I left home at 6.45am with a weather forecast saying it was going to be mainly dry with the possibility of a shower as the day progressed. I Travelled over the Honister Pass and took some photographs of Haystacks and Fleetwith Pike before turning right out of Buttermere along the Newlands Pass road, bound for Newlands Hause. No one else was parked there as I headed up the ridge leading to Knott Rigg.
As I climbed, the view over to Robinson and Moss Force improved with the car becoming smaller and smaller in the distance.
After crossing a couple of rocky outcrops the summit was in sight and soon reached.
The depression and then the climb to my next objective,
Ard Crags, were both dry underfoot which surprised me given the recent rain. Looking behind me I saw a guy with two labradors following me and on reaching the summit of Ard Crags 'Richard' caught me up. The view to one side included Catbells and Maiden Moor and on my left was one of Lakeland's finest ridge walks incorporating Wandope, Eel Crag, Sail, Scar Crags and Causey Pike, all these being seen in very close proximity. On the left handside of the photograph one can see Addacomb Hole, 'a perfect example of a hanging valley, quite the finest in Lakeland'.
Despite the cold, Richard and I lingered and started to talk; it transpired that Richard is, like myself, a member of the Wainwright Society and that he had not only completed the 214 challenge once, but six times. A truly fantastic achievement. Richard's two dogs Olly and Finn were anxious to be off so we headed back over Knott Rigg towards Newlands Hause. At the car park Richard took off his boots and socks only for Finn to grab one of his socks and run off with it between his teeth!!
I then headed for Crummock Water and parked at Hause Point close to the waterside. AW's instructions are to stay to the right of the crags which I did but then took a very steep direct route through gorse bushes. As I climbed, the view of Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks improved with every step.
The view from the summit of Rannerdale Knotts gives a super view across Crummock Water to Mellbreak, with Loweswater in the distance.
At this point the weather seemed for once to mirror the forecast and the cloud started to descend, although it remained dry. I decided to find a different route down to avoid the gorse and soon found a well engineered path which went on the opposite side of the crags; a much better route.
The car was soon in site and after a warming cup of coffee I was homeward bound. A short, but nonetheless enjoyable day in the Lake District was over. Only 41 Wainwrights, 11 walks to go.
All photographs taken with either a Nikon D40X (10.2mp) or a Nikon Coolpix 4200 (4.2mp)
