Accommodation all now booked and my route practically settled. Unlike last time I'm intending to avoid Red Pike (!) and instead of staying at Ennerdale Bridge am spending the first night at Gillerthwaite, which will leave me with only 9 miles or so on the second day. I'll climb from there up towards Scarth Gap, on the map it appears there is a path that goes around the south of Haystacks rather than me having to climb all the way to the col and then face the scramble up Haystacks. Is anyone able to confirm if the map is correct and what that route is like as an alternative to the scramble up from Scarth Gap?
Ive used a small ascending path that leaves the forest track NY177132, a little further on than the path down and slightly back to the footbridge over the river.You have to be careful not to miss it as it goes through some overgrown bush right at its beggining. Eventually you go over a stile in a fence and continue ascending until you come across some small drumlins (good camp spot) and swing round left to the Haystacks Col.There is a stile in the fence opposite across the stream, if you look carefully, you will see it. It is however seldom used and not much of a path if any, with a scree above. I have followed a very rough intermittent path from the top of Loft beck, mostly along a fence before dropping down to that stile (in reverse), but it's very scrappy. When Ive gone the other way as first described, Ive gone up to Haystacks Col and over the summit before dropping down to Innominate and by Blackbeck tarns.