Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: Worst false summits?

  1. #1
    Moderator Mossdog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Teesdale
    Posts
    2,755

    Worst false summits?

    On Friday last, I ran the Turner Landscape race route (in Duddondale http://www.harveymaps.co.uk/acatalog...ce-YHFRTL.html ) but added White Pike to Caw, before returning to Seathwaite and back along the road to the campsite. What a nightmare for sore legs on a blisteringly hot day! The route from White Pike to Caw was thoroughly...erm.... entertaining and easily the most challenging part of the entire route. I now understanding why this isn't part of the actual race route.

    Firstly, finding a decent route off White Pike was a complete headache and then trying to workout a runnable line to Caw. Huge rocky intrusions, too big to run around, but too high to just 'skip' off, as their south faces tended to be sheer slabs - confused the way, with a labyrinth of bogs in between.

    Far worse was the way the landscape presented a succession of false summits (Pikes) - all very Caw-like. Given that they had mini paths up them, this either means the sheep in that vicinity have a wicked sense of humour or a few other folk have been equally lulled into 'visiting' too. I wasn't quite reduced to sobbing but I'll admit to snarling mutterings under my breathe.

    Got me thinking, where are the worst false summits in the Lake District to be found (I'm sure Scotland and Wales are well blessed with some corkers too)?

    (By the way, Caw is a real little delight, and the top ledge, under the trig, would make a really wicked panoramic wild camp spot).
    Am Yisrael Chai

  2. #2
    Senior Member wjb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    North Yorkshire
    Posts
    330
    I walked from Allen Crags to Glaramara a couple of weeks ago. This route had many false summits, each more soul destroying than the last when I saw how far it was to what I thought was the summit of Glaramara!

  3. #3
    Senior Member barnyc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    New Mills
    Posts
    380
    High Kop via Fusedale is very cruel; just about tolerable on the Lakeland 50, but on the 100, enough to induce suicide!

  4. #4
    Master wheezing donkey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    A Bowland Bog
    Posts
    2,721
    White Pike and Caw are the penultimate and final CP's, respectively, on both of the Duddon Races ..... this Saturday! That top ledge, under the trig is where the marshal parks his quad.

    I did from Bessy Boot, along the ridge over Glaramara and Allen Crags, about this time last year. Many, many false summits, each one hiding the next - the Borrowdale race does well to by-pass them.
    Last edited by wheezing donkey; 29-05-2017 at 05:21 PM.
    I was a bit of an oddball until I was abducted by aliens; but I'm perfectly OK now!

  5. #5
    Master PeteS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Live in Brum, run in Worcestershire and Shropshire
    Posts
    2,284
    I don't think there is any easy route from white pike to caw - well I've certainly never found one. The top of glaramara from bessyboot to Allen crags gets my vote too. Beautiful on a sunny day, a nightmare in mist if not on the main path but even that tends to disappear at times.

  6. #6
    Moderator Mossdog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Teesdale
    Posts
    2,755
    Quote Originally Posted by wheezing donkey View Post
    White Pike and Caw are the penultimate and final CP's, respectively, on both of the Duddon Races ..... this Saturday! That top ledge, under the trig is where the marshal parks his quad.

    I did from Bessy Boot, along the ridge over Glaramara and Allen Crags, about this time last year. Many, many false summits, each one hiding the next - the Borrowdale race does well to by-pass them.
    Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs! I didn't realise the Duddon races covered that ground - thanks for that info. WD, and respect to all participants plus best of luck to 'em. I guess that means there must also be a most favoured route between these two CPs ?
    Am Yisrael Chai

  7. #7
    Master wheezing donkey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    A Bowland Bog
    Posts
    2,721
    Most people used to drop R (SW-ish) towards the high point of the intake wall (but not all the way down to it) then re-ascend L (SE-ish) in a big arc to get around most of the gnarly stuff BUT things could well have moved on, with the younger generation.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mossdog View Post
    Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs! I didn't realise the Duddon races covered that ground - thanks for that info. WD, and respect to all participants plus best of luck to 'em. I guess that means there must also be a most favoured route between these two CPs ?
    Last edited by wheezing donkey; 29-05-2017 at 11:08 PM.
    I was a bit of an oddball until I was abducted by aliens; but I'm perfectly OK now!

  8. #8
    Master Wheeze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Monmouth
    Posts
    7,389
    Pen Y Gadair Fawr on Black Mountains....more false tops than Marilyn Monroe. Hate it!
    Simon Blease
    Monmouth

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Hampshire
    Posts
    512
    Not a false summit in quite the same way, but in my Wainwright-bagging days I thought I had knocked off Seathwaite Fell on my way back from Scafell Pike. Only later did I realise that the summit of Seathwaite Fell is one of AW's little jokes.

  10. #10
    Another nomination here for Pen Y Gadair Fawr. Keeping left on the ascent slightly reduces the issue, but not by much...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •