Saturday 19 January 2013

Buttermere

Colin and Bev had arrived at our base in Buttermere with a plan to climb Crag Hill via Whiteless Pike and Wandhope. Jago, Christine, Nick and Clive having no real plans at all decided to join them.
We started out from Buttermere village and climbed steadily up to the summit of Whiteless Pike with views over the central fells opening up all the way.

Ascending Whiteless Pike
From the summit we took a the airy Whiteless Edge towards Wandhope. At the end of the ridge the landscape became more open and exposed to the keen wind.
The Open country before Wandhope Summit.
We continued round the edge of Addacombe Hole to the summit of Crag Hill in the bitter wind but were rewarded with extensive views over the lakeland fells.
Crag Hill Summit
From Crag Hill we crossed over Sail and headed towards towards Causey Pike by a raised path which added nothing to the aesthetics of the walk but presumably cut down erosion. Before reaching Causey Pike we cut down into Sail Beck where Clive left the others to take the gentle descent path back down to Buttermere.
The descent from Sail.
The rest continued over Ard Crags and Knott Rigg before descending to Buttermere via Sail Beck.
On Saturday night Steven arrived having completed a through route from Mosedale to Threlkeld mostly following the River Caldew.