Walking Forum
Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Lake District => Topic started by: richardh1905 on 23:05:50, 23/03/20
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Red Screes, Middle Dodd 22/03/2020
(https://i.ibb.co/cr0r5VH/00-Map.png)
After a disgracefully late start, we drove up Kirkstone Pass and started walking at 1205. The weather was glorious.
(https://i.ibb.co/Q8by8KF/01-Red-Screes.jpg)
The ascent of Red Screes from the Kirkstone Pass car park is pretty brutal. I struggled a bit due to a twinging knee.
(https://i.ibb.co/RPF92f8/02-Windermere.jpg)
The advantage of a steep ascent is that you gain height quickly. Windermere far below.
(https://i.ibb.co/vwYQrRq/03-Cornice.jpg)
Cornice on the eastern edge of the hill. Some short easy scrambly sections added interest to the climb. Eventually the gradient eased, and we climbed a grassy shoulder to the summit.
(https://i.ibb.co/FXh9sRB/06-Trig-Point-View.jpg)
Summit view. Middle Dodd, with Brothers Water beyond.
(https://i.ibb.co/3R1kHQj/04-View-West.jpg)
View west over a frozen pool. The Scafell range in the centre, Great Gable and Pillar to the right.
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Helvellyn range. A fine spot for a lunch break!
(https://i.ibb.co/5xsCgcD/08-North-East-Face.jpg)
The view back as we descended towards Middle Dodd.
(https://i.ibb.co/XV6Dzw8/09-View-East.jpg)
The view east - the scree covered flanks of Caudale Moor, flat topped Harter Fell and prominent Ill Bell to the right. The road far below.
(https://i.ibb.co/02XZTkP/10-Descending-From-Middle-Dodd.jpg)
The start of the punishing descent from Middle Dodd. Excellent view of Brothers Water with Place Fell beyond.
(https://i.ibb.co/GdQQ9C1/11-Lonely-Tree.jpg)
A lonely tree. Near the bottom, we took the wrong fork in the path and ended up above a vertical drop, which we bypassed to the west. We were all glad to reach the valley!
(https://i.ibb.co/X5D60TZ/12-The-Kirk-Stone.jpg)
The path running parallel to the road is quite pleasant in places. Near the top of the pass, it passes the Kirk Stone, after which the pass is named.
My last trip report for some considerable time, I suspect.
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Great walk, thanks for the report.
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Great pics Richard O0 Glad you got a good walk in good weather with good views :)
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Thanks for posting Richard O0 A right pain in the butt that after 3 months of horrendous weather we're now confined to quarters just as it improves....
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Beautiful circuit and views, grand clarity in the photos. O0
That ascent from the pass sure is intense, but immediately followed by the Middle Dodd descent, that's a punishing test for wobbly knees.
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Great walk, thanks for the report.
Great pics Richard O0 Glad you got a good walk in good weather with good views :)
Thanks, Jimbob, Mel. Last walk in the mountains for the duration, so really glad that I managed to get out.
Luckily I have Hampsfell, Grange over Sands Promenade, several areas of woodland and a good network of public footpaths and lanes right on my doorstep - I do feel for anyone stuck in a city.
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Thanks for posting Richard O0 A right pain in the butt that after 3 months of horrendous weather we're now confined to quarters just as it improves....
A pleasure, Strider :)
Yes indeed - the mountains will have to wait. Our plans for cottages in Snowdonia, weekends camping in the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales, and a visit to Northern Ireland will have to wait. But it can't be helped.
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Beautiful circuit and views, grand clarity in the photos. O0
That ascent from the pass sure is intense, but immediately followed by the Middle Dodd descent, that's a punishing test for wobbly knees.
Thanks vghikers - camera phones really are amazing.
My right knee was grumbling on the climb, and I had to be careful with it, but I have no problems on big descents. My 13 year old son, however, complained that his knees felt like jelly. He was out playing football yesterday (after doing his schoolwork), so no harm done.
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Wonderful photos to cheer us up on a depressing morning.
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Lovely pics from a great round Richard O0
Although I hadn't climbed it after doing Red Screes I thought the path up the Kirkstone Pass was very clever in that it obviously gets you to the same height as the road it never seems as steep as the road ;)
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Great photos Richard :) Lovely to see the blue skies
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Great pics Richard - more additions to the Red Screes appreciation society ;D
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Great report Richard O0
That Middle Dodd descent is on the banned list by the way ;)
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That Middle Dodd descent is on the banned list by the way ;)
Yes especially in trainers
http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=30764.msg444771#msg444771 (http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=30764.msg444771#msg444771)
;D
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Lovely photos Richard O0
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Thanks Ridge, Karl, Dovegirl, pdstsp, April, Tracey. So glad that I managed to get a good walk in on the fells before the lockdown. Hampsfell and Eggerslack Woods for me for the next few months I suspect - not grumbling as it will be a lot worse for those of you living in cities. :o
Lovely pics from a great round Richard O0
Although I hadn't climbed it after doing Red Screes I thought the path up the Kirkstone Pass was very clever in that it obviously gets you to the same height as the road it never seems as steep as the road ;)
It was a short round - less than 4 miles when measured on Viewranger. But a tough little walk!
And yes, that path running parallel to the Kirkstone Pass Road was surprisingly painless - the first part seems to follow the course of an old packhorse trail, worn quite deeply into the hillside in places, then it gets a little scrappy for a short while, running just the other side of the wall from the road, but improves again higher up, once past the car park half way up the pass. The Kirk Stone is impressive, and the going is easy from there.
Great pics Richard - more additions to the Red Screes appreciation society ;D
Pity that Mel took it so badly ;) ;D
Great report Richard O0
That Middle Dodd descent is on the banned list by the way ;)
I had a sneaking suspicion that it might be! It is also on my son's banned list, but I didn't find it too bad - but then I wasn't carrying a heavy pack!
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It is also on my son's banned list, but I didn't find it too bad - but then I wasn't carrying a heavy pack!
Give the lad a break, he's only 13 you should at least be carrying your fair share.
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Give the lad a break, he's only 13 you should at least be carrying your fair share.
I was referring to April's heavy pack. Could have worded that better, I suppose! :D
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Could have worded that better, I suppose! :D
Or i could have not deliberately misunderstood you.
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Or i could have not deliberately misunderstood you.
;) I had my suspicions!
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So many stunning pics, you really had a fine day for it - little frustrating as it's one of the routes I was planning to do over the next week or two, but it's going to have to sit on the back burner a while. The rocky outcrops on the way up from Kirkstone seem particularly characterful.
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So many stunning pics, you really had a fine day for it - little frustrating as it's one of the routes I was planning to do over the next week or two, but it's going to have to sit on the back burner a while. The rocky outcrops on the way up from Kirkstone seem particularly characterful.
Thank you :) . Frustrating to be on lockdown, but the hills wills till be there. And I suspect that we will be really raring to go when we are finally let loose!