Troutbeck Valley

Friday 3rd February 2012

9.4 miles

2667 feet of ascent

Lake District

9:30am Town Head > Ing Bridge > Hagg Bridge > The Tongue > Trout Beck > Sad Gill > Doup Crag > Stony Cove Pike > Threshthwaite Mouth > Park Fell Head > Trout Beck > Troutbeck Park Farm > Hagg Bridge > Ing Bridge > Town Head 6pm.

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Since I've been climbing the Fells of Lakeland, only 3 years by the way, I've fell more and more in love with the ruggedness of the crags and the ascents of the less known routes to the summits. I now find myself looking for more interesting routes and less about how many Wainwright's I can bag in one day. I've only reached 75 Wainwright summits with many main routes yet to explore, so why am I feelling like this now?, you would think it'll be the norm to bag the 214 before I follow Wainwright's footsteps, or maybe I finally realise that there's no rush, why rush something that gives so much pleasure?.

Joining me today is Dave and Frankie and the idea was to walk up the valley and bag The Tongue and take an "interesting" route up to Caudale Moor, then after crossing Threshwaite Mouth we would return by taking in half of the Kentmere Horseshoe.

Click picture to enlarge

Troutbeck Valley

The Lakes welcomed us with a lovely sharp frosty morning, and with blue skies to match this should be a corker.

The Tongue (left) and Yoke (right)

It soon came clear to us that our plan for the day maybe cut short by the white stuff on the tops, best see if we have a plan B.

Froswick, Ill Bell, and Yoke

Red Deer in Hird Wood

Hagg Gill

A few obsticles on the way

Dave has his own Stile of doing things.

Approaching The Tongue

After walking 1.5 miles along the valley floor we now leave the farm track and head for our first ascent.

A look across to Dodd Hill

I can see this being a great little climb for walkers who have no experience of the fells or scrambling, there are no paths but a short, steep, grassy and craggy ascent to the summit.

Looking back down Troutbeck Valley

A look across to Yoke

The summit of The Tongue (76th)

Ill Bell and Yoke

My favourite shot of the day showing different layers of colours and with a clear view of the zig-zag path leading to High Mere Greave Quarry.

Cauldale Moor, Threshthwaite Mouth, Thornthwaite Crag and Froswick

Our next ascent

You can see in this pic our next goal, Sad Gill is on the left and we will follow this till we reach the wall above Doup Crag (centre), its then a ridge walk to the summit of Stony Cove Pike.

A look across to the ridge of Hart Crag

Trout Beck

After finding a safe crossing over Trout Beck we join Sad Gill, here are some pics and vids of that ascent.

Sad Gill

Click here to see the video

Great here innit?

Sad Gill Waterfall

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Froswick (left), Ill Bell and Yoke (right)

What splended views of the valley and the snowy tops add a special look to the surroundings.

Frankie keeping an eye on things

Frankie showing me how its done

A look back down the wall with The Tongue (left)

We now witness some cloud cover coming in from the west.

A little rest for Frankie

A race to the summit?

Well not really a race, our progress is slow through this snow but Frankie seemed keen to reach the top.

Threshthwaite Crag

Dave cooling down

Click here to see the video

The Kentmere Peaks

Thornthwaite Crag Beacon

Another look back with The Tongue in a lonely dark position

Its firsty work Dave

Another climb

Looks like the race to the summit shot was a false summit, this is hard going now and the decision has been made that after reaching Threshthwaite Mouth we will finish our walk down the valley and not along the Kentmere peaks.

A well earned rest

Wonderful windswept shapes

Dave enjoying the views

At this point we both realise it was worth it, the views of the Kentmere Peaks are fantastic from this ridge.

The Summit of Caudale Moor, Stony Cove Pike (77th)

It would've been great to detour across to John Bell's Banner, a short walk but tough in these conditions so after a coffee break and a few phone calls we head for Threshthwaite Mouth.

The descent of Threshthwaite Mouth

My New Microspikes

This was a great opportunity to try Microspikes for the first time and straightaway I wondered how I ever coped with out them.

Frankie checking the route down

It was just after this that Frankie decided to stand on top of a small frozen waterfall, I say stand but he didn't stand there for long, he slid right off the end and disappeared from view, I quickly scrambled down to the slippery edge and was overwhelmed with relief to see Frankie looking up from which, thankfully, was only a four foot drop.

There's Gray Crag?

It was a real disappointment not to be able to see down Threshwaite Cove but we did get a short glimpse of Gray Crag.

A look down to the base of Threshthwaite Mouth

Bumslide on Threshthwaite Mouth

At this point Dave decided to do his trade mark Bumslide but I think he forgot we had an excited Frankie with us, all I could hear while they disappeared down the slope was Dave's laughter as Frankie licked his ears while in hot pursuit.

The route down Troutbeck Cove

A look back up the cove to Threshthwaite Mouth

Sadly the pics I took from here weren't that great because of bad light and with about 4 miles to do, timed at 4pm, it looks like head torches will be needed at some point. You would think that two fit guys like me and Dave, lol, could walk the 4 miles along the valley floor at a rate of 3 miles to the hour, wrong!, the path along the west flank of The Tongue was boggy, but it wasn't till we reached the attractive slate foot bridge and onwards that the fun really started. If walking through a wooded area in poor light wasn't bad enough the track had a frozen sheet of ice covering the full length and all the way to Troutbeck Park Farm, looking back now though, it was fun.

After reaching the farm and with a single head torch we reached the car for 6pm, cracking walk in the end and after initially being disappointed for cutting the route short it turned out it wasn't short after all, we still did 9.4 miles but it felt like 16. But in the end a great route in a great setting, I'm glad really we did take our time to enjoy the surroundings, its the Lakes innit!.

Cheers Dave

Rich