Lake District Walks
High Spy
Date: 26th May 2006
Distance: 4.0 miles
Ascent: 2004 feet
Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
With: Lisa and Dave
Start Grid Ref: NY249167
Walk Summary:
A short circular walk up on to High Spy via Nitting Haws starting from the Hollows Farm campsite.
Route Summary: Hollows Farm - Nitting Haws - High Spy North Top - High Spy - Rigghead Quarries - Broadslack Gill - Hollows Farm.
Pictures:
1. Looking south towards Castle Crag and Borrowdale
2. Derwent Water
3. Nitting Haws Gill
4. Lisa and Dave pursued by the encroaching hill fog
5. The fine cairn on the summit of High Spy
6. Rigghead Quarry was atmospheric in the hill fog
7. Tongue Gill
8. Castle Crag
Walk Detail: This was the first walk of a bank holiday we spent camping at the Hollows Farm campsite in Borrowdale. A steep climb direct from the campsite to the bottom of Nitting Haws rewarded us with fantastic views north to Derwent Water and south to Borrowdale beyond the striking outline of Castle Crag.
After a slightly dodgy scree slope we ascended to what was almost a hanging valley between the slopes of Nitting Haws and Goats Crag and the ridge of High Spy proper. About 100 metres from the north top the cloud came down and by the time we gained the ridge visibility was greatly reduced and in addition we were given a battering by the strong wind.
Lisa and Dave took shelter while I went in search of the north top which I found without too much problem. We then headed south for the main top which we finally identified thanks to the excellent cairn. The area round the saddle with High Scawdel was slightly confusing in the hill fog as there were a multitude of paths but thankfully we managed to find the top of Rigghead without too many problems.
Despite the weather we were able to enjoy the atmospheric surrounds of the mines though quite near to the bottom of the path, after the crossing of Tongue Gill, Lisa slipped and landed badly on her bottom (a nasty bruise came out a few days later much to her satisfaction).
Due to the weather we decided to skip Castle Crag for later and continued down the lovely path through the woods alongside to Broadslack Gill and then back to the campsite. This was a decent walk despite the weather; I wasn’t too disappointed with the latter as, at the time, I had plans to do the full Newlands round anyway. As it turned out the weather wasn't that much better when I did go back to High Spy.
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