Castle Crag - Monday 22 September 2014
Route
Rosthwaite - New Bridge - High Hows Wood - Gowder Dub - Castle Crag - Tongue Gill - Rosthwaite
Parking
Borrowdale Institute Car Park in Rosthwaite (Charge) - Grid Ref NY258148
Mileage
4.2 miles
Terrain
Good paths although the ascent and descent of the quarry spoil heap near the summit needs care.
Weather
Cloudy with sunny spells although the visibility was very good.
Time Taken
2hrs 20mins
Total Ascent
1414ft (431m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western Area)
Rosthwaite - New Bridge - High Hows Wood - Gowder Dub - Castle Crag - Tongue Gill - Rosthwaite
Parking
Borrowdale Institute Car Park in Rosthwaite (Charge) - Grid Ref NY258148
Mileage
4.2 miles
Terrain
Good paths although the ascent and descent of the quarry spoil heap near the summit needs care.
Weather
Cloudy with sunny spells although the visibility was very good.
Time Taken
2hrs 20mins
Total Ascent
1414ft (431m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western Area)
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GPX File
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Walk Description
A nice short walk today which we did not start until late afternoon - from the Car Park at the Borrowdale Institute. Rosthwaite was still fairly busy as we settled in gently to the walk by having a cream tea at The Flock In. The path heads out of the village to the stepping stones over the Derwent and then heads right along the newly repaired path to New Bridge - this path and the river bank were badly damaged in the floods of 2009 and the authorities have done a fantastic job in the repair.
Once into High Hows Wood there then begins a beautiful riverside amble along the edge of the Derwent to Gowder Dub from where the path heads back towards Castle Crag following Broadslack Gill. Reaching the memorial and seat, the path up to the summit ascends gradually on an easy surface but does look precarious once the scree spoil is reached. However there is a good path which zig zags its way up to the quarry through the scree from where there is an easy stroll to the summit.
Leaving the summit, the route returns back to the memorial and then heads left heading towards the path junction at Tongue Gill - this is another delightful stretch giving great views down the valley towards Ullscarf and Rosthwaite Fell. Once the footbridge over Tongue Gill is reached it is just a matter of following the path back to the stepping-stones and retracing the lane back to Rosthwaite.
Once into High Hows Wood there then begins a beautiful riverside amble along the edge of the Derwent to Gowder Dub from where the path heads back towards Castle Crag following Broadslack Gill. Reaching the memorial and seat, the path up to the summit ascends gradually on an easy surface but does look precarious once the scree spoil is reached. However there is a good path which zig zags its way up to the quarry through the scree from where there is an easy stroll to the summit.
Leaving the summit, the route returns back to the memorial and then heads left heading towards the path junction at Tongue Gill - this is another delightful stretch giving great views down the valley towards Ullscarf and Rosthwaite Fell. Once the footbridge over Tongue Gill is reached it is just a matter of following the path back to the stepping-stones and retracing the lane back to Rosthwaite.
Cheaper than the NT Car Park next door - the walk starts from the Borrowdale Institute Car Park in Rosthwaite
Castle Crag centre with Low Scawdel left
The stepping-stones over the Derwent - our path went right however we crossed the stones on the way back
The two summits of Grange Fell - King's How & Brunt Fell
Significant repairs were needed to this path and wall after the floods of 2009 - they have done an excellent job
New Bridge crossing the Derwent
Fudge was not too impressed with Millican Dalton's Cave - he was the self styled "Professor of Adventure" (Millican Dalton, not Fudge)
http://www.keswick.org/explore/history-culture/millican-dalton/
http://www.keswick.org/explore/history-culture/millican-dalton/
This part of the path along the Derwent is beautiful
Rounding Gowder Dub, Castle Crag soon comes into view
Cairn art work on the path - we would see more of this later
The Sir William Hamer Memorial Plaque - he donated the land around Castle Crag to the Nation. The seat commemorates his wife Agnes.
Altough it does not look like it, there is a path through this quarry spoil heap
Angie contemplating the slate art work - great view down over Borrowdale to Ullscarf, Eagle Crag, High Raise, Rosthwaite Fell & Glaramara
The old quarry and more open air slate art work
Fudge is unimpressed by the slate art work
A bit further up looking out over the impressive Borrowdale valley
King's How on Grange Fell
For very little effort you get a view like this down over Derwent to Keswick and Skiddaw
The memorial on the summit of Castle Crag
The path up to the quarry and the summit from below
Ullscarf, Eagle Crag & Rosthwaite Fell
Easy enough today however Fudge preferred the more direct route