Hartsop - Brothers Water - High Hartsop - Little Hart Crag - Stangs - Dovedale - Hartsop
8 miles, 2000 feet of ascent
Yet again the weather forecasters got it wrong; early morning valley fog was supposed to lift, leaving a pleasant day with the chance of a spot of rain in the late afternoon, with a weather front moving in during the evening.
I couldn't get to the Lake District untill lunchtime and it was pretty obvious as soon as I drew back the bedroom curtains that the planned walk up South Rake on Dow Crag wasn't a good idea. So I decided to head to Hartsop instead. Having said that, it started to rain at 12.03pm.
I parked near to the car park at Hartsop and headed South past Brothers Water......
and passed Hartsop Hall which is a 16th century, Grade 1 Listed Building owned by the National Trust. It is a working farm of some 3000 acres with a flock of 800 predominantly Swaledales and a herd of 80 Aberdeen Angus.
So to the first summit of the day; High Hartsop Dodd and whilst it is only 1703 feet high, believe me it looks quite steep from here!
As I started to climb, the 'settlement' shown on the OS map at the foot of the fell became more noticeable. Talking of settlements, I didn't realise that there is a Red Indian reservation on Sykeside!
Reaching the top of High Hartsop Dodd, there was a super view across Stangs of Dove Crag, Hart Crag, Fairfield, Nethermost Pike and St Sunday Crag. The long ridge of Hartsop Above How was very clear as well.
It was at this point that the cloud came down, it started to rain and the waterproofs went on. The cloud base was supposed to be at about 3000 feet, but clearly no one had told this rogue batch of cloud, which found it's way down to the summit of Little Hart Crag at just 2090 feet!
Red Screes which had originally been on the agenda was well and truly shrouded and so I walked away from Scandale Pass.......
towards Stangs.
Having made my way down the side of Hogget Gill......
I decided it was time to get my feet wet. It was tough getting in to the gill, but it was even tougher getting back out!!
The view looking back to the gill from the top of Stand Crags, I think, is superb.
I then headed for the base of Dove Crag and very imposing it is too.
As I walked down Dovedale......
it occurred to me that this must be one of the most rugged and yet most attractive valleys in the whole of the Lake District.
With having to change my plans at the start of the day and then again part way through the walk, it could have been a disaster, but not a bit of it. I have never walked on Stangs or in Dovedale before, but having done so I am now a big fan. As AW said in 'Wainwright in the Valleys of Lakeland';''Dovedale is only a mile in length, but it is a mile of pleasure''. I agree.
All photographs taken with either a Nikon D40X (10.2mp) or a Nikon Coolpix 4200 (4.2mp)
