12th May 2008 - Pillar and the Mosedale Horseshoe by the High Level Traverse
Walk Details
Distance walked: 10.0 miles
Total ascent: 4199 ft
OS map used: OL6 - The English Lakes, South-western area & OL4 - The English Lakes, North-western area
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Wasdale Head-Mosedale-Black Sail Pass-Looking Stead-High Level Traverse-Pillar-Wind Gap-Red Pike-Dore Head-Over Beck-Overbeck Bridge-Wasdale Head
A lovely day for the first day of my stay in the Lakes and to do this great walk.
From Wasdale Head I set off for the Black Sail Pass. On reaching the pass I started on the climb up Pillar, detouring to Looking Stead for its views of Ennerdale before taking the High Level Traverse for the ascent. After Pillar I crossed Wind Gap but missed out Scoat Fell and went straight to Red Pike. My route back was down to Dore Head, Over Beck, Overbeck Bridge and a road walk back to Wasdale Head.
Total ascent: 4199 ft
OS map used: OL6 - The English Lakes, South-western area & OL4 - The English Lakes, North-western area
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Wasdale Head-Mosedale-Black Sail Pass-Looking Stead-High Level Traverse-Pillar-Wind Gap-Red Pike-Dore Head-Over Beck-Overbeck Bridge-Wasdale Head
A lovely day for the first day of my stay in the Lakes and to do this great walk.
From Wasdale Head I set off for the Black Sail Pass. On reaching the pass I started on the climb up Pillar, detouring to Looking Stead for its views of Ennerdale before taking the High Level Traverse for the ascent. After Pillar I crossed Wind Gap but missed out Scoat Fell and went straight to Red Pike. My route back was down to Dore Head, Over Beck, Overbeck Bridge and a road walk back to Wasdale Head.
Route map
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A fine start to the day at Wasdale Head for the first day of my four day stay in the Lakes
A look back to Wasdale Head as head into Mosedale
Mosedale ahead. Red Pike is above on the left with Black Crag and Pillar at the head of the valley.
Yewbarrow and the Dorehead Screes
On reaching the Black Sail Pass I turned to the left and climbed to the top of Looking Stead, just off the path to Pillar. It's worth the short detour for its views of Ennerdale. Green Gable and Great Gable behind the northern flanks of Kirk Fell.
Wasdale Head and a glimpse of Wast Water. Burnmoor Tarn is up on a shelf between Scafell and Illgill Head.
Ennerdale and the High Stile ridge
Lots of fells in view. Seat and Hay Stacks in the foreground, Robinson and Hindscarth behind them, then Grasmoor and Crag Hill to the left and Skiddaw in the distance between Robinson and Hindscarth.
The Black Sail Youth Hostel down in Ennerdale
Pillar Rock from Robinson's Cairn. From Looking Stead and back onto the path to Pillar it's only a short distance before the path for the High Level Traverse leaves to the right.
Ennerdale with the summits of Great Borne and Starling Dodd to the right
Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head
Ennerdale below
Green Gable and Great Gable at the head of the valley
Pillar Rock from the Shamrock Traverse
and High Stile
Pillar Rock again as I head for the summit
Views from the summit of Pillar. Ennerdale Water.
Great Gable, Kirk Fell and the Scafells
Zooming in on Scafell Pike and Scafell
The Helvellyn range in the distance
Great Borne, Starling Dodd and Red Pike with the Loweswater fells in the background
There are a lot of fells to put a name to in this picture. High Crag in the foreground across Ennerdale, then Robinson, Hindscarth, Dale Head and Fleetwith Pike. Crag Hill and Sail behind to the left then Skiddaw and Blencathra in the distance.
High Stile and High Crag with Grasmoor and Crag Hill behind
A view down Ennerdale as I cross Wind Gap
and the Scafells down Mosedale
and again on the climb up Red Pike
Scafell Pike and Scafell
On the summit of Red Pike. Middle Fell and Seatallan.
The Scafells
Yewbarrow and the coves of Red Pike below
I've made my way to the cairn at the south end of Red Pike known as "The Chair" to take the last pictures of the day. Yewbarrow and the pointed top of Harter Fell.
The Screes, Wastwater, Middle Fell and Low Tarn