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The Fellwalker by Peter John Farnworth
WALK 49 SATURDAY AUGUST 31st 1991Well, this was the big one for us both. We had come a long way since Mark (1978) and I (1974) walked our first mountains. A lot of miles and planning have passed us by since those early days. This was the day we completed our last summit in the Top One Hundred, which was Wether Hill (100.) This mountain stands on the High Street range, and would also be the longest walk we have undertaken in the Lake District, at some thirteen miles from start to finish including six summits! Arrived at Low Hartsop near Patterdale, just as the early morning mist was beginning to clear (a turn up for the book.) We followed the path to Hayeswater - what a peaceful place to stand, with perfect conditions as the sun was just showing over High Street (time now, 9.35am.) We followed the familiar zigzag path up to The Knott, a stone wall leading us onto the summit. From here we headed to higher ground and then onto Rampgill Head. On our way here, we came across six black fell ponies and two foals grazing nearby, which surprised us. When at this summit, the views started to open up with some wonderful views over the surrounding mountains. From here, we headed to High Raise some three quarters of a mile away, with very easy flat walking. This summit is some twenty to thirty yards away from the main path, and could so easily be missed if the mist were to come down (but not today thank you!) From this summit we could see our next very important summit (you have guessed it.) That's right, its Wether Hill, but we had still some two miles to walk to it. By following a very well worn path running parallel with a wire fence, this is another summit which could so very easily be missed if the mist were down. We touched the summit cairn which lies along the side of the path, then we were away again because on the other side of the fell leading up to Loadpot Hill (102), we saw about ten or more fell ponies, and did not want to miss the opportunity to photograph them. As we were so close to this summit, we walked that little bit further up the fell side to touch the summit cairn (as they say, you may never pass this way again.) This had also had an Ordnance Survey column near the cairn. Time now, 12.35pm.
We retraced our steps back to Wether Hill, where we took the all important photograph for the album, to mark the occasion and also broke open a bottle of, no, not Champagne…but Pop! After we had had a bite to eat and drink, we took in all the wonderful scenery opening up before us. What a day this was turning out to be - clear blue skies and very warm, compared to Walk 47, memories of which still cause me to wake up screaming in the night (I jest.) Before leaving this summit we checked the map. As we were returning back to High-Raise, I could see to our far left, a path which was running along side of this stone wall, which was some fifty, to sixty yards away from the wired fence, which we followed early. So we decided to take this route, we pasted a peat-bog which was bad under foot, overcoming this bad area we soon reached dry ground, which lead us onto High-Raise. I consider this the best way of approaching this summit from Wether-Hill, very quiet and away from the main path. As it was early in the afternoon, we decided to extend the walk to take in Kidsty-Pike, and walk around the rim of the Fell towards the Straits-Of –Riggingdale.The last time we where in this area was on April-7th 1984,when there was deep snow down (see Walk-22). What a fine little summit, Kidsty-Pike is, this stands over looking Riggindale with its many crags, and deep gullies. From this summit we could look right down onto Haweswater. From here, I could see to our right the ridge of Long Stile. If followed, this path leads down Haweswater (a few years ago following a good summer, there was a very prolonged drought, and this water decreased to half its size to expose the remains of the village Mardale.) From here, we followed the path which picked up the path from High Street, which in the turn led to The Knott, where we arrived at 3.35pm. From here we followed the zigzag path down to Hayeswater and from here it was downhill all the way to the car-park at Hartsop. Time now, 4.50pm. Mountains walked that day: The Knott 65 Rampsgill Head 41 High Raise 31 Wether Hill 100 Loadpot hill 102 Kidsty Pike 45 [[]] Diagram & Stats
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