Monday 9 April 2018

Fairfield Horseshoe with kids

The forecast was looking good, so we decided to attempt a longer higher walk with the children and our friends.  Some early cloud covered the peaks, but by the time we'd got up to the main ridge and was climbing up high it had cleared.  The reason for doing this walk was that the other two times Caroline and I had been at Fairfield there had been no view, so I was really happy!

Difficulty: 6
Walkers: Tim, Caroline, Grace (13), Evie (10), Poppy (7)
9:55, 0.0km 0h00 0m, Start (65)
10:57, 2.5km 1h01 408m, Nab Scar (450, Wainwright)
11:49, 3.7km 1h54 562m, Heron Pike (612, Wainwright)
13:03, 6.1km 3h08 763m, Great Rigg (766, Wainwright, Hewitt)
13:33, 7.5km 3h38 906m, Fairfield (873, Wainwright, Hewitt)
14:26, 9.2km 4h31 960m, Hart Crag (822, Wainwright, Hewitt)
15:05, 10.3km 5h10 1005m, Dove Crag (792, Wainwright, Hewitt)
15:35, 12.0km 5h40 1005m, High Pike (Scandale) (656, Wainwright)
16:32, 13.2km 6h37 1017m, Low Pike (508, Wainwright)
18:42, 18.7km 8h47 1067m, End (63)

Fairly straightforward route, parking at the car park in Rydal, the south side of River Rothay, since the road up to Rydal Mount was full by the time we got there - not helped since lots of the road was coned off because the edges of the road surface had been worn away.

Rydal Water, with Windermere in the back left.

Top of Nab Scar, after the hour long burn up the path.

On to Heron Pike, and many stops for taking off and putting on layers, with the sun coming out and alternating shelter and exposure from the wind.

The view onwards, towards Great Rigg and Fairfield.

Great Rigg after a stop for lunch, now with both Windermere and Consiton visible.

Top of Fairfield, here looking first towards St Sunday Crag and then back south towards Windermere.

View from the head of the horseshoe, looking back down south, with Fairfield on the right and the route onwards to Hart Crag on the left.

On the way to Hart Crag, not quite the Beetles album cover...

Looking down the valley from Hart Crag.  I didn't particularly mention that we were only half way through at this point, given this was Wainwright 5 of 8.

Poppy not looking quite so excited to be at the top of Dove Crag.

High Pike, after walking with Grace ahead and then having to wait for 10 minutes for everyone else to catch up.  We were not quite sure what the cloud most looked like - we were thinking pig, but I think rat was the best suggestion.

Beautiful Grace, and beautiful view.

Looking back up from Low Pike towards High Pike and an array of stragglers.

Thankfully the dark clouds didn't drop any rain, but gave some beautiful views looking into the sun from High Sweden coppice. 


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