Back to Bagging Wainwrights

 

Newlands valley lies sleepily hidden with winding roads squeezed in between the hills and the topography of this hike was way more pleasurable than I anticipated when plotting it on the map.

 

 

 

 

We began from a blissfully empty car park and wandered down to the church through spring green grass with trees not yet having turned to Autumn.

Although the cottages and farms were ‘quaint’ names were rather contradictory.

The gentle stroll down leafy lanes abruptly turned to a steep slog up the side of High Snab, but was richly rewarded.

The clouds had been hesitant to leave but left behind clear air perfect for mountain and route spotting. And so began a day of ‘ yes that is…’ ‘ we went there when..’ ‘ next time we can go…’. High Snab became planning platform for other hills to climb.

After sauntering along the Snab the scramble up to the top over Robinson Crags required a swift re-engagement of brain and a brief span of concentration while deciding which foot or hand to lift next.

Challenge of the day over I realised why Red Pike was actually called Red Pike. Something not at all apparent when negotiating the track from it to Haystacks on Day 2 of C2C a couple of weeks ago. Even the dreaded last haul over Honister slunk into the next valley.

Leaving Robinson, we changed direction and more of the Cumbria Jigsaw slotted into place as first Rannderdale, then Whitless and Wandope neatly took their places.

Unfortunately what goes down has to go up, and though we enjoyed the rest, though it was a bit boggy, down to Newlands Hause, there is a bit more ‘up’ to Knott Rigg. Admittedly not quiet as acute as High Snab. But what a wonderful walk!

I do remember noticing from Whitless how green Knott Rigg looked compared to the side of Wandope and Sail, when walking down it last month. It was green. May be because it is not so high? Narrow ridges are usually rocky but not this one. Apart from the odd rock it was a green lane turned inside out and strung up in the sky.

Total contrast to dark sides of Sail and Causey Pike.

Green turned to heather cladding, which still had the lingering of purple. Which beyond Ard Crags has the uneasy illusion of dropping off the edge of a cliff.

Before returning to a more somnulant drift along Rigg Beck and the start on the little lane and bridge.

Map here, route

Idea from Great Mountain Days Out book, Cicerone.