What a difference a day makes. My previous walk from Mardale Head ( See my Mardale Head walk HERE ), was one that left me soaking wet and I hardly walked on a path, it felt like I spent most of my time wading through long wet grass. Todays walk would see it being dry (but chilly) all day and I was always on a good easy to follow path.
The starting point for the walk would be a small village called Stannah, not far from Keswick, there's a little space for about 4 cars and then beside that is a car park with an "honesty box", I managed to get there early and get a free space. I knew the first part of todays walk would be tough, it would be straight up from the start on the "Sticks Pass", a path that takes you to the ridge with Stybarrow Dodd on your Left and Raise on the right of you, the path continuing along to the Helvelyn range.
Although it was the last day of June, it was a bitterly cold wind and soon the gloves would be on as I set off up the steep and winding Sticks Pass, the path was wet from the torrential rain the previous day but it was solid so no slipping about. I told myself that the first part of today would be tough and then it would basically be a ridge walk for the next three hills then a long walk to High Rigg, just because I wanted to bag that Wainwright and then a short walk back to the car. Knowing that the worst of a walk is at the beginning just makes you get your head down and get on with it.
As I got higher, the wind got stronger but also the views started to get better and better, with Skiddaw, Blencathra, Watson Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd on one side of me and Raise and Helvelyn coming into view on the other side. After what seemed like ages, the path started to level out a little and I knew I was near the top of the ridge. At the top, I could then see down the other side towards Glenridding and it was just a good place to stop for a minute and take in the views all around me as the last time I was at this spot I was in cloud ( See my Glenridding circular walk HERE ) most of the day.
My legs had a bit more life in them as I walked up the short distance to the summit of Stybarrow Dodd, which I had walked up before and started to head downwards the short distance towards Watsons Dodd avoiding the wet areas as I did so. There was a couple of walkers heading towards the summit from Great Dodd and I spoke to them for a little while, like me they were dressed for winter, not the middle of summer. The next hill would be Great Dodd which was also quite near but this one actually required going uphill but a well worn grassy path was leading the way.
The wind was quite fierce up here but I could see there was a shelter near the summit of Great Dodd and decided to head there before the summit cairn to get a few minutes out of the cold wind, it was only about 11am but it seemed a good place to stop for a bite to eat before heading on. My break over, the short walk to the summit followed and this gave me good views of the Skiddaw hills and also Blencathra, hills I never seem to get to climb in clear weather, maybe next time. Clough Head would be my next hill and that wasn't far away either and it was downhill, on the left of me was High Rigg (it's not exactly High) which I'd be climbing a little later.
Until the Clough Head summit, my map had been showing me on path all the time but it didn't show me a path from the summit so I hoped there would be one but I knew there was a chance of having to descend rough grass again. Thankfully, when I got to the top a grassy path could be seen heading down towards a track and it wasn't too steep. You are heading towards Blencathra at this point and it's very hypnotic but also Gret Mel Fell and Little Mell Fell could be seen not far away. The grassy path soon descended onto a rough track that was deeply rutted due to the recent floods which had obviously turned this track into a river. It was a gentle but long descent on the stony path before it finally met the road, where I walked a little bit on it before crossing it and heading up a little lane taking me towards High Rigg.
The lane would take me over a bridge and past a farm, climbing all the time until I reached a graveyard and church at which point I would be leaving the lane to climb High Rigg. As I said, it is anything but "High" and by the time you leave the lane, you only have a few hundred feet left to actually climb and this is on a nice wide grassy path through ferns. It feels a little steep to start with but I think it just feels that way as I'd been walking downhill for a few miles and it wasn't long before I was at the little crag where the summit cairn was located.
From the summit, you can see the hills on the left that you walked earlier and of course Helvelyn as well as some of Thrilmere Water ahead of you, wonderful scenery. The path over High Rigg is a little Roller Coaster but soon enough I was starting to head down, through ferns and the noise of the traffic got louder. I soon walked through a gate and was beside the busy road but there's plenty of grass beside it before a thin path appears so at least you're not right beside the busy traffic. A few minutes later and I was back at the car, changing shoes and relaxing before the short journey back to the Youth Hostel that I was staying at.
As I relaxed in the car, I reflected on my days walk and how much I'd enjoyed it. The weather, although cold and windy was dry and that's the main thing, this meant scenery all around me. The entire walk had been on easy to follow paths, tracks or roads and nothing like my previous walk where I spent most of my time in long wet grass, today my walking shoes were dry when I finished my walk. Today's walk was enjoyable and not too long, my legs and feet felt great unlike some days where the last few miles drag on. It's certainly a walk I'd do again.