On the 4th April 2011 me and my mate Paul started hiking from Haweswater in the Lake District after Paul suggested The far eastern Fells would have the better weather, it was raining when we left the car and winds very strong and times infact it became hard to keep our balance and actual had to stand still for short periods.
On reaching the summit of High Street we could see an obvious camp spot hoping the wall alone High Street summit would provide needed shelter from the wind, but the wind was blowing parallel to the wall so we kept on walking for a suitable location and finally settle for the spot below.
Wildcamping between kidsty pike and high raise, extreme winds and high rain.
Hmmm yummy
Me and Paul on our way up to High Street in the lake District
The trig Point summit of High Street
Getting ready to pack up the tent in the morning after a rough night, I cannot remember sleeping at all I was soaking wet, I had guy wire problems found myself outside no less than four times hooking them back up, the wind was just dragging them out the ground this hasn’t happened to me in my Akto before, first it was the side guys then the end one came undone and the whole side of the tent collapsed.
My bedroom ground sheet was letting in water from somewhere i thought it was the inner touching the outer tent but may have been the vents check my post here where I try and work out where the problem was.
Two valleys run up westwards from Haweswater, above what was the village of Mardale Green before the raising of the lake.[2] Riggindale is the southern arm and runs straight with a classic "U"-shaped profile. Randale starts north-westerly, rising quickly before turning due west above approximately 1800 ft. Between these valleys is Kidsty Pike, the east ridge of Rampsgill Head.
The northern flank falls at a shallow gradient over grass to the high gathering grounds of Randale. In contrast, the southern side of the ridge drops over crag and scree to Riggindale, 1,500 ft below. The difference in slopes gives Kidsty Pike its appeal when viewed from Haweswater, or (for example) on the M6 motorway near Shap. From here, in profile the summit appears as an acute angled peak.
Rampsgill Head is only a short distance away, but eastwards the ridge continues for about a mile, dropping gently to Kidsty Howes above the lake. This rocky outcrop marks the final steep descent to the shore.
Ascents
The only direct route of ascent is from the road end at Mardale Head. The lakeshore is followed to the ruins of Riggindale Farm. Like the other houses in the valley, this was blown up by the Army as demolition practice while the waters rose.[2] From here, the old path up the ridge can be followed via Kidsty Howes.
Summit and view
The summit has a small cairn on grass, immediately above the Riggindale face. The higher fells of the High Street range obscure much of the view, although a section of Lakeland is visible across the Straits of Riggindale.[1]
High Raise is on the main north-south spine of the Far Eastern Fells between Wether Hill and Rampsgill Head. Its eastern slopes drop to Haweswater and its western flank is the steep scree-lined side of Rampsgill.
The main ridge north to Wether Hill passes over the two intermediate tops of Raven Howe (2,345 ft) and Red Crag (2,332 ft), before dropping to the depression of Keasgill Head. This ridge is grassy but quite narrow and carries the High Street Roman road. There is a small tarn to the south of Red Crag. In the other direction the ridge turns a little westward across a narrow depression to Rampsgill Head.
East of High Raise, about half a mile away, is its companion Low Raise (2,473 ft). This broad top carries a tumulus of bleached stones, some of which have since been used to form a cairn and wind shelter. The stones do not appear native to their location. East of Low Raise the craggy bowl of Whelter Crags is gouged out of the hillside above the reservoir. Two ridges run north and south around it to the shore. The more extensive north-east ridge, Long Grain, curves around between Measand Beck and Whelter Bottom. Its top begins as a wide plateau before giving way to crags above Haweswater. The south-east ridge gradually narrows, becoming rockier before taking a final plunge over Castle Crag. This is the site of an ancient hill-fort and some earthworks are just about discernible. South of this ridge, separating it from Kidsty Pike, is Randale.
Summit and view
The summit of High Raise is stony, particularly in comparison to its neighbours, and a large cairn has been raised up a few yards east of the Roman road. The views westward provide a fine Lakeland panorama.[1]
Ascents
Ascents can be made from Martindale to the north or from Mardale via the south east and north east ridges. High Raise can also be climbed as part of a longer walk from Patterdale, Hartsop or Bampton, but other fells need to be ascended first. There are few good paths on the fell, other than the High Street. This is due in part to the loss of Mardale Green village when the lake was raised in the 1940s.
This entry was posted on Monday, April 4th, 2011 at 10:51 pm and is filed under Kidsty Pike & High Raise.
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2 Responses to “On our way up to High Street Lake District”
England
U look like twins, two boiled eggs
my mate calls us the mitchel brothers lol