Meet time 08:45am
Start time 09:00am
(Estimated finish time 16:30)
Strenuous 7.3 miles / 11.7 km (steep climbs, some scrambling and scree path)
Start point: car park at the top of the village of Hartsop
Nearest postcode: CA11 0NZ
Car parking: car park at the top of the village of Hartsop (honesty box, no fixed charge, just donations).
If Hartsop car park is full, we could also use Cow Bridge car park, just next to the A592 (also has an honesty box) and allow 20 minutes to walk up to the start point.
It is the responsibility of each walker to make sure they understand where to park. If you are not sure where the car parking/meeting point is, you must contact the walk leader at the latest the day before the walk. You should not rely on mobile phones or postcodes. There is often no mobile reception near walk meeting points and postcodes are for the nearest place nearby but should only serve as a guideline. Please allow plenty of time to find a parking space so that walks can start promptly.
Description:
Through the gate at the end of the car park and take the path immediately right, crossing over Pasture Beck. Just after the bridge, we leave the main path and take the one on the right following the wall up to the stile (there is also a gate further to the left). We cross over the wall and keep going steeply up with the wall on our right. When the wall finishes a well-trodden groove path will appear on our left. We continue our steep climb along this path until we reach the start of another wall. We follow the path, keeping this wall on our left and soon reach the cairn marking the summit of Hartsop Dodd.
From then on the path by the wall is a gradual ascent to Caudale Moor, we keep the wall on our left, crossing over a broken down stone wall. We keep going until another wall comes from the right. At that point we turn right to follow that wall (keeping it on our left) until it bears right to the cairn marking the summit of Caudale Moor. We will probably have a snack at that point.
We then retrace our steps to the cairn for Stony Cove Pike. Just past the cairn we will again follow a stone wall (keeping it on our left) all the way down to Threshthwaite Mouth. This path is quite steep and tricky in areas because of boulders, a little scrambling is required at times.
We cross the Mouth and still keeping the wall on our left, we have a steep climb ahead of us to reach Thornthwaite Crag. This steep path is very scree like. We follow the path and it eventually bears right away from the wall and becomes less steep along a climbing traverse. We then reach the tall beacon of Thornthwaite Crag where we will stop for lunch (now all the ascent is done).
From the beacon, we pick the correct path keeping the wall on our left (not to be confused with the path to High Street). The wall bears away left, but we follow the grassy path straight ahead. We will cross 2 broken down walls before reaching the cairn which marks the summit of Gray Crag.
We walk past the cairn and keep following the path which does get quite steep. We follow this path down to the Hayeswater track. When we reach the track, we follow it going down, over the bridge (over Hayeswater Gill) and through a few gates back to the village car park.
Distance: Approx 7.3 miles / 11.7 km
Ascent: Approx 840m
Time: 8 hours max
Please contact Nathalie on number removed by 10pm on Friday 21 May if you are coming on this walk (text or phone only, I am not on Facebook). This walk is suitable for dogs but quite tricky in places because of scrambling, please make sure you keep your dog under control.
Please check the weather and bring appropriate clothing (waterproofs and spare warm clothing), footwear and enough food and water. The leader reserves the right to turn away any walker not suitably equipped. The leader may cancel the walk or modify the route dependent on conditions.
We strongly advise walkers to carry hand sanitiser and to touch as little as possible during the walk. We will walk 2m apart as much as possible. We will not be able to share any equipment, drinks or food. Please carry a mask in your bag in case it is needed. If we need to go through a gate, the walk leader will take responsibility for opening and closing the gate to save multiple people touching it. Car sharing is now possible – please contact the walk leader to arrange.
New members: please note the walk leader may ask for more information about your walking experience. This is to ensure you have the fitness required to complete the walk that is planned safely.