Page 1 of 84 1231151 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 831

Thread: Ennerdale Horseshoe

  1. #1
    Senior Member theNoor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    460

    Ennerdale Horseshoe

    If the weather is half-decent in the next week or so I plan to have a look at the route... can anyone pass a few hints and tips on routes, please.

    1. Getting onto GREAT BOURNE. Is it an obvious path?

    2. Do you go over Starling Dodd to get to RED PIKE, if not, skirt north or south?

    3. Again, to get to BLACKBECK TARN; over tops or easier to skirt around?

    4. How easy is the trod from GREEN GABLE below Great Gable to find and traverse?

    5. Coming off KIRK FELL, is there an obvious route, and is it as horrendous as it looks on the map?

    6. IRON CRAG to CRAG FELL, and CRAG FELL to finish, I guess one follows the wall for the former, but for the latter, what is the route through? I can see no path. Do you drop off Crag Fell down Ben Gill?

    Many thanks for anyone who can take the time to answer any/all of these.
    Why walk when you can run.

  2. #2

    Re: Ennerdale Horseshoe

    I've not done the race but have done the horseshoe many times, following the race course once on the tops, I'm not sure where the route goes to get to Great Bourne (you'll have plenty to follow on race day)

    1. Getting onto GREAT BOURNE. Is it an obvious path?

    If it’s the way I think it is then its very obvious path through bracken and then heather, it would be hard to pass anyone as going off the path would be really slow. Starts at the last bend in the road before Bowness Knot
    NY 110 159

    2. Do you go over Starling Dodd to get to RED PIKE, if not, skirt north or south?


    Bypass Starling Dodd to the North, use the higher of the sheep trods. On way up Red Pike follow the path to the left where it gets rocky just before summit.

    3. Again, to get to BLACKBECK TARN; over tops or easier to skirt around?


    Best for me is to go South of High Stile on less rocky ground, after coming off High Crag I prefer to go over Seat to Scarth Gap but I think some people bypass it to the left (N) Got to go over Haystacks, I've tried keeping high to get to Blackbeck Tarn but think just following the main path down after Innominate tarn is quicker

    4. How easy is the trod from GREEN GABLE below Great Gable to find and traverse?


    Moses trod? It’s the only path down there but there are shorter ways that aren’t so obvious, after coming down off Windy Gap the path changes from scree to grass the main path carries on straight down but if you traverse to the left you can pick up a faint trod that heads in the same direction without losing height, just after it meets Moses trod a rake can be seen on a small crag ahead in the direction of Kirkfell take this (it may be possible to traverse below this rake but I haven't checked it out yet)

    5. Coming off KIRK FELL, is there an obvious route, and is it as horrendous as it looks on the map?


    After the Summit follow the fence posts at first then start to trend right (heading towards Blacksail hostel) again you should pick up a faint path on a wide sloping grassy area follow it down until the ground drops away down a gill, keep to the left awkward at first down a small gully about 30m long then its very fast traversing along a path to Blacksail pass

    6. IRON CRAG to CRAG FELL, and
    CRAG FELL to finish, I guess one follows the wall for the former, but for the latter, what is the route through? I can see no path. Do you drop off Crag Fell down Ben Gill?

    Again not sure on exact route coming off, its flagged for the race, but there are two other ways off Crag fell following well worn footpaths both go over the top of ben gill heading towards the forest one goes straight down about 100m before it enters and the other follows a good path through the forest.

    Try this link for a map and turn on aerial view


    http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=A841DB776ACF66AB!108

    Bill

  3. #3
    Senior Member Stevie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Tringshire
    Posts
    312

    Re: Ennerdale Horseshoe

    Don't count myself as an Ennerdale expert, but here's my pennethworth.

    1. Flagged onto Herdus, slightly to the left of the ridge line. Direct route from there to Gt Bourne (path through the bog? can't remember)

    3. Various things here -

    High Stile - need to find a good line to the right.

    High Crag to Scarth Gap - only take the route to the left of Seat(?) if you are really good on loose rock. I consider myself quite good on loose rock but I reckon the path over the top of Seat is faster for me. It's very little climb you just need to descend well down to the pass.

    Haystacks - most people use the rising trod to the right (north) of Haystacks, climbing to the plateau once you reach the fence and then cutting across to the path. I tried going over Haystacks last time and it was definitely slower.

    5. Off Kirkfell, the normal route is down a reddy shale gully slightly right, it may be the one Baggins means. I've never got that bit right, ended up on the tourist path last year, but still got down to Black Sail pass pretty quickly.

    6. You have to get through the forest before Crag Fell and it's not flagged but you can almost follow your nose. There's a left / right dink in the middle. Flagged off Crag Fell, following the slanting path across the beck and all the way down through the forest so that you have to turn sharp right and run quite a long way back to get to the left track leading to the lake.

    There are other places where a recce is useful, but as you don't mention them I assume you have them covered - e.g. Brandreth, Scoat Fell.

  4. #4

    Re: Ennerdale Horseshoe


    That’s good, Flagged onto Herdus, slightly to the left of the ridge line. Direct route from there to Gt Bourne (path through the bog? can't remember)


    That’s good, you'll be able to get past people on the ascent up that ridge

    Haystacks - most people use the rising trod to the right (north) of Haystacks, climbing to the plateau once you reach the fence and then cutting across to the path. I tried going over Haystacks last time and it was definitely slower.


    North? That’s to the left isn't it. I'm a bit confused but I'd like to avoid the top of Haystacks.

    Off Kirkfell, the normal route is down a reddy shale gully slightly right, it may be the one Baggins means. I've never got that bit right, ended up on the tourist path last year, but still got down to Black Sail pass pretty quickly.


    Yes that’s the one, it's hard to find first time but once you know it its fine, ok in mist as well, you seem to be funneled into it.

    Bill

  5. #5
    Senior Member Stevie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Tringshire
    Posts
    312

    Re: Ennerdale Horseshoe

    Quote Originally Posted by Baggins View Post
    North? That’s to the left isn't it. I'm a bit confused but I'd like to avoid the top of Haystacks.
    Yes I often get left / right, etc mixed up, but the trod is to the right anyway, leaves the Haystacks path at about the first zig zag.

    I was thinking back, and actually it was in the Saunders 05 that I went over Haystacks rather than by the trod - experimenting when it didn't matter so much. Used the trod in the Ennerdale race as usual last year having found in the Saunders that the route over Haystacks is slower.

    I really must recce that descent off Kirk Fell some time.

    Climbing Kirkfell there is a point at which to break off the path and head directly for the top, also worth recceing.

  6. #6

    Re: Ennerdale Horseshoe

    Quote Originally Posted by Baggins View Post

    4. How easy is the trod from GREEN GABLE below Great Gable to find and traverse?


    Moses trod? It’s the only path down there but there are shorter ways that aren’t so obvious, after coming down off Windy Gap the path changes from scree to grass the main path carries on straight down but if you traverse to the left you can pick up a faint trod that heads in the same direction without losing height, just after it meets Moses trod a rake can be seen on a small crag ahead in the direction of Kirkfell take this (it may be possible to traverse below this rake but I haven't checked it out yet)

    Bill
    Checked this yesterday, went well below the rake traversing all the way round to Beck Head and that seemed a lot longer, there was a trod well above me as I came near Beck Head though

    Bill

  7. #7
    Senior Member theNoor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    460

    Re: Ennerdale Horseshoe

    Quote Originally Posted by Baggins View Post
    Checked this yesterday, went well below the rake traversing all the way round to Beck Head and that seemed a lot longer, there was a trod well above me as I came near Beck Head though Bill
    Thank you to all who provided information. I will just add my thoughts having recced part of the route. I hope this page will stay free from inane ramblings, one-liner replies etc. a la Edale Skyline thread and provide useful route information instead...

    From Windy Gap, having come down off Green Gable, I immediately took a trod below Great Gable. I can't think one would find a better traverse descending at all from Windy Gap. The trod was fast and decent throughout. It brought me out a little way above Beck Head on the descending Gt Gable path.

    I climbed onto Kirk Fell in mist, following the fence posts. Slower than a direct route, but safe in mist. From the summit I followed, as suggested, the fence posts for 50 yards before taking a bearing that funnelled me into the Hell Gill gully. It was easier keeping to the left of the gully and safely descended, in mist, onto the tourist path. Don't head straight down onto it, descend left and save having to climb back up to Black Sail pass.

    I then went down to Black Sail YH and up to Scarth Gap.

    I needlessly summited Haystacks. Coming off summit in S.E. direction I hit a path that obviously skirts south of the summit - I had missed it on the ascent. Look to your right as you near the final climb to find it.

    From Black Beck Tarn I tried to avoid climbing Brandreth by keeping to the right of the summit, climbing a fence in the process (?), but you're forced to climb some way up it. I then headed for the fence posts at the saddle before the climb onto Green Gable, and headed onto Green Gable summit via the tourist path.
    Why walk when you can run.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Stevie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Tringshire
    Posts
    312

    Re: Ennerdale Horseshoe

    Quote Originally Posted by theNoor View Post
    I needlessly summited Haystacks. Coming off summit in S.E. direction I hit a path that obviously skirts south of the summit - I had missed it on the ascent. Look to your right as you near the final climb to find it.
    This doesn't sound like the route that most competitors appear to use, may still be a good route though. The trod I mean heads off just after the path starts climbing from Scarth Gap. Maybe others can comment here?

    Quote Originally Posted by theNoor View Post
    From Black Beck Tarn I tried to avoid climbing Brandreth by keeping to the right of the summit, climbing a fence in the process (?)
    Yes it's necessary to climb the fence.

  9. #9
    Master Marvin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Whaley Bridge
    Posts
    1,751

    Ennerdale

    Having survived cramp on Three Peaks on Sunday and finished just outside the top third of the field, I'm looking ahead to June. What can anyone tell me about the Ennerdale Horseshoe on 9th June?

    As a vertigo sufferer, is there anything I should be worried about? I've only had to retire from one race so far when I couldn't cope with a ridge (Chrome Hill), and I don't want to make it two. It's really just narrow ridges and very steep drops that I can't handle, but I'm game for distance, navigation and plenty of climb.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Also Ran's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Pickup Bank
    Posts
    364

    Re: Ennerdale

    Quote Originally Posted by Marvin View Post
    Having survived cramp on Three Peaks on Sunday and finished just outside the top third of the field, I'm looking ahead to June. What can anyone tell me about the Ennerdale Horseshoe on 9th June?

    As a vertigo sufferer, is there anything I should be worried about? I've only had to retire from one race so far when I couldn't cope with a ridge (Chrome Hill), and I don't want to make it two. It's really just narrow ridges and very steep drops that I can't handle, but I'm game for distance, navigation and plenty of climb.
    Dont think you should have a problem - and I'm speaking as one who also is not keen on exposure. Only spot is the drop off Kirk Fell - that looks worse than it is from above. The race is a toughie though - I've only reccied and it put me off entering - too much running for me.

Similar Threads

  1. Ennerdale Horseshoe
    By studmarks in forum Car Sharing
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-06-2008, 10:12 PM
  2. Night run Ennerdale Horseshoe
    By Baggins in forum General Fellrunning Issues
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 14-03-2007, 11:34 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

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