*****Please note change of date and start time *****
Meet time: 8.45am (Highly recommend getting parked up earlier due to the bank holiday weekend)
Start time: 9.00am
Estimated finish time: 3.30pm – 4pm
Distance: 9.5 miles to 10 miles (up to 16 kilometres)
Ascent: About 3500 feet (1067 metres)
Ramblers walk grading: A (Strenuous)
Start point: Seathwaite Farm (where the road ends) (this is the Borrowdale Seathwaite)
Postcode: CA12 5XJ
Car parking: A good mile-long stretch along the end half of the road to Seathwaite Farm.
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: This is a walk to one of the best fells the Lake District has to offer. Those who are observant may remember that a similar walk happened two months ago, but the mountains were completely covered in cloud.
Now then, the Scafell Range can be considered going from Sca Fell to Scafell Pike to Great End in a west-east direction which has the mightiest mountains in England, but the southern extension of Esk Pike and Bow Fell are just as mighty- and it is these two mountains which are the main feature of this walk.
We will take the most direct approach by heading for Esk Hause via Grains Gill. This is a 2000 feet plus slog, but it is during the second half of Grains Gill when the great eastern face of Great End makes itself known; and this is a welcome sight to an unrelenting ascent. From Grains Gill we head south and continue the journey upwards to Esk Hause, along the way we take the rightwards path to reach the higher part of Esk Hause.
The magic really begins from Esk Hause (roughly 750 metres high) with the northern bulk of Esk Pike revealing itself, with deep views down into the upper Eskdale valley, with views of the Langdales from higher up, and of course a direct line of sight towards Borrowdale and Derwent Water and the Skiddaw Range.
From Esk Hause the ascent and the gradient eases as we leave the popular and well-trodden eastern route to Scafell Pike and continue the journey southwards. The moment one reaches the top of Esk Pike (885 metres) the great domed-top of Bow Fell immediately reveals itself while the views east, south and west truly open up.
From Esk Pike we descend a bit to Ore Gap before beginning a gradual ascent to Bow Fell, the paths alternate between boulder fields to gravel paths to grassy trods, but they eventually come to the rocky mound of Bow Fell’s top. Once at Bow Fell (902 metres) one is greeted in my opinion with the best south-facing view of the Lake District, and since the mountain has a peak then the views nearly all around are wide and deep. Some of the highlights are seeing pretty much all of Eskdale to the west, the Langdale Pikes to the east, Pike o’ Blisco and the two Scafells.
The journey back means returning to Esk Pike via Ore Gap, and this is necessary to minimize both the ascent and descent. From Esk Pike it is back to Esk Hause, from Esk Hause we will go Sprinkling Tarn and walk along the lumpy plateau that is Seathwaite Fell (high point 632 metres), but we are heading towards its northern summit which is the Wainwright top. From this Wainwright top (601 metres) we get a great view down into the valley and at Seathwaite itself.
Finally, we commence a true descent by taking a faint path that descends in a northerly direction towards the tourist path (the one connecting Styhead Tarn to Seathwaite). Once on this path it is a bit of trudge back to Seathwaite- but it is a price well paid if one sees the glory of Esk Pike and Bow Fell.
Please contact Miles on 07842 783319 by 10pm on Sunday 25 August if you are coming on this walk (text or phone, or message on Facebook (Miles Saunders-Priem)). This walk is suitable for dogs.
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.
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.