Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

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20th January 2023 - A Fairfield Horseshoe

Walk Details

​Distance walked: 10.4 miles

Total ascent: 3493 ft

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

Time taken: 7 hrs

Route description: Ambleside-Rydal Park-Rydal-Nab Scar-Heron Pike-Erne Crag-Great Rigg-Fairfield-Hart Crag-Dove Crag-High Pike-Low Pike-Low Sweden Bridge-Nook Lane-Ambleside

It isn't often that I have a day trip up to the Lake District, but since this is my Friday off work and there's a day of fantastic winter weather forecast I thought, why not? It being a weekday it should be much quieter than at the weekend, not just on the fells but on the road through Ambleside and Windermere. A bit of snow had fallen at home during the past couple of days, which I plan on having a walk in tomorrow, fingers crossed, but the Lake District missed out on it. There was some snow on the high fells from previous falls though, so I decided to do the Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside. It's a route that I've done many times and in conditions very similar to those that I experienced today, so I knew what I was letting myself in for. I went round clockwise to get the steepest climb up Nab Scar out of the way at the beginning and to leave myself with a gentle descent from Dove Crag. I brought my spikes with me but in the end I hardly wore them, the snow cover just wasn't deep enough. The forecast proved to be accurate, and I enjoyed a great day on the fells with more or less wall-to-wall blue skies and sunshine, excellent visibility, and a gentle northerly breeze, so it didn't feel that cold.

Starting from the main car park in Ambleside I walked west by the main road to Grasmere until I reached the footpath through Rydal Park to Rydal Hall. Once through the grounds of Rydal Hall I walked to the top of the lane and up the footpath to the top of Nab Scar. I then made my way up the western arm of the horseshoe, taking in Heron Pike, Erne Crag and Great Rigg to reach the summit of Fairfield. After taking a break for lunch here it was time to head down the eastern arm of the horseshoe, via Hart Crag, Dove Crag, High Pike and Low Pike to Low Sweden Bridge. I then walked down Nook Lane and back into Ambleside.

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

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On my way through Rydal Park. The first half of my walk is in front of me. Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Erne Crag, Great Rigg and Fairfield.
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Bright blue skies and sunshine as I head for Nab Scar
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Looking back down to Ambleside and Windermere
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and across Rydal to Hart Crag, High Pike, and Low Pike
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My arrival on the top of Nab Scar is greeted by a great view of the Coniston fells, Crinkle Crags and Bowfell, with Grasmere below
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The hillside ahead rises towards Heron Pike
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Bowfell, High Raise, the Vale of Grasmere, Helm Crag, Ullscarf, and Steel Fell
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The Coniston fells from the large cairn on Nab Scar
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From Nab Scar I've made my way north to Heron Pike. Great Rigg, Fairfield, Hart Crag, and Dove Crag at the head of the horseshoe are now in sight..
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Looking across Rydal to Dove Crag and High Pike, with Red Screes in the background on the right
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and south to Ambleside and Windermere
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On the next top of Erne Crag, with Great Rigg, Fairfield and Hart Crag at the head of Rydal
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The Coniston fells, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Scafell Pike, Great End, and High Raise to the west
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and High Raise, Ullscarf, and Steel Fell to the northwest beyond Stone Arthur on the ridge up to Great Rigg
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Looking back to Ambleside, Windermere, and Heron Pike
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On my way to Great Rigg, and the surrounding snow covered grass and ice covered pools provides a foreground for the neighbouring fells..
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Heading for Great Rigg
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Looking back along the ridge to Erne Crag and Heron Pike as I reach the point where the path up from Stone Arthur meets mine
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The Vale of Grasmere and Helm Crag below with the Coniston fells, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and Scafell Pike in the distance
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On Great Rigg. Looking south to Ambleside, Windermere and Coniston Water.
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The Consiton fells, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Scafell Pike, Great End, High Raise, Great Gable and Pillar to the west
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and Pillar, High Stile, Ullscarf, Crag Hill, Grisedale Pike, and Seat Sandal to the northwest
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Wind scoured snow on Great Rigg
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Heading for Fairfield
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To my left, Seat Sandal and Grisedale Hause
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Looking down Rydal to Windermere with Great Rigg on the right
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Excellent visibility means a fantastic long distance view south to Windermere, Coniston Water and the Irish Sea as I reach the summit plateau of Fairfield
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Lunch had in one of the summit shelters, it's time to walk round the plateau and take in the view. A stony foreground for looking south to Windermere and Coniston Water.
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The Coniston fells, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Scafell Pike, Great End, and Great Gable to the southwest and west
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and Scafell Pike, Great End, Great Gable, Pillar, Ullscarf, High Stile, Dale Head, Hindscarth, Crag Hill, and Grisedale Pike to the west and northwest
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Dollywagon Pike, Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn on the other side of Grisedale
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Cofa Pike and St. Sunday Crag
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Looking across the icy crags of Greenhow End to High Street and the far eastern fells
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It's time I was making tracks to the next summit of Hart Crag
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On the way there and I thought this shot showing the coves of Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn was worth taking..
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..as was this, looking down Rydal to Windermere, Coniston Water, and my route of ascent of Heron Pike to Great Rigg
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On the summit of Hart Crag. Helvellyn behind Scrubby Crag on the left, and St. Sunday Crag on the right.
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Looking back to Fairfield
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Maybe my favourite photos of the day. Looking down Rydal to Windermere, and across the western arm of the horseshoe to a multitude of fells..
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The ridge of Hartsop above How heads down into Patterdale. Place Fell, Angletarn Pikes and Brock Crags with the Loadpot Hill to High Raise ridge in the distance.
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High Raise, Rampsgill Head, High Street, Thornthwaite Crag, Caudale Moor and Ill Bell
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High Street, Thornthwaite Crag, Caudale Moor, Ill Bell, Red Screes, and Dove Crag
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Heading for Dove Crag
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Looking back to Fairfield and Hart Crag
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Deep snowdrifts against the wall that will accompany my route back to Ambleside
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On the summit of Dove Crag
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Looking east to High Raise, High Street, Caudale Moor, and Ill Bell
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and back to Fairfield and Hart Crag on the left with St Sunday Crag on the right
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Coniston Water, the Coniston fells, Crinkle Crags, and Bowfell in the distance beyond the western arm of the horseshoe
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Wind sculpted drifts of snow against the wall
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High Pike ahead
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Looking back to Dove Crag
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On High Pike. Ambleside and Windermere with the ridge down to Low Pike to come.
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Heron Pike, Erne Crag and the ridge up to Great Rigg on the other side of Rydal
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Great Rigg, Fairfield and the ridge back up to Dove Crag
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Making my descent to Low Pike
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Ambleside and Windermere from Low Pike
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Looking across Rydal to Nab Scar as the sun starts to set behind the Coniston fells
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The ridge back up to High Pike, Little Hart Crag and Scandale
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Heron Pike, Erne Crag, Great Rigg and Rydal from Low Pike
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Loughrigg Fell, Rydal Water and Nab Scar
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The final descent from Low Pike back to Ambleside to finish..
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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2023                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
  • About this site
  • Walking Diaries
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  • Lake District Walks
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