High Spy - Route One

 

Start - Rosthwaite NY 258 148 Distance - 2.6 miles Ascent - 1,990 feet Time - 2 hours

 

The small National Trust car park in Rosthwaite is the starting point for this walk
Turn right from the car park to follow the lane to Yew Tree Farm and its popular Flock-in tearoom
The route of ascent, Tongue Gill, flanked by High Scawdel and Low Scawdel seen from the Yew Free Farm lane
Maiden Moor and Catbells between Castle Crag and King's How
A walled lane leads on from Yew Tree Farm towards the River Derwent 
There is an early opportunity to cross the river by stepping stones over the ford, otherwise continue on the broad path alongside the riverbank for about 300 yards towards New Bridge
Castle Crag from the path to New Bridge
New Bridge, not all that 'new', was built almost a hundred years ago to replace an earlier one which was swept away in a storm 
Looking back towards Great Crag from New Bridge
On crossing New Bridge turn left along the river side path and cross the footbridge over Tongue Gill
Shortly after crossing the Tongue Gill footbridge turn away from the River Derwent and follow a green path which runs alongside a flood embankment
Looking back towards Ullscarf, Eagle Crag and Rosthwaite Fell from the path alongside the flood embankment
After about 150 yards the path crosses a simple plank bridge over a tributary of Tongue Gill and enters another field via a stile
From the stile a diagonal path leads up to a cart track which rises to join the bridleway which runs between Seatoller and Grange 
Looking back to Eagle Crag flanked by Ullscarf and Rosthwaite Fell
Looking back towards King's How and Brund Fell from the cart track
High Scawdel from the cart track
Ignore the wall stile on the left and continue on to join the Seatoller~Grange bridleway
Looking back towards Great Crag, Ullscarf, Eagle Crag and Rosthwaite Fell
Approaching the line of the Seatoller~Grange bridleway.  The bridleway forms part of the popular Allerdale Ramble long distance path
Castle Crag and King's How from the Seatoller~Grange bridleway
Rosthwaite Fell from the Seatoller~Grange bridleway
The path crosses the bridleway and leads up towards Tongue Gill
Looking back, Raise, Whiteside and Helvellyn appear over the central ridge
Looking up to the head of Tongue Gill and the disused Rigghead Quarries on the slopes of High Scawdel
Looking back to Rosthwaite
The main path crosses a stile and follows the stream before veering left to climb the spoil heaps of the upper quarries
Either carry on over the stile or, more interestingly, turn up an old incline to visit the lower and middle quarries
Rosthwaite Fell from lower Rigghead Quarry
Carry on past the ruined building and mine adit to join a path which rises to a stile in the wall below the middle quarry spoil bank
The stile below the middle quarry spoil bank
Looking back from the stile towards Ullscarf, Eagle Crag and Rosthwaite Fell
Approach the top of the middle quarry spoil bank, one of the buildings on it has been restored and converted into a climbing hut
The locked and shuttered climbing hut
Looking down on Rosthwaite from the climbing hut
Ullscarf from the climbing hut.  The summit of High Raise, the highest of the central fells, can be seen on the right over Rosthwaite Fell
From the climbing hut a fairly level path traverses over the slope to join the main path which can be seen ascending towards the upper quarry
Looking back from the junction of the paths
The climb to the upper quarry is short but is probably the steepest part of this ascent
Near the top of the quarry the path is stone pitched, there being plenty of material available from the spoil heap to construct it!
The Helvellyn range from the upper quarry
Robin Fold Edge, a subsidiary top of High Spy, from the ruined buildings of the upper quarry
The mine adits of the upper quarry
From the upper quarry the path leads around the head of Tongue Gill to a stile in the corner of a fence
Robin Fold Edge from the head of Tongue Gill
The summit of Dale Head from the head of Tongue Gill
Robin Fold Edge from the stile. The path divides and the left branch heads towards Dalehead Tarn.  Continue straight ahead 
Looking up to top of High Scawdel from the head of Tongue Gill
Looking back, Esk Pike, the Scafells, Great Gable and Grey Knotts appear over the High Scawdel~Dale Head ridge
Dale Head and Hindscarth from the climb to Robin Fold Edge
Half way on the climb to Robin Fold Edge
Looking across towards Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike and Fairfield
Looking back, Glaramara, Bowfell, Esk Pike, the Scafell group and Great Gable over High Scawdel
Looking over to Dalehead Crags
Looking back, High Raise over Rosthwaite Fell on the left with the Langdale Pikes over Rosthwaite Cam in the centre, and Glaramara, Bowfell and Esk Pike over High Scawdel to the right
Dalehead Tarn comes into view
Approaching the top of Robin Fold Edge
Ullscarf and High Raise from near the top of Robin Fold Edge
Skiddaw and Blencathra appear over the top of Robin Fold Edge
The cairn on the top of Robin Fold Edge
High Raise, the Langdale Pikes, Glaramara, Bowfell, Esk Pike and Great End from the top of Robin Fold Edge
Bowfell, Esk Pike, the Scafells, Great Gable, Grey Knotts and Kirk Fell form the horizon from the top of Robin Fold Edge
Dale Head and Hindscarth from the cairn on Robin Fold Edge
From the top of Robin Fold Edge the path leads up an open slope to the summit of High Spy
Lonscale Fell and Blencathra on the left with Clough Head above Bleaberry Fell on the right, viewed from the path to the summit of High Spy
Approaching the summit of High Spy
The summit cairn on High Spy
Dale Head wth High Stile over Hindscarth Edge
Hindscarth, Whiteless Pike, Grasmoor, Eel Crag and Sail from the summit of High Spy
Eel Crag and Sail above Ard Crags on the left,  Grisedale Pike above Scar Crags in the centre with the Whinlatter fells in the distance between Causey Pike and Barrow on the right
The Skiddaw group from the summit of High Spy
Blencathra from the summit of High Spy
Clough Head, Great Dodd, Watson's Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd and Raise form the skyline above the central ridge
Stybarrow Dodd, Whiteside, Catstycam, Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, Fairfield and Great Rigg over the central ridge
Ullscarf from the summit of High Spy
Looking back to the top of Robin Fold Edge
Glaramara, Bowfell, Esk Pike, Great End and Scafell Pike from the summit of High Spy
The Scafells and Great Gable from the summit of High Spy

 

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