Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

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18th April 2014 - A Scandale Horseshoe & a bit more

Walk Details

​Distance walked: 12.2 miles

Total ascent: 4534 ft

OS map used: OL5 - The English Lakes, Northeastern area & OL7 - The English Lakes, Southeastern area

Time taken: 8.5 hrs

Route description: Ambleside-Kirkstone Road-Snarker Pike-Red Screes-Scandale Pass-Scandale Tarn-Little Hart Crag-Dove Crag-Hart Crag-Fairfield-Hart Crag-Dove Crag-High Pike-Low Pike-High Sweden Bridge-Kirkstone Road-Ambleside

A walk in the Lakes on a fine day during the Easter break? I do prefer some peace and quiet when I'm out but the weather today was too good not to brave the crowds. An early start to fit in the route I had planned, Red Screes and Little Hart Crag are summits I've not visited for several years now and I've never walked along the south ridge of Red Screes.

From Ambleside I had to walk up the Kirkstone Road for a while to reach the footpath that heads up the south ridge of Red Screes. After visiting the summit of Red Screes I crossed the Scandale Pass to Little Hart Crag and then onto Dove Crag. I didn't pause though and kept going over Hart Crag to the high point of the walk, Fairfield. For my route back to Ambleside I retraced my steps over Hart Crag and Dove Crag before heading down over High Pike and Low Pike. After crossing High Sweden Bridge I followed the track down Scandale to the Kirkstone Road and Ambleside.

Route map
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© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.

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Setting off from Ambleside and I'm walking up the Kirkstone road to reach the path that heads up the south ridge of Red Screes. At least at this time of the morning it's quiet.
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Looking back down to Ambleside with Wetherlam peeping over the top of Loughrigg Fell
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Grass underfoot at last and there's a nice view of Windermere and Ambleside
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as well as the Coniston fells, Loughrigg Fell, the Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and the Langdale Pikes
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Onwards and upwards
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On the other side of Scandale are Low Pike, High Pike and Dove Crag; my route of return
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Improving views of Windermere as height is gained
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The tiny cairn marking the top of Snarker Pike
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Below "The Struggle" on its way up to join the Kirkstone Pass road. Caudale Moor and the ridge of St. Raven's Edge on the other side.
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Red Screes, the first summit of the day is reached. Fairfield, Helvellyn and St. Sunday Crag in the background.
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On the other side of the Kirkstone Pass; Caudale Moor, High Street and Thornthwaite Crag
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The summit tarn on Red Screes
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Place Fell, Patterdale, Brothers Water and Middle Dodd
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Great views of Patterdale as I head down to the Scandale Pass
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By a quiet Scandale Tarn
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Dove Crag from the summit of Little Hart Crag. It would have been rude to miss it out.
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Dovedale, Brothers Water and High Hartsop Dodd
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The valley of Scandale and Scandale Tarn
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No stopping on Dove Crag and Hart Crag as I head for Fairfield
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Lunch has been had so time to wander round and take in the view. Numerous fells to the west, including the Coniston fells, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, the Scafells and Great Gable.
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Great Gable, Pillar, High Stile, Dale Head, Robinson, Grasmoor and Grisedale Pike
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Dollywagon Pike, Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn
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Cofa Pike and St Sunday Crag
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The crags of Greenhow End
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Looking south to Windermere and Coniston Water
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High Raise, Rampsgill Head, High Street and many other far eastern fells
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Three panoramas of the view from Fairfield. The fells to the west.
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Helvellyn and St. Sunday Crag
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The far eastern fells
fairfield_panorama.jpg
File Size: 8708 kb
File Type: jpg
Download File

​I've stitched together the full size pictures of the three panoramas and annotated the view and made it available as a download. It's a big file so will take some time to download depending on your connection speed. I recommend viewing it on a desktop PC or at least having software that can zoom in and scroll across. If I'd known at the time that I was going to do this I would have completed the full 360. Maybe I'll try this again in the future.
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It's time I was heading back so I'm leaving Fairfield for Hart Crag
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Passing the head of Rydal
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On the summit of Hart Crag. Looking back to Fairfield.
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and ahead to Dove Crag
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On the summit of Dove Crag. It's quite quiet now after the busyness of the middle of the day.
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Heron Pike and Great Rigg on the other side of Rydal
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Fairfield, Hart Crag and St. Sunday Crag
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Place Fell, Loadpot Hill, High Raise and the other fells to the east of Patterdale
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The Ill Bell ridge and Red Screes
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Just follow the wall down
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High Pike ahead
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On High Pike. Scandale, Windermere and the ridge heading down to Low Pike.
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and on Low Pike. Looking back up to High Pike with Little Hart Crag and Scandale on the right.
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Windermere and Ambleside ahead
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High Sweden Bridge
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On the track down Scandale
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Loughrigg Fell, Rydal Water and Nab Scar
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Almost back in Ambleside

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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2023                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
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  • Walking Diaries
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    • Walking Diary 2017
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    • Walking Diary 2013
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  • Lake District Walks
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  • Forest of Bowland, Pendle & West Pennine Moors Walks
  • South Pennines Walks
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