front of us now.  We set off again on a very easy part of the walk towards High Moss with Outerside on our right and our target on the left.

Walking over High Moss

We now turned slightly left to walk around Scar Crags and began the hardest part of the walk.  However it was clearly laid out in front of us and was only about 100 yards climb up light scree.

Looking back towards the climb to Sail

As we reached the top of this part of the walk we were now on a very clear path towards the summit.  The photo above shows us looking back down this path towards the climb to Sail.  We arrived from the right of this photo.

Approaching the summit

We were now quite close to the summit, when we reached the top of this path the actual summit was maybe another 100 yards away so maybe a bit of a challenge in mist to find the actual top.  We arrived at the summit just after 11.00 am and stopped for a few photos in warm October sunshine.

With Causey Pike behind me

With Grisedale Pike behind me

With Skiddaw in the distance

With Sail and Crag Hill behind me

We dropped off the top a little towards Causey Pike and had another bait stop with some great views. This was an unusual walk in that we could see our start point back in Braithwaite village for the majority of the walk.

Looking back down to Braithwaite with Skiddaw in the background

We continued to walk towards Causey Pike and then took a very gentle descent back to High Moss over spongy grass which was easy on the knees.  It was now a very easy walk back down the same path we ascended.  We stopped again at Barrow Door, now very busy and then arrived back at the car before 2 pm.  Time for a pint in the Royal Oak in Braithwaite although they stopped serving food at two (it was now 8 minutes past two!!) so no Jockeys Whips!

Next walk planned for 8th November.