Around the Naddle Horseshoe
Walk Date – 25th February 2015
Distance – 8.5 miles
Weather – dry with sunny spells, but mostly overcast and cold
Route
Today’s walk was around the largely unfrequented hills above Haweswater. From the parking area I took this view looking towards Swindale. If you want to escape the crowds this is the place to come. We met two people only, almost at the end of the walk, who were staying at the hotel alongside Haweswater and were just out for an afternoon stroll.
Fell ponies grazing in the sunshine.
Swindale, the road leads up to a farm at the head of it and goes no further.
Starting off towards Scalebarrow Knott along some very soggy paths.
Scalebarrow Knott.
Looking east from the summit cairn on Scalebarrow Knott …..
….. and a view to the south west ….
….. and a view to the south east.
A burst of sunshine over on the fells on the west side of Haweswater. Its all looking a bit ominous but we still have some sunshine on this side for the time being.
Following the wall along to Harper Hills.
There seems to be plenty of snow on the higher fells across Haweswater.
A peep over the wall at the pumping station and reservoir which are part of the Haweswater to Swindale pipeline.
You’ve probably noticed by now that this is a very, very long wall.
On the horizon is the snowy ridge leading to Wether Hill and Loadpot Hill, from the cairn on Harper Hills.
The view to the south from the same cairn.
Sunlight on Kidsty Pike to the right and High Street to the left.
A longer view now showing High Raise on the right of Kidsty Pike.
There goes the patch of sunlight we’ve been enjoying. Wonder what the view looked like from that aeroplane.
A look over the wall at the old chimney. The building which went with it, probably a shooting lodge, is long gone.
Looking over in the direction of Hare Shaw.
This is one of the paths. Finding them to begin with was a bit of a nightmare as deep snow covered most of them. They were all bad today and a lot of criss-crossing to avoid drifts, ice and water made hard work of what should have been a straightforward walk.
A look back along the route.
Looking over towards Hugh’s Laithes Pike, we’ll be over there a little later on.
Rock outcrop below Woof Crag and looking north east back along the route.
The same outcrop, but this time looking to the fells on the west side of Haweswater.
Just below Woof Crag, with the blue sky indicating the possibility of another spell of sunshine.
Looking east from Woof Crag. Plenty of breaks in the cloud now to give us the occasional spell of sunshine.
Things are still looking a bit gloomy over Selside Pike though.
Looking to the west there’s a view of Naddle High Forest which is on our return leg, but before that its time for lunch and those crags down there look as though they’ll provide seating and shelter, so that’s where we make for.
After lunch off we go making our way to Naddle High Forest. Yes, I know there aren’t any trees so it isn’t really a forest now, but there must have been some once or else why would it be called Naddle High Forest? Perhaps way back in the mists of time they had a really cold winter and chopped them down for the firewood.
A look back across the valley towards Woof Crag. That long, long wall is still going across the hill side.
Its not easy to see in the low cloud and snow but in the centre is Harter Fell and over to the right the Rough Crag-Long Stile ridge leading up to High Street. Why am I reminded of burnt toast?
The Wether Hill ridge is now under cloud so all we can see is the Measand End to High Raise ridge on the west side of Haweswater.
From Wallow Crag a view over to Measand Beck with one of the waterfalls just visible. It was here that we met the two holiday makers I mentioned at the beginning.
A zoom in on Measand Beck, and the cloud has lifted slightly over the ridge.
Looking down at Haweswater from Wallow Crag.
Looking east again, this time from the cairn on Low Naddle Forest.
A view of the Haweswater dam just below Hugh’s Laithes Pike.
The Haweswater dam from the cairn on Hugh’s Laithes Pike. I have no idea who Hugh was or why he had some laithes up here, so tonight’s homework is…..?
Looking south from the same cairn.
Can we go down now? I’ve got wet gaiters, wet trousers and wet feet. I’m OK from the knees up though.
Same here.
Crossing the ford over Naddle beck just above Naddle farm.
Scalebarrow Tarn is mostly grassed over now, just a small amount of water still clinging on. It began to drizzle just around here so the camera went back in the bag. Its not too far back to the car and we made it back just before the drizzle turned to heavy rain.