Meet time: 9.00 am
Start time: 9.15 am
Estimated finish time: 3:30pm to 4.00pm
Distance: 9.6 – 9.7 miles (15.4 – 15.6 kilometres)
Ascent: About 2,910 feet (887 meters)
Ramblers walk grading: A (Strenuous)
Start point: Hartsop village car park.
Postcode: CA11 0NY
Car parking: Hartsop village car park. There is also additional parking at Cow Bridge which is 0.5 miles away from the start point\meeting location.
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.
Summits: Gray Crag, Thornthwaite Crag, High Street, Kidsty Pike, High Raise, Rampsgill Head & The Knott.
*Note the earlier start time, this is due to summer holidays and trying to make sure we all get parked*
Description: We exit Hartsop Vilage car park to follow a public footpath which leads up Hayeswater Gill till turning right after about 1.5 kilometres to come off the main track to start ascending the steep climb for Gray Crag. This will give us our first high elevation view of Hayeswater, this beautiful view will accompany us for much of the walk but seen from many different angles.
After leaving the summit of Gray Crag we continue on a clear path to Thornthwaite Crag and its impressive Beacon, which is one of the most distinctive in the Lake District. Next we will head slightly east to start the gentle but lengthy ascent of High Street which is the highest point of the walk. Leaving High Street we follow a clear path descending down to the Straits of Riggindale and passing Short Stile which has fantastic views of the Riggindale Valley.
We then leave the main path of the Straits of Riggindale to follow an arcing path right which leads us to Kidsty Pike which on a clear day has beautiful views of Haweswater Reservoir. Next we pick a path which leads to the summit of High Raise which is our furthest point east on the walk, we then leave High Raise to find a path leading to the penultimate summit for the day which is Rampsgill Head.
The summit of Rampsgill Head overlooks a valley which allows views of the deer grazing on the steep slopes of above Rampsgill Beck. We then leave Rampsgill Head to pick up a path which leads back to the Straits of Riggindale and our final ascent for the day to The Knott and its summit which gives another elevated view of Hayeswater. Finally we make our descent back to the car park down Hayeswater Gill using a footbridge to cross the stream to the western bank and the same path we started the ascent at the start of the walk.
Please contact Jahaan on 07815 869084 by 8pm on Friday 8th August if you are coming on this walk (text or phone, or message on Facebook (Jahaan Caine).
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.
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.