Author Topic: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head  (Read 2695 times)

pdstsp

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Well it's been a while coming, hasn't it?


Friday was a chance to reacquaint with the fells so I made an early start to nab two Wainwrights towards my second round, Whin Rigg and Illgill Head.  I have never previously had a view from these two, so the forecast was even more promising.  After waking at 4.15 - a whole 45 minutes before the alarm was due, I set off from home at 5, arriving at the small car park under Irton Pike at 7 - and I was first there which was nice.  The path climbs straight from the car park, through woodland below Irton Pike before reaching a gate giving access to the open fell.





Through the gate the views begin to hint at greater things to come.





The slope is not severe, and though a little muddy in places, the route is on beautiful open fellside leading to Whin Rigg.





The path skirts the gully of Greathall Gill which I remember as a very steep descent last time I was up here.





Whin Rigg summit is soon reached, and gives superb views of the surrounding fells.  Illgill Head straight ahead, and on the left Middle Fell, Haycock, Pillar, Yewbarrow, Kirk Fell and Great Gable make a breathtaking view for an early morning flapjack break





A wonderful easy short descent precedes the climb up to Illgill Head, and one path crosses the open fell, while the second hugs the top of the cliffs and screes above Wast Water.  Wonderful steep drops and a feeling of airiness,





This is a wonderful path, and from this direction you are walking into fantastic scenery, among the best in Lakeland





From Illgill Head the views keep opening out - here the bulks of Kirk Fell and Great Gable





From Illgill Head I followed the faint path which cuts Southwards and gradually steepens as it curves round toward Burnmoor Tarn, with great views of the Scafells and Lingmell








Here the path curves round the fellside, staying above Tarn level.  The path was pretty dry and virtually flat - wonderful walking down to Miterdale with a lovely view back up to the tarn, Sca Fell and Slightside.





I followed the path for quite a while before dropping down at the first wall, to cross the stream at a ford, where \i sat for some time enjoying a ham and pickle butty and watching the River Mite as it gently tumbled over the rock. The colours were mesmerising, so much so that I was mesmerised and didn't take any photos.


Continuing down the valley I suddenly remembered where I had left my wheelbarrow





Near the foot of the valley I turned right, or westish, to cut through Miterdale Forest - bits of this were very nice, bit other  parts seemed to be lacking a bit of management and there were a couple of clambers needed, though I did not follow the yellow footpath signs so probably my fault,





Finally a few hundred yards down the road to the car.


Wonderful day, and really enjoyed this route.  GPS had it at a couple of hundred yards short of 11 miles with 750m of climbing.

Just to add - carpark at Irton Pike was full when I returned, and there was plenty of action in the Wasdale carparks but I saw only two people on my whole walk, and they were at the farm in Miterdale.










karl h

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #1 on: 19:26:45, 04/04/21 »
Fantastic Paul O0  In good weather the walk along the screes has to be one of the best couple of miles in Lakeland.
I fell foul of that forest path back to the car park as well, horrid in places :o

Ridge

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #2 on: 19:28:26, 04/04/21 »
Great photos, lovely light and wonderful place  O0

richardh1905

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #3 on: 20:40:54, 04/04/21 »
Lovely photos. The walk along the top of the crags is quite unique.

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vghikers

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #4 on: 07:22:20, 05/04/21 »
Gorgeous round and photos, it's a super view from the top  O0

A wheelbarrow now... maybe the same person who left a rusty spade on top of Great End!.

pdstsp

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #5 on: 15:01:23, 05/04/21 »
Cheers all, it was a lovely walk. Today was on Low Fell and Fellbarrow, light was great but blummin eck it was chilly in the wind.

Dodgylegs

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #6 on: 18:13:08, 05/04/21 »
Wow those steep drops, brilliant photos! O0

Mel

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #7 on: 21:12:56, 05/04/21 »
More smashing pics and nice to see some lesser-known places in the Lakes getting a good walking on.


Pity you couldn't have found a better view for flapjack-o-clock though  ::)   :D    

forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #8 on: 22:52:52, 05/04/21 »
Cracking route, love the shots of the characterful hills taken from the ridge opposite the busier western shore of Wastwater.  Very rarely do you see so much difference in profile, they're so distinctive as to pick them out from a distance immediately.

pdstsp

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #9 on: 09:20:07, 06/04/21 »
Thanks Dodgylegs, Mel and FMOP.


I was really pleased with the approach - I have only climbed these tops from Wasdale previously, and obviously you are surrounded by the hills there, but setting off from Irton Pike meant that the view revealed itself at walking speed, and the descent down Miterdale was lovely too.  Highly recommended route.

pleb

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #10 on: 16:17:30, 08/04/21 »
Love the steep drop pic down to wastwater  O0
Whinging Moaning Old Fart

GnP

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #11 on: 16:54:43, 08/04/21 »
Really savoury images !...The first view alone is enough to imagine a virtual walk of your wonderful real walk ...The mind boggles when coming across Wheel Barrows..I came across a bed matress up in the hills of Powys one time.. :-\ O0
A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

pdstsp

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #12 on: 08:50:29, 09/04/21 »
Cheers pleb - there's a few great balcony type views along there that give a feel of exposure if you walk along to them - all optional.


G&P - thanks and I know what you mean about the first picture - it's not often you go from woods to open fellside so suddenly, particularly when there are such great views.

MkPotato

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #13 on: 19:52:17, 12/04/21 »
At risk of repeating myself, that’s another great set of pics in lovely clear air.

richardh1905

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Re: Good Friday romp on Whin Rigg and Illgill Head
« Reply #14 on: 09:20:12, 13/04/21 »
At risk of repeating myself, that’s another great set of pics in lovely clear air.


Yes, wonderful conditions for mountain photography lately. :)
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