Walk 116, Hopegill Head and Whiteside

The approach to Whiteside, from Hopegill Head

A little belatedly, due to going back to work after my summer break, but I have published the walk 116 page, recounting the details of walk I did the other day — up through Thornthwaite Forest, down Whinlatter then up to bag two more Wainwrights on my second round — Hopegill Head and Whiteside. This was a very good walk in its second half. The final climb up to Hopegill Head is excellent, a scramble on bare rock to a superb little peak, and the ridge to Whiteside one of the best short ridges in the District in my opinion. The descent from Whiteside was also enlivened by an absolute carpet of flowering heather, as you can see here.

Heather on Whin Ben

On the other hand there was frustration in the first half of the work due to disruptions caused by forestry operations, about which I rant (a little) in the commentary (see walk 116). I just wish things didn’t have to get left in such a mess.

After a good recent run of walks I have now bagged 63 of the 330 Wainwrights, thus have 267 to go in my second round. Having gone back to work now I don’t know quite when the next walk will be, but of course when it happens I will update all the information on here. In the mean time, enjoy the rest of the summer…

Excellent walking on walk 115!

Walkers approaching the summit of High Street.

Finally, yesterday (5th August 2016) was a chance for a walk on a sunny day — not constantly, there was cloud around at times, but a lot more than has been seen by me in the Lakes since early March.

So I made the most of it, with walk 115, a walk of just over 15 miles that surely must count as one of the classic Lake District walks. From Hartsop, up over High Street then along the fantastic Ill Bell ridge, one of the best walks in the District.

View of the Troutbeck valley, from the Garburn Road. The walk goes along the ridge on the right side.

Last time I came round here, back in spring 2010, I had a walk blighted by low cloud and never saw anything of the dramatic terrain all around, but today was ample compensation. This is an excellent walk, highly recommended, and as the weather was better I am quite happy with my photos of it as well. So please do take a look at the detailed walk 115 page if you are interested.

Seven summits bagged today as well, so it was a productive walk. That means I have now done 61 of the 330 Wainwrights in my second round, so have 269 to go. I hope to get another walk in next week before I have to go back to work.