At last a clear sunny morning is forecast. I've been saving this, one of my favourite circuits, for just such a day.
There is a slight complication - today is the day of the famous Fred Whitton challenge. Thousands of bicycles will be clogging up the narrow Lake District roads for much of the morning. Yesterday I rang the ever-friendly staff at Honister Slate Mine who advised me to be out of the valley by 7:30 latest.
This is what finds us at Honister for 7am on this bitterly cold, sunny Sunday morning.
Of note:
This descent from Windy Gap is nothing but loose rocks. When I descended it with Indy, I slipped over twice. Today just once. I found the alternative route off Great Gable to the W to be worse. Another time I would seriously consider a retrace up Green Gable to join Moses Trod further North
Near Blackbeck Tarn, where Rex has to negotiate a group of people who have spread out all over the place to have their picnic. Loads of rustling noises!
1) "Honister rambler" bus from Keswick to Honister
2) Car parking, toilets and café at Honister Slate Mine [Grid Ref: NY 22457 13570] [GPS 54.511478,-3.1992062] View on map
Honister, Green Gable, Windy Gap, Great Gable, Moses Trod, Hay Stacks Peaks, Innnominate Tarn, Blackbeck Tarn, Dubs, Fleetwith Pike, Black Star
Distance 14.81 km, Time 5.52 h, Total Ascent 1,083 m
Wainwright Pictorial Guide: The Western Fells
Green Gable 801 m
Great Gable 899 m
Hay Stacks 597 m
Fleetwith Pike 648 m
-Black Star 627 m-
Fells that are not 'Wainwrights' are depicted like this: -Blease Fell-
Innominate Tarn - Innominate Tarn on Hay Stacks is a picturesque tarn to the E of Hay Stacks summit. It is smaller than the neighbouring Blackbeck Tarn. Innominate Tarn has importance as the final resting place of Alfred Wainwright.
"Every day that passes is a day less. That day will come when there is nothing left but memories. And afterwards, a last long resting place by the side of Innominate Tarn, on Haystacks, where the water gently laps the gravelly shore and the heather blooms and Pillar and Gable keep unfailing watch. A quiet place, a lonely place. I shall go to it, for the last time, and be carried: someone who knew me in life will take me and empty me out of a little box and leave me there alone. And if you, dear reader, should get a bit of grit in your boot as you are crossing Haystacks in the years to come, please treat it with respect. It might be me."
Moses Trod - Before the roads and tramways, it was more convenient to transport slate from Dubs to South Cumberland by packhorse directly across the high fells to Wasdale {...}
Moses Trod is a high level route which was planned to avoid steep gradients. The path is kept in being today by discerning walkers who appreciate the easy contours, fast travel, glorious scenery and superb views.
Moses Rigg is a well established 18th centry figure in local tradition, which describes him as a Honister quarryman who, after his day's work, illegally made whisky from the bog water on Fleetwith at his quarry hut, smuggling this potent produce to Wasdale with his pony-loads of slate A. Wainwright, The Western Fells
