Friday 18 February 2011

Walk 42
5m / 2450ft ascent
Time taken 275 minutes

158. Causey Pike LDW-119 2090'
       Scar Crags LDW-101 2205' (Previously climbed for WOTA)
159. Ard Crags LDW-136 1906'
160. Knott Rigg LDW-145 1824'

The linear route taken by Phil G4OBK, XYL Judy and friend Geoff on 18th February 2011 
This short linear walk took in four Wainwrights in five miles and three were new ones for me.  I had visited Ard Crags previously when I detoured slightly from the Coledale Horseshoe walk, which I completed on my own in November 2010. 
The first job was to position Geoff's car at Newlands Hause for our return. This done we found room for my car in a quarried out hole by the roadside at 234206, below Ellas Crag, and we were walking by 9.45am. The day was dull but dry with mist on the tops of the higher summits.
We didn't follow the public right of way marked on the 1:25000 map but took the dotted path further north up to Sleet Hause. Geoff was on one of his "going ahead" days as Judy and I took our time on the ascent to the prominent Causey Pike LDW-119, which was reached at 11.00am.  None of todays summit's counted for SOTA but there were plenty of callers.  G0TDM/M was the first. I never found out why John was out in the car, although he has been known to use the method to gain some height and be guaranteed of a contact with the lower Wainwrights. Eight contacts were made with the usual set up, including  Sue G1OHH in Lancaster.
The ridge over Ard Crags seen as we descended from Scar Crags
It took less than 30 minutes to reach the top of Scar Crags where again eight contacts were completed.  Our ridge walk was now almost finished, at least until the next ridge across Ard Crags, as we lost height descending south east of the summit of Sail down to grid reference 204200. From here we needed to gain the next ridge running across the top of Ard Crags.
Judy on our final summit of the day - Knott Rigg LDW-145

We decided to zig-zag our way up the fellside as there was no path visible, and we reached the summit of LDW-136 at 1239am for a stay of only 10 minutes when six stations were logged.
We really enjoyed the ridge walk across to Knott Rigg LDW-145 around 1 Km away, arriving there at 1.35pm.  From here a summit to summit contact was completed with M1LSD on Hallin Fell - one of only six contacts.

This had been a short day as we were bound for home and were on our way from Newlands Hause by 2.30pm.  Our next visit was planned for late March when we hoped to revisit the North Western Fells and others.

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