High Street and Harter Fell


Forum » Walk Reports » Lake District

By pistolrider on 28/01/14 at 5:42pm

Hills walked:
Kidsty Pike (Wainwright, Birkett, Nuttall, Fellranger, and Synge)
High Street (Wainwright, Birkett, Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall, HuMP, Clem, Fellranger, Synge, Sim, and Tump)
Mardale Ill Bell (Wainwright, Birkett, Fellranger, Synge, and deleted Nuttall)
Harter Fell (Mardale) (Wainwright, Birkett, Hewitt, Nuttall, HuMP, sub Marilyn, Clem, Fellranger, Synge, Sim, and Tump)
Rampsgill Head (Wainwright, Birkett, Hewitt, Nuttall, Fellranger, Synge, Sim, and Tump)
Date started:27/01/2014
Distance:13.1 km or 8.1 miles
Ascent:871m or 2858ft
Start OSGB:NY468106
Time taken:5:00
Naismith:4:04

I picked up Darryl at the top end of Stone at 06.10 hrs. It was raining and windy and I thought to myself, "Please, not another horrible day on the hill". We got up to Junction 39, M6 without incident. I turned on my Sat Nav to get us to our destination and immediately it took us to a private road, with signs all over the place saying "No access to Hawswater". Luckily I had my trusty road atlas and we eventually arrived at the car park at the head of the reservoir. It was raining and blowing a gale.

[
](http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/pistolrider/media/UshapedvalleyHighStreet.jpeg.html) Looking towards High Street, from Hawswater

We set off across the head of the lake, looking up the U shaped valley and High Street beyond, on the path leading onto Kidsty Pike. As we ascended the lower slopes a herd of 10 Red Deer crossed above us about 300mtrs away. They obviously knew they were safe as they just ambled slowly following the contour, just below the snow line but keeping an eye on us at the same time. This is the first time I have ever seen Deer on the hill, in the Lakes, a magnificent sight. A little further up the hill above the snow line, we surprised a couple of red grouse, who flew up and away from us, to a quieter place on the hill.

[
](http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/pistolrider/media/KidstyPike.jpeg.html) Kidsty Pike

We started to find the white stuff, realising that the day was going to be hard work as it was mainly soft, fresh, knee deep snow, the wind was against us which made progress even more difficult. Having climbed the ridge of Kidsty Pike we arrived at Rampsgill Head and immediately set off for High Street, this was when we really found the conditions getting more difficult. Waist deep snow, hail and Gale force winds. It was a real long, slow flog up to the summit and I was already exhausted. Eventually we arrived at the Trig Point and had a break and took photos to prove we had been there.

[
](http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/pistolrider/media/image.jpeg.html) Darryl on High Street
[
](http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/pistolrider/media/SummitofHighStreet.jpeg.html) Jim on High Street

We descended from High Street, over Mardale Ill Bell and on to Nan Bield Pass. The shelter at the head of the pass was full of snow so we carried on up Harter Fell. Conditions were not quite as bad but I needed to stop a couple of times to refuel. Mars Bars, were the fuel of choice and I could feel more energised, every time the sugar got into my bloodstream. during one of these stops, the cloud lifted and we could Small Water, below us, in the distance.

[
](http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/pistolrider/media/ThroughmisttoSmallWater.jpeg.html) Small Water from Harter Fell

We followed the fence down the ridge of Harter Fell and I recounted the story of one of my many call outs to Darryl. The job was on Harter Fell crag, where a gentleman had failed to follow the fence as it took a 90 degree turn and walked straight over the crag. Unfortunately he died of his injuries, fortunately for us, the rescue helicopter took the body off the crag, which saved us a very nasty recovery.

[
](http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/pistolrider/media/HawesWater.jpg.html) The helicopter arrives at Hawswater on the day of the call-out, back in the mid to later 80's

The snow deepened again so we stopped and Darryl took this picture of an extremely exhausted Jim.

[
](http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/pistolrider/media/OndescentfromHarterFell.jpeg.html) Having a break on descent from Harter Fell
[
](http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/pistolrider/media/WaterfallondescenttoHawswater.jpeg.html) Waterfall passed on descent from Harter Fell, just above Hawswater Reservoir

As Hawswater came into view we passed this waterfall which Darryl took a photo of. It would not have looked so good had this January had not been the wettest since 1767.

We arrived back at the car, changed out of our hill clothing and had an uneventful journey back home.



WalkLakes recognises that hill walking, or walking in the mountains, is an activity with a danger of personal injury or death.
Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions.