Lake District Walks
Causey Pike & Scar Crags
Date: 17th November 2005
Distance: 6.2 miles
Ascent: 2617 feet
Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: NY232221
Walk Summary:
A fine ridge walk in the North Western Fells with excellent views especially from Causey Pike and Barrow.
Route Summary: Uzzicar - Stoneycroft - Rowling End - Causey Pike - Scar Crags - Sail Pass - Outerside - Stile End - Barrow - Uzzicar
Pictures:
1. Early morning sunshine over Skiddaw
2. Derwent Water from Rowling End
3. Causey Pike from Rowling End
4. Looking across Rigg Beck to Ard Crags
5. Approaching the final climb on to Causey Pike
6. The ridge to Scar Crags
7. Scar Crags
8. On the summit of Scar Crags
9. Looking back to Causey Pike
10. The view east from Outerside
11. Grisedale Pike from the top of Outerside
12. Outerside
Walk Detail: Another early morning start saw me park by the landslides on the road just above Uzzicar. It was another beautiful morning with the dawn glow on Skiddaw being particularly stunning.
Despite my aching knee I had to take the challenge of the steeper climb up Rowling End rather than the easier graded path that slopes up to Causey Pike. It was worth the extra effort because the view that suddenly opens up of the fells beyond Newlands is quite a moment. From Rowling End there was a very pleasant flattish stretch through the heather before the second stiff climb that ended with an enjoyable scramble over Causey Pike’s well know summit knob.
The view from Causey Pike wass even better than Rowling End especially as I could now appreciate the Pike’s position as the eastern end of a high ridge that comes down from Eel Crag via Sail and Scar Crags.
I continued on my way over further bumps on the top of Causey Pike before the pleasant and easy ridge walk to Scar Crags. The latter is hidden for the most part by Causey Pike and is backed by higher tops in the form of Sail and Eel Crag. It is still a worthy top in itself and the southern flank, the Scar Crags themselves, fall away into the valley below very impressively.
A short drop down from the summit brought me to Sail Pass which sends a rocky path down the northern flank of Scar Crags into the valley below. At this point though I gave in to the temptation of the neighbouring ridge and decided to forsake the easy route back in favour of Outerside, Stile End and Barrow.
The climb up to Outerside proved steeper than anticipated but though it is enclosed on three sides by higher fells it is a good vantage point for appraising Eel Crags and Grisedale Pike. After Outerside I moved on to Stile End and then on to the final top of the day, which was Barrow.
The nature of the terrain changed quite dramatically at Barrow Door and the fellside became much more rocky and it was this, along with an excellent view from the summit, that made Barrow much more memorable than Stile End, or for that matter, Outerside as well.
The descent from Barrow was rather tricky due to the smooth grassy path still being covered in morning frost - it was difficult not to slip over which I in fact did several times. This was a shame because in normal circumstances this would have been a fantastic descent on what was another thoroughly enjoyable walk.
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