Author Topic: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head  (Read 1539 times)

palunen

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Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« on: 16:11:39, 21/02/20 »
Yewbarrow is on my list for this year. I would like to make it as compact as possible and take a shortcut to Wasdale Head (of course, after getting up to the cairn  :D ). Studying Yewbarrow, I found a post Avoiding Dore Head screes [nofollow] http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=35153.0 [nofollow]


To descend, the more experts suggested an option to take a zigzag path on the grass on the left of the scree. However, I wonder if it's possible to descend immediately after the cairn (627m) heading to Wasdale Head campsite? On the OS map, the slope to the east from that point looks a bit easier (less steep) than the slope near Dorehead Screes. Is the slope boggy or otherwise undoable? Well, it seems that there are some sheep walls before getting into the pub  ;) ;D  but is prohibited to go over them? I would appreciate comments  :)

Ridge

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #1 on: 16:18:36, 21/02/20 »
There is the end of the thread that you linked to here


http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=35298.msg504323#msg504323

pdstsp

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #2 on: 17:58:56, 21/02/20 »
If you are trying to make it as compact as possible why not start from Overbeck Bridge and ascend via Great Door - you can then descend to Dore Head via either the path on the ground which descends North westward from the saddle between the peaks, or down Stirrup Crag.  Then turn south west and follow the path on the west side of Over Beck back to the car park .  It'll save your knees a pounding ;D

palunen

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #3 on: 13:20:14, 22/02/20 »
There is the end of the thread that you linked to here

http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=35298.msg504323#msg504323 [nofollow]


Hi Ridge
Thank you for this lovely idea of using the grassy ground for ascending to Dore Head. Well, why not also descending there, once the path has been found?  :)

palunen

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #4 on: 13:36:16, 22/02/20 »
If you are trying to make it as compact as possible why not start from Overbeck Bridge and ascend via Great Door - you can then descend to Dore Head via either the path on the ground which descends North westward from the saddle between the peaks, or down Stirrup Crag.  Then turn south west and follow the path on the west side of Over Beck back to the car park .  It'll save your knees a pounding ;D


Hi pdstsp,


Thank you for a nice advice. However, the problem is that I won't use a car but will come to Wasdale by foot from Honister Hause via Moses Trod. My plan of 3-4 days is to adapt Stuart Marshall's Guidebook. Day 1: to walk to YHA Wasdale via Illgill Head and Whin Rigg; Day 2: Buckbarrow, Seatallan and Middle Fell (Wasdale Head Inn); Day 3: Yewbarrow and return to YHA Honister Hause. This looks pretty exhaustive and naturally, depends on the weather.


The bus connections are good in the Lakes but put some limits how many hours you can walk per day. I have noticed that YHA Honister is an excellent base for this kind of multi-day walks.

pdstsp

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #5 on: 16:12:38, 22/02/20 »
Aaah - yes in that case my plan may not work - and you are right about public transport. 

Percy

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #6 on: 16:26:03, 22/02/20 »
Why don’t you switch days 1 and 3? That way you can go up Dore Screes rather than down. There is a gentler way off Yewbarrow going that way too. Halfway between the north and south tops there is a path off to the west - not marked on maps but it’s there.

palunen

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #7 on: 14:36:39, 23/02/20 »
Why don’t you switch days 1 and 3? That way you can go up Dore Screes rather than down. There is a gentler way off Yewbarrow going that way too. Halfway between the north and south tops there is a path off to the west - not marked on maps but it’s there.


Hi Percy,
"Halfway between the north and south tops there is a path off to the west". Do you really mean to the west? It looks a bit craggy.  If so, going up using the grassy path near the Scree and descending to the west, as you suggested, seems to be an idea worth considering :) 


In my initial post I suggested to descend to the east from the halfway, less steep and gently sloping, despite there are walls down there near Wasdale Head. But now that I searched a map to show the path that you mentioned, I found one that shows a path to the east, but from the very top.  

 
https://www.walklakes.co.uk/walk_143.html [nofollow]

 
Well, this option looks a bit craggy too, but the path turns to the south east before the big crag and descend long the beck.




pdstsp

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #8 on: 16:58:26, 23/02/20 »
Yep - it is to the west and is the one I included in my post earlir oin the thread - it head north west from the saddle between the two summits - lovely path.  I'm not sure I'd like to descend the east side of Yewbarrow - can't imagine it would be gently sloping

palunen

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Re: Descent from Yewbarrow to Wasdale head
« Reply #9 on: 17:16:28, 23/02/20 »
Yep - it is to the west and is the one I included in my post earlir oin the thread - it head north west from the saddle between the two summits - lovely path.  I'm not sure I'd like to descend the east side of Yewbarrow - can't imagine it would be gently sloping


Sorry pdstsp, I read more carefully your earlier post and understand your advice "you can then descend to Dore Head via either the path on the ground which descends North westward from the saddle between the peaks" better  :)  Percy's recommendation supports this!

 

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