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Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Lake District => Topic started by: LMac27 on 16:14:24, 04/05/17

Title: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: LMac27 on 16:14:24, 04/05/17
Hi all,


Can somebody advise how easy the path is to find from Seathwaite Summit, for the descent back down to the path which passes Styhead tarn, possibly Wainwrights Route 'B' ?


Thanks All


L
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: April on 19:15:03, 04/05/17
Hi LMac

Wainwright's route B doesn't pass Styhead Tarn. Do You want to visit Styhead Tarn on the way down?

All of the paths on the fell are vague in places, no more than a sheep trod at times that fade to nothing in wet ground. I find it easier to descend by passing Sprinkling Tarn, the paths/trods to it from the AW summit are less vague. I have been up route A before but not down it. I have not used route B at all and I have never noticed a clear path leading to it on the top. There may be a cairn to indicate the descent? Perhaps someone else on here might know? I have descended on a pathless route from the highest top to Ruddy Gill near the start of The Band on Great End. I remember it as a rough, hard work sort of route and wished I'd stuck to the Sprinkling Tarn path  :)

Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: karl h on 19:28:26, 04/05/17
Hi Lee, Haven't got the Wainwright book to hand so can't remember which is path A or B but I have been up from the path to Styhead Tarn to the Wainwright summit. As the path levels out past the 1000ft boulder I just looked for a likely looking route on grass.
I know  descending can be trickier than ascending but I remember it was a simple walk on grass.
HTH O0
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: LMac27 on 09:54:39, 05/05/17
Hi Lee, Haven't got the Wainwright book to hand so can't remember which is path A or B but I have been up from the path to Styhead Tarn to the Wainwright summit. As the path levels out past the 1000ft boulder I just looked for a likely looking route on grass.
I know  descending can be trickier than ascending but I remember it was a simple walk on grass.
HTH O0


Thank you very much Karl
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: LMac27 on 09:58:27, 05/05/17
Hi LMac

Wainwright's route B doesn't pass Styhead Tarn. Do You want to visit Styhead Tarn on the way down?


Sorry for the confusion ! I was just trying to indicate which side of the fell I was looking to descend down ie TOWARDS the path leading to sty head tarn. I will then walk down the path back to Seathwaite. I am approaching Seathwaite Fell from Sprinkling Tarn.

All of the paths on the fell are vague in places, no more than a sheep trod at times that fade to nothing in wet ground. I find it easier to descend by passing Sprinkling Tarn, the paths/trods to it from the AW summit are less vague. I have been up route A before but not down it. I have not used route B at all and I have never noticed a clear path leading to it on the top. There may be a cairn to indicate the descent? Perhaps someone else on here might know? I have descended on a pathless route from the highest top to Ruddy Gill near the start of The Band on Great End. I remember it as a rough, hard work sort of route and wished I'd stuck to the Sprinkling Tarn path  :)
[/quote


Thanks for all the Advice
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: April on 12:42:54, 05/05/17
I know  descending can be trickier than ascending but I remember it was a simple walk on grass.
HTH O0

Sounds like a Karl Route to me  :D You will encounter bog, rough ground and it will be hard work  ;)

I would avoid descending Route A, this is very steep, unless you enjoy descending steep routes of course.
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: LMac27 on 15:25:37, 05/05/17
Sounds like a Karl Route to me  :D You will encounter bog, rough ground and it will be hard work  ;)

I would avoid descending Route A, this is very steep, unless you enjoy descending steep routes of course.


I wouldn't say I particulary enjoy steep descents but have encountered a couple in my time, Hartsop Dodd in the snow was quite a memorable one !

Lee

Is this a really unenjoyable steep descent then April ?


My days route is Base Brown, Green then Great Gable then down to Seathwaite Fell ( the only unclimbed fell I need on this route ). I was then just hoping to drop down to the path and return via Stockley Bridge.
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: LMac27 on 15:34:01, 05/05/17
Hello,


On second thoughts I might reverse the route, ascending Seathwaite Fell first by Wainwrights route B, then proceed to Great Gable and Green Gable then drop down into Gillercomb missing out Base Brown.


Could this be the easier option, ascending instead of descending Seathwaite Fell ?


Many Thanks


Lee
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: April on 16:56:40, 05/05/17
I think I may have confused the issue taking the mick out of Karl  ;D  :-[

The route he mentioned will be ok to descend I am sure  :)

It is route A which is steep and I wouldn't want to descend that one
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: karl h on 17:05:29, 05/05/17
I think I may have confused the issue taking the mick out of Karl  ;D :-[



You, take the mick ..never ;D


I wouldn't change your route Lee.
Up by the waterfalls in Sourmilk Gill then the path under the Hanging Stone to Base Brown is one of my favourite walks. ;)
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: LMac27 on 18:34:08, 05/05/17
Well Im going to have to change my plans now because they've closed the Borrowdale Road due to a bus crash near Grange !
Title: Re: Descent off Seathwaite Fell
Post by: snoopdawg on 22:16:42, 19/05/17
Hi lmac27 don't know if you have been that way yet but I was on it back in early April. I ascended from Stockley bridge and then as the path levels out there is a small cairn and a grassy path which is more worn the higher you climb. The photograph indicates the path which more or less follows the gully.

 (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2885/33675729472_a17b0f9eae_b.jpg) (http://)DSC00716 (https://flic.kr/p/TiNV8o)

Once I had completed Seathwaite Fell, all 3 cairns, I walked across to Sprinkling tarn, down to Styhead and then took a contouring path across the fells to reach the col between Base Brown and Green Gable and went onto Base Brown