Borrowdale Watershed

[PeteS]

Just reading Steve Chilton's book on Billy Bland and now considering doing the Borrowdale watershed at some time in the near future.
Why have I not thought of this before!?

[Travs]

Without looking at a map, I presume this goes from Walla Crag to High Raise, Esk Hause, Sty Head, Great Gable, Honister, Dale Head, and down to Catbells?

Its something I've breifly looked at before but never got round to. Although staying at the foot of Catbells in August so perhaps I can squeeze it in!

[PeteS]

Without looking at a map, I presume this goes from Walla Crag to High Raise, Esk Hause, Sty Head, Great Gable, Honister, Dale Head, and down to Catbells?

Its something I've breifly looked at before but never got round to. Although staying at the foot of Catbells in August so perhaps I can squeeze it in!

I think Billy Bland did it anti-clockwise which would give you the following list of summits:
Cat Bells
Maiden Moor
High Spy
Dale Head
Grey Knotts
Brandreth
Green Gable
Great Gable
Great End
Esk Pike
Rossett Pike
Thunacar Knott
High Raise
Ullscarf
High Tove
High Seat
Bleaberry Fell
Walla Crag

I think clockwise would be a more pleasant day out and given those last few fells, it would be even better either after a long dry spell or in a severe winter when all that bog would be frozen solid!

[PeteS]

Plotted it on the OS app and it's coming out at 40km with 3000m ascent.

[Travs]

Yes i had a quick scan over the OS this morning and figured around 25 miles.

Think i'll probably do it clockwise in August, but not visit all the summits, which does reduce the difficulty somewhat... doubt i'd go to Thunacar Knott, and from High Raise go straight to Stake Pass and round the back of Rosset Pike, Angle Tarn, Esk Hause, Sprinkling Tarn, Sty Head.... missing out Esk Pike and Great End.

Then Borrowdale race descent from Green Gable, missing out Brandreth and Grey Knotts... possibly also skip Dale Head summit and go straight to Dale Head Tarn.

Still a good run out.... i agree clockwise best... wouldn't want to be running the High Raise to Bleaberry fell ridge at the end of a long day!

[PeteS]

Missing out Dale Head summit is quite justified as it is only the becks to the south and east and Lauchy tarn that drain into Borrowdale. Dale Head tarn ends up in Newlands Beck.

[JohnK]

When you have done the watershed, take a bivvy and complete all 29 NW fells in one hit. Tis only about 74km and 4500m of ascent so depending on how you tackle it a couple of days and maybe a tad more.

[Travs]

I did this (sort of) today...

Starting in Stair, i elected to go anti-clockwise, meaning i could get straight up onto the fells, rather than an early road/track run through to Keswick...

Having been on Catbells a couple of nights ago, i missed out that summit, going straight up to Hause Gate and Maiden Moor... was on High Spy in the hour.

The next hour took me over Dale Head and down to Honister, and i reached the Drum House bang on 2hrs.

Wainwright says that "a good walker will be on top of Green Gable from the Drum House in an hour".... by hour 3 i had cleared Green and Great Gable and was a good way down towards Sty Head. Whether that makes me an excellent walker or an average fell runner, i'm not sure...

The next hour was more leisurely as stopped for a high-quality luncheon of an Inferno Sausage Roll and a pack of Pork Scratchings. Between Sty Head and Esk Hause i became embroiled in the Scafell Pike Marathon... all i'll say is i can now see why there's such a big market for shit, unnecessary gear... and seeing some of the goings-on, i heartily applaud the efforts of the FRA to distance fellrunning from trail-running. Hour 4 passed on the approach to Esk Hause Shelter.

I knew the miles were going to get longer and tougher from here, and also intended to deviate from the main watershed here... staying away from Great End, Esk Pike and Rosset/Langdale Pikes, i made straight for Angle Tarn, round the back of Rosset Pike to Stake Pass. Hour 5 passed as i was toiling away up the brutal pathless slope to High Raise.

Now with most climb done it was a case of keeping the legs ticking over, and seeing it out... i'd been a bit apprehensive of this section, particularly after yesterdays rain... the first part across Ullscarf, over Standing Crag and past Blea Tarn was actually really nice, but from there it became a pathless boggy slog, most of the way to Bleaberry Fell..... Hour 6 passed on the descent of Ullscarf, and hour 7 ticked by as i was sat between High Tove and High Seat eating another Inferno Sausage Roll (what else?!?).

Starting to wish for the end now, hour 8 passed on the final bit of fell, descending off Walla Crag down to Keswick... by the time i'd trundled along the tracks/roads via Portinscale and back to Stair, i'd totalled 30.5 miles and 8800ft.

Summits i think i missed out from the "purist route"....

Catbells
Grey Knotts
Brandreth
Great End
Esk Pike
Rosset Pike
Thunacar Knott

(this was all intentional and pre-planned)

It is a great day out, one of the best long days i've had on the fells. But it is a big run... going anti-clockwise there is a lot of climb in the first few hours, and the miles are tough in the final few hours... it is also mentally tough to see out, as there are ample opportunities to drop off the fells down into Borrowdale and cut it short, at Grains Gill, Stake Pass, High Tove, etc.

[felltrumpet]

Cracking job! I’m up with my family at the weekend for a few days, so we’ll knock off Catbells for you!

[PeteS]

Nice one Pete. Sounds like an epic day out