ESK
PIKE, PIKE DE BIELD & BROAD CRAG (SCAFELL)
from SEATHWAITE, BORROWDALE
Summary
Date - 31st August 2011
Distance - 11 miles
Ascent - 3300ft
Map - OL4/OL6
Start point - Seathwaite (NY 2356
1234)
Summits Achieved
Name
Height (ft)
Height (m)
Grid Ref
Esk Pike
2903
885
NY 2365 0750
Pike De Bield
2657
810
NY 2359 0683
Broad Crag (Scafell)
3054
931
NY 2186 0755
Preface
Allen was tapping away
on the laptop, with Grizzly looking on, while Tetley was thumbing
through the Birkett Almanac.
"We are down to
seven outstanding tops now, so the walk options are getting
rather limited", commented Grizzly, peering with Allen at
the listing.
"The two toughest
left, are the tops above Ennerdale, and those near Esk Pike &
Scafell Pike", said Tetley, who by now was perusing the list
too.
It was just then that
Shaun and Little Eric trotted in.
"It's tea time",
piped up Little Eric, "so we have brought the flasks.
Yorkshire tea too, so that will suit you Tetley."
"Aye lad",
he replied, going off to get the mugs.
"I'm gasping",
said Allen, temporarily abandoning the laptop to get the tuck tin,
and pass round the biscuits.
"You really do
take after Dad, for your tea", said Shaun, laughing heartily.
Then once we were all
settled happily with our mugs of tea, he went on, "I was
talking to Dad, and he is thinking of walking on Wednesday, and
asked if we could come up with some ideas."
"We were just
looking at which tops we have left, when you came in",
replied Allen.
"Although it will
be hard on Dad, it seems to be a good idea to get one of the
tougher ones out of the way", mused Grizzly. "We had
two in mind, but it is not that long ago that we went to
Ennerdale, and I guess that Dad, would not want to go back so
soon. So, that leaves the climb up to the Scafells, to get Broad
Crag out of the way, and over Esk Pike to do Pike De Bield."
"Oh heck, that
sounds a long long way", cried Little Eric. "You will
need to be at your persuasive best, when you put the suggestion
to Dad, Allen."
"Why is it always
me?", replied Allen.
"Because you are
the best at doing it, and anyway we all know you like to go and
ask Dad", said Shaun, laughingly.
So draining his mug,
Allen trotted off to find Dad.
"Better pour him
another mug for when he gets back", said Tetley, holding out
his mug too for a refill.
"OK pal",
said Shaun.
Just a few minutes
later, Allen returned. "You were right Grizzly, he does not
want to do the other Ennerdale walk just now, but agrees that
getting Broad Crag etc. done will be a big step forward. For sure it will be a rough and rocky walk."
"Great"
cried Tetley, passing Allen his second mug of tea.
"Thanks pal."
The Walk
Setting off early, we were once
again heading north, up the ever so familiar M6 and then west
along the A66 to Keswick.
"I bet you'll be glad not to
have to make these long journeys north, Dad", said Shaun.
"I certainly will, lad",
Dad replied. "Just two more trips now. One up to Whinlatter
to do Hobcarton End, and once more to Ennerdale.
In Keswick we then took the rather
narrow winding road along Borrowdale. On the first part
Derwentwater was to the right, and we could see Catbells and
Skelgill Bank rising above. Soon we were passing through the jaws
between Castle Crag and King's How.
If I remember right, we climbed
Skelgill Bank, Catbells and King's How on the same day last year",
said Little Eric.
"You're right lad",
replied Tetley. "It was in fact last November."
"What a memory you have",
said Little Eric.
Beyond the valley opened out, and
and we passed through the village of Rosthwaite, on the way to
taking the left turn along the narrow road to Seathwaite. This was our
start point, parking on the verge, just before the farm.
We arrived soon after 09.00, Allen saying, "I'm not surprised it is already busy with cars,
such is the popularity of this as a start point for the Scafells,
Great Gable etc."
When we returned after the walk, it was obvious
that many more cars had arrived afterwards.
Dad was soon ready and we got settled in the rucksack. Then we were off, walking through the farmyard, and on
along the wide track with the beck to the right, the view ahead
dominated by Seathwaite Fell.
"I remember well the day we climbed
that", remarked Allen. "We went up via Base Brown then on to Green Gable
and Great Gable, before returning via Seathwaite Fell. It was Remembrance Day in 2005, and by the
time we had descended off the fells it was dark. Made for a rather
interesting walk back to Seathwaite. Good job Uncle Bob had his
headlight."
The path undulated on its way to
Stockley Bridge, immediately below the slopes of Seathwaite Fell.
Across the bridge and through the
gate in the wall, the path divides.
"Ahead is to Styhead Tarn, but our route is left beside the wall to ascend Grains Gill", instructed Shaun.
"We came this way in 2007",
said Tetley. "I remember we ploughed a lonely furrow as all other walkers took the Styhead path. That day we went on to climb to Allen Crags,
then along the ridge to Glaramara, ticking off a few Birkett tops
in between."
"That was the second time we
climbed Allen Crags, after which I am named ", added Allen.
So best foot forwards, Dad sent off
along the path, on the long steady climb, where after a while the
scene ahead was dominated by the massive bulk of Great End.
The path has been extensively
repaired and graded, which while it made for an easier ascent, it
was hard on Dad's poor knees when we were coming down later.
Although not too clear in the photograph, the path wound its way
up the grassy bank to the left of the deep ravine to, once the
gill was crossed, join the path from Styhead.
"Is this Esk Hause?",
asked Little Eric hopefully, who was the only one of our group
not to have been here before.
"Sadly not", replied
Shaun. "We take the path left, and there is about another
400ft of ascent to the Hause.
Dad climbed on towards Esk Hause,
and after a while Little Eric asked, "what are those
mountains behind?"
"Great Gable with Green Gable to the
right", replied Tetley.
Dad said, "I recall, when we
were descending the path on Great Gable, we met the well known
Lakeland personality and author Bob Orrell, who lives in
Ennerdale."
"Oh yes", said Grizzly.
"What made me smile was his referring to the graded and
repaired path up Great Gable, as the National Trust's stairway to
heaven!"
Reaching Esk Hause, the large cairn
marks the cross road of paths. "Left towards Allen Crags, while
looping back right is the wide path, with the steady stream of
people, heading for Scafell Pike", said Shaun. "We go straight on to
Esk Pike, that dominates the view ahead."
As we surveyed the scene, two fell
runners passed by having descended from Esk Pike, to then take
the path towards Scafell Pike.
"Phew", said Dad. "I
wish I had their energy."
"Well Dad, its not the speed,
but the getting there and back that is most important", said
Tetley. "You are our hero!"
From Esk Hause, the summit of Esk
Pike cannot be seen. Setting off the path climbed
right through the rocky sections to emerge on to a level and
grassy plateau. Here the extensive summit rocks were finally
revealed, in two sections split by a gap. Approaching we could
see that there was a large cairn on the left section, and a
smaller cairn on the right section.
"The one on the right marks
the highest point", said Shaun who had consulted the chapter
in Wainwright's Book 4 - Southern Fells.
"I have decided to leave the taking
of your summit picture here, until we have been to Pike De
Bield."
As he was standing at the summit, a
gentleman who was walking with a young lad asked, "is this
Esk Hause?"
"No", Dad replied, "this
is the summit of Esk Pike."
They had come up from the Hause,
and we do not know how they had missed the junction and the
wide path to Scafell Pike, where they were bound. Dad showed him
on the map, the current position, and then pointed out the rather
distant path they needed to take.
"I'll not be popular", he
replied, heading off having thanked Dad for the guidance. We were
in fact to meet them later on as we were heading for Broad Crag.
They had made it successfully to Scafell Pike, which they said
was extremely busy today.
Before continuing, we paused to
look around. Much rock abounds here, as can be seen in this shot
of Bowfell.
Looking beyond right Allen pointed, "that's super view of the Crinkle Crags."
"We climbed those in October 2006 with Uncle Bob", said Tetley. "We summited all five. Only the highest is a Wainwright, but the rest are Birketts."
Descending through the rocks to
easy ground, Dad strolled across the grass, towards an outcrop
with a large cairn.
"Is that Pike De Bield?",
enquired Little Eric.
Shaun studied the map and replied,
"no, we have not come far enough." Then looking up he
went on, "it is that next top, with the easy slope leading
to the summit.
"We can see the summit, marked by the upright stone pointing skyward like a needle", pointed Allen.
After an easy
clamber up the rocky step, the cairn was reached and that was
another Birkett summit ticked off.
The cairn is neat with the
standing stone in the centre, and wishing to show it off, Dad took this picture, with the stunning back drop of England's two highest
mountains, left to right Scafell (3162ft) and Scafell Pike (3210ft).
"Wow", exclaimed Little
Eric, in wonder.
We now scrambled out, Allen calling out, "time for our picture." He then went on, "the cairn is
recently built, as compared to the picture on the
Striding Edge website, from July, it was then just a small untidy
heap."
Grizzly informed us. "According to Diana Whaley's book on Lake District Place Names, the name means, 'the peak with the shelter or animal lair'. The map shows a 'bield', but as she says there is no certainty that it is the one commemorated in the name."
Looking again at the view Tetley said, "to the left of Scafell Pike is Ill Crag, between which is the steep ravine of Little Narrowcove."
An ascent up part
of this would be necessary, to reach Pen, which was to turn out
to be our last Birkett top. But that is another story.
So tearing our eyes away from the
stupendous views of the rocky mountains, the route was then
retraced to Esk Pike.
That Herdwick lamb is begging to have it's picture taken", said Little Eric.
"They are born with a black fleece, then it begins to turn brown as is the case here", said Tetley. "They have such lovely faces with the markings that seem to be different on each lamb, almost like fingerprint. When about a
year old the fleece will be completely brown, then turning
finally to the characteristic blue/grey."
At Esk Pike we now posed at the summit.
Dad took our picture at the other cairn too, and then settled in the rucksack we made our
way down to Esk Hause.
"Just Broad Crag left to tick off", said Allen, as in the footsteps of many walkers today, we headed up
Calf Cove, along the broad track.
Some of the path had been
repaired and graded so making for easier going, but it is still hard
walking amongst the rock, something a gentleman commented on as
we passed him.
Dad said "I'm not as fit as I
was".
"Nor me either" he
replied.
His much younger companion said the
same, to which he replied, "you were never fit!"
The path was always rough, and care
was necessary over the 150 yards of large boulders, to reach Ill
Crag col. Beyond our final objective, Broad Crag loomed to the
right.
A short descent, was followed by a
short climb to Broad Crag col. At the top we struck right, to
clamber carefully across the jumbled boulder field, and reach the
shaped rock with a small cairn marking the summit.
"So good that is a calm day as we will be able to balance ourselves on the boulder to
record the achievement", said Shaun.
"Five to go", cried Allen
Just as we were settling back in
the rucksack, two walkers arrived, a gentleman and a younger man.
Dad offered to take their picture for them, which they were
pleased to accept.
All that was left now was the long walk down to Seathwaite. First we had to carefully recross the boulder
field to the main path.
"I'll be glad when this over", said Dad with feeling.
"It would be quite easy to get injured crossing here", said Little Eric worriedly. "Take as long as you want."
Returning to Esk Hause we had more superb views. "That's Kirk Fell, Great Gable and to the left of them Pillar its summit just in cloud", pointed Allen.
As we got there, a RAF Typhoon
aircraft came screaming over and disappeared between Great End
and Great Gable. It just so happened that Dad was ringing Uncle
Brian, at the time, so he heard it too.
Setting off again we made
the descent along the path towards Styhead, then once again
crossed the gill and started down Grains Gill. "It's going to be a long way down", sighed Shaun.
On the lower section we met a lady
who was going to check on a Duke of Edinburgh group. They were
camping at Angle Tarn, having started today near Grisedale Tarn.
To reach Angle Tarn they were having to climb Rossett Gill.
Dad said, "oh I hate Rossett
Gill."
She had walked extensively, having
not only done the Wainwrights, but the Munros too. Now that is
some achievement!. In all Dad chatted with her about ten minutes,
about various parts of the Lake District and their respective
favourite areas. She had two wonderful border collies with her
too, for company.
Walking on it was now not too far
to Stockley Bridge and so finally on to Seathwaite. At the farm,
Dad stopped at Jake's Snack Shack, run by Jake, a lad of about 13.
How enterprising. He serves drinks, biscuits, chocolate bars etc.
Not surprisingly Dad had a very welcome mug of tea. It must have
been because Dad was rather tired by now, that it did not occur
to him to take a picture, so you will just have to imagine the
stone building with a pitched roof.
With some relief Dad reached the
car, and we settled on the front seat while Dad got his boots off. Then we headed home, but not before Dad had made a stop at
Junction 38 services for some much needed sustenance. He enjoyed
a plateful of sausage chips & beans washed down with a pot of
tea with extra hot water.
"Thank you Dad for all your effort
today and for taking us on such a splendid walk", said Shaun.
"It was a tough one and I am glad it is out of the way finally", he replied.
"Another step closer to realising our ambition to complete the Birketts", went on Allen.