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| The small car park beside Jubilee Bridge at the foot of Hardknott Pass is the starting point for this walk |
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| The ascent begins immediately on a path above a small plantation with views to Esk Pike and Bowfell at the head of Eskdale |
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| Border End and Raven Crag on Hard Knott soon come into view as the path approaches the Roman Fort |
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| The summit of Hardknott Pass flanked by Raven Crag and Peathill Crag on Harter Fell |
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| Border End from the Hardknott Castle Roman Fort |
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| We continue on the path beyond the north gate of the fort. This sweeps right above the parade ground to eventually join the motor road below the summit of the pass. We will leave it shortly and climb to the level shoulder on the escarpment above Yew Crags on the extreme left and then climb the west ridge to the summit of Border End. The craggy outcrops on the ridge are all easily avoided |
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| Looking from above the fort to the summit of Hardknott Pass |
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| Traversing below the west ridge of Border End |
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| Slight Side and Scafell from the path above Yew Crags |
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| Lower Eskdale from the level shoulder, the main path leading from the fort can be seen on the lower left |
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| Harter Fell and Green Crag from the level shoulder |
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| We continue on to the far end of the level shoulder above Yew Crags in order to ouflank the crags on the west ridge |
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| Upper Eskdale and the Scafells from the top of Yew Crags |
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| Esk Pike, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags from the level shoulder above Yew Crags. Eskdale Needle, which we visit later, can be seen right of centre |
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| Lower Eskdale from the top of Yew Crags |
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| Harter Fell and Green Crag as we start the climb up the west ridge on the left |
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| Climbing the steep west ridge of Border End |
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| Lower Eskdale from the west ridge |
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| The summit of Border End |
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| Lower Eskdale from the summit of Border End |
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| Looking down to Hardknott Pass and the Duddon Valley from the summit of Border End |
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| The Scafells from Border End |
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| Esk Pike and Bowfell from Border End |
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| The summit of Hard Knott and Crinkle Crags from Border End |
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| Great Carrs and Grey Friar from Border End |
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| Setting out from Border End towards the summit of Hard Knott |
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| We descended the Eskdale slope to locate the Eskdale Needle and came across a sheep that had become entangled in a some old heafing wire. The heaf fence was erected after the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 and remnants of it still litter the fells in this area. Judging by its weakened condition the sheep must have been trapped for days. Both its hind legs were wrapped in the thin wire which had cut down to the bone. It took Kate about 15 minutes to free it, in the end she had to use scissors from the first aid kit to cut through the knots |
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| While I waited with the dogs the sun highlighted the Scafell group. One of the heaf fence poles can be seen on the lower right |
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| Looking back to Harter Fell with more heaf fence poles evident, the fine wire between them can just be seen |
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| Kate took a photograph on her phone camera of the pole and wire that had trapped the sheep |
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| And another one of me inspecting the Eskdale Needle which gives some idea of its size |
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| Eskdale Needle also known as The Steeple |
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| Looking down onto the top of the Eskdale Needle |
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| Resuming the walk over to the summit of Hard Knott passing another heaf fence pole with wire tangled around its base |
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| The Scafells across the summit crags |
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| Approaching the summit of Hard Knott |
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| The summit of Hard Knott |
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| Great Carrs and Grey Friar from the summit of Hard Knott |
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| Grey Friar, Brim Fell, Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag |
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| White Maiden and Caw across the Duddon Valley |
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| Harter Fell from the summit of Hard Knott |
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| Looking back to Border End from the summit of Hard Knott |
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| The Scafells from the summit of Hard Knott |
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| Esk Pike and Bowfell from the summit of Hard Knott |
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| Crinkle Crags |
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| Stonesty Pike and Little Stand |
