The weather had been appalling this
week with days of rain, but Dad resolved to take us out today.
For Little Eric and myself this was great as we would tick of
another three Wainwrights. From Ambleside we took the side road,
where at its end a gate leads to a track to the pretty High
Sweden Bridge, then onwards up the valley of Scandale, with Low
and High Pike towering to the left. Not surprisingly is was muddy
in places and the streams were swollen, but Dad forded them
safely. The steady ascent started leading to the Scandale Pass,
but part way up we struck left to gain the wall, and then ahead
and right to climb steeply to Little Hart Crag and its west
summit that is the highest point. Now crossing to the east summit,
we then took the path down the ridge crossing over a number of
small humps, to the small cairn marking the summit of High
Hartsop Dodd. Returning up the ridge, Dad then cut left below
Little Hart Crag, to finally reach the path at the Scandale Pass.
The steep 900ft ascent to Red Screes now faced us, and our little
hearts sank, but Dad strode on climbing steadily taking rests now
and then. We were in fact first going to Middle Dodd, so when he
judged we had reached the level of that summit, we cut left along
a path that bought us to the bottom of Smallthwaite Band. It was
then just a gentle stroll to the substantial cairn marking Middle
Dodd's summit. Both from here and High Hartsop Dodd, we had had
fine views to Brothers Water and the fells beyond. Now all that
remained was the ascent of Smallthwaite Band to the trig point
and shelter on Red Screes. Here, as at all the summits it was
very windy, and knowing the vertical drop just a few yards behind
us, we were glad to get safely tucked up in the rucksack. So far
it had been dry, but now the rain came on, which together with
the strong wind, made for a rather unpleasant descent of Red
Screes, down to the Kirkstone Road and on to Ambleside. By now
the rain was getting ever heavier, so we just headed straight
home.
Allen
