The Lake District
28th March 1975 to 31st March 1975 (Easter)
Back to the lakes for a walk round the central peaks above Langdale starting from Borrowdale by way of change.
Friday 28th March 1975
Again we arrived early in Keswick and went down to Derwentwater's shores in the bright clear morning. As we had arrived in the Lake District on the coach a beautiful sight greeted us across Windermere - the ridge of fells covered with snow looking higher and much more grand than normal. It was a very exciting beginning to the weekend. Skiddaw also lay beneath a blanket of snow and looked marvellous from Derwentwater as it stood high above the valley. We took the bus from Keswick to Seatoller, through lovely Borrowdale and shortly set out to climb Glaramara by a path crossing the River Derwent. As the path climbed we came upon the first snow nestling among the golden bracken and what a wonderful sight it was. Ahead of us now lay more and more snow but, surprisingly, as we looked back there was none save on the summits of the Skiddaw group far away to the north. It was like two different seasons, winter ahead and luxuriant spring in the valley behind. The way now became quite exciting as, climbing the north facing side of Glaramara, we crackled through thick ice and crisp snow admiring thick icicles hanging from the banks of the earth and peat on the fellside. It was a while before we were able to see beyond the immediate foreground and as we rose above the ground ahead, the view of Fleetwith Pike and then Green Gable and Great Gable was superb. We were able to calculate that the snow lay at about 2000 feet and above and we could look at the gleaming white peaks away to the west. The snow at our feet now became thicker and thicker with patches of ice gleaming in the sun. It was fine, exciting, walking as the sun shone and the land glistened in its new white coat and we strode on towards the summit of Glaramara. We arrived at a steep bank of snow and climbed up sinking deeply at each step. In places the snow was almost 2 feet deep and this was so new to us that we could have been in the Alps. That short climb completed we were soon standing by the summit cairn and could look south across a huge white wilderness. A quite staggering sight. To the north we could watch a snow shower falling over Derwentwater and Keswick and, lest we should be caught out by such a storm, we hurried for a view of the Langstrath Valley. At least if we could see the ground that lay ahead we would feel safe if the storm did arrive. Above us the sky was a bright summer blue with white clouds but soon after we had started the descent the weather closed in and it started to snow. The fellside was quite steep and our boots, which had so far served us well across the snow and ice, now let us down as the snow caked up beneath them and we struggled to keep on our feet. Every few yards we had to stop and kick loose the accumulated snow and in this way we made our way carefully towards the valley. It snowed only for 15 minutes or so and by the time we reached the valley bottom the little snow that had settled had melted away. Only on Esk Pike to our right was there evidence that it had ever snowed. The valley was beautiful, wild and desolate and flanked by steep fellsides with Langstrath Beck bubbling its way over its rocky bed towards Derwentwater many miles away. We chose, at length, a site close by the stream and brewed up a cup of tea as we rested after an exciting day. Several people made their way home on the far side of the beck but we had our home already and so settled down for a night beside the bubbling beck in a beautiful valley.
Saturday 29th March 1975
Awoke to a clear day and followed the stream down past some small but interesting waterfalls to Tray Dub where a footbridge spanned the stream above a waterfall and a deep rock sided pool. A few photographs and then on our way up Stake Pass heading for the Langdale Pikes. A short distance above the valley we were stopped in our tracks by the staggering sight of a completely frozen waterfall. It really was beautiful, snow and ice hanging motionless and the water gurgling underneath. Further on at the pass there was no snow and no ice, just a normal plateau of golden bracken with just a dusting of snow on Pike O'Stickle as it appeared on the horizon. As we journeyed on so Bowfell across Langdale became visible and was quite a contrast to the plateau. Its steep northern face was clad with snow and its huge gullies were packed with deep snow. We had reached a small tarn with patches of ice and this supplied the foreground to Bowfell's magnificent flanks. Turning up Martcrag Moor we shortly reached another tarn, completely frozen and reflecting the rocky summit of Pike O'Stickle. A little higher and we were once more in snow at the foot of the topmost part of Pike O'Stickle. We left the rucksacks and climbed carefully to the summit. Very carefully for this side there was ice and packed snow and the path followed ledges and gullies to the top with steep drops to Langdale below. It was an exciting ascent and a very fine top. The wind hit us as we reached the cairn so that we didn't stay long. Long enough though to view Langdale laid out below us and the fine panorama from the lowlands around Windermere round to the rugged heights of Scafell and Great Gable. The descent was probably more difficult and we were glad to reach level ground and the safety of the deep snow. We moved on to Loft Crag and then down across Dungeon Ghyll and up to Harrison Stickle for a splendid birds-eye view of its Stickle Tarn. An even closer view could be obtained from Pavey Ark and that's where we were to head next. In the meantime we studied Pavey Ark and watched two tiny red dots at the foot of the screes that could only have been people dwarfed by the immensity of the face of Pavey Ark. We moved on to Pavey Ark across snow-covered boulders and then around the top of Bright Beck and on to Sergeant Man. Bright Beck illustrated perfectly the contrasts of this weekend with its north facing bank clad in snowy whiteness and its south facing bank grassy and dry without a suggestion of snow. The stream was a perfect boundary of two seasons. At Sergeant Man we sat by the cairn to make a decision as the flurries of snow danced before us against a grey sky. We had intended to camp at Codale Tarn and then go over High Raise the following day but it was still early so we decided to continue over High Raise and on to Greenup Gill. The snow was falling heavier as we headed towards the vast white land ahead of us and soon we turned into an almost full-blown blizzard with the sky darkening and visibility shortening. The snow lay a foot deep as we trudged on towards the summit of High Raise. This was an exciting walk and conditions new to us and was quite an experience. The cairn was reached and we turned back to the fence and followed it along to Greenup Edge. The snow had now passed and the sun was shining. Soon there would be no evidence that the snow had fallen and indeed, as we came to lower ground alongside Greenup Gill, it was impossible to tell that only a short while ago it had been snowing heavily. The water in the Gill splashed its way down to the valley over falls and across deep pools and we wandered beside until we found a level platform beside the water. A perfect spot, so we pitched the tent and prepared for the night.
Sunday 30th March 1975
Our site looked right down into Borrowdale and when we had gone to bed we looked out to the green fields stretched out below the green and brown of the fellside. When we awoke what a different sight! Two inches of snow had fallen and the valley looked very, very beautiful. We were quite excited as we crunched around in the crispy snow and looked all round at the wonderful scene. We packed and set off hoping to enjoy as much of this snowy white world as we could before the sun, which was already climbing high, transformed the landscape once more. We reached the meeting point of Greenup Gill with Langstrath Beck and enjoyed the fine view up the Langstrath valley to Esk Pike and the closer views of the footbridge and snow-covered boulders and fields. A little further on and we began a climb through woods on our right towards Dock Tarn and Watendlath. It was now unbelievably hot and, looking back, the snow had gone. The path was steep causing us to rest, hot and tired, in the sunshine. As the path eased heather and bracken surrounded us as we travelled on and then suddenly as we topped a small rise there lay Dock Tarn like a blue jewel in the brown landscape around us. It really was a lovely place and we could imagine lying in the heather on a summer's day with only the lapping waters breaking the stillness and quiet. We moved away from the water's edge as we wanted to find the summit of Great Crag and a very difficult summit to find it turned out to be. Numerous tops amid the heather all had cairns and we visited each until we were finally sure that we had reached the true summit and then we rejoined the path to Watendlath. We could see the Tarn and the village nestling among the fells about a mile away and it looked a fine place. A fine place it turned out to be as we at last reached the water's edge and watched the sunlight sparkle on the rippling water. Across the perfect bridge and among the few houses we were able to find a café and so had our lunch. On this day there were not many people about and it was possible to enjoy Watendlath to the full. Probably quite different from a Sunday in July. Our lunch finished, we recrossed the bridge and climbed up above the village to Grange Fell along an easy path that led to Rosthwaite. Golden grass, like a summer corn field, provided a foreground to Grange Fell and we crossed this to climb to our last summit. We were not on a path, having made a sudden decision to visit the top, so the way was not easy to follow but provided no real difficulties. The top itself was an interesting rocky place with fine views to Derwentwater and Skiddaw in the North and to Pike O'Stickle, looking nothing like it appeared in the icy conditions of yesterday, in the South. We took in the last view and then descended to rejoin the path to Rosthwaite. A final splendid view up Borrowdale to the Honister pass with Rosthwaite nestled below us and we were down in the valley to catch the bus to Keswick to camp.
Monday 31st March 1975
A night in Keswick and then the early morning coach for the long journey home.