Lake District West PDF Yewbarrow Circular

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QMD Walks

Yewbarrow Circular

The Lake District probably has more marked and well used paths than any other mountainous country in the UK making it difficult to get off the beaten track. It is also an extremely busy area and a lot of people get lost and get into difficulty. It is possible, with careful consideration, to get away from the crowds even on the paths and to find little used and less well known routes.

Relevant Maps include OS OL 4 & 6 (1:25), LR 89 & 90 (1:50), Harvey Lake District XT40 (1:40) Value for Money, Harvey Lake District Outdoor Atlas (mainly 1:40).

Distance: c. 11 miles (Inc. c. 2 miles on road back to CP)

Going: Demanding. Some scrambling. Lots of good quality paths and variations on route.

This route involves about 2 miles on the road. This can be reduced by cutting the corner across Hausegreen Crag and Water Crag. Alternatively park at Greendale NY144056 and walk to the Yewbarrow CP.

1. Start at the Yewbarrow CP NY167068. (Alternatively park at Greendale NY144056 and walk to the Yewbarrow CP.) Follow the PRoW alongside Over Beck then at wall/fence JNCT NY166070 TR CB 030 up to Yewbarrow. When you hit the gullies at NY169077 BR to follow route up to Great Door NY170077, CB 058. TL and follow FP along the top to summit NY173085, CB 018.

2. Continue along top to Stirrup Crag NY175093 and descend Grade 1 scramble to Dore Head NY174095, CB 320. From Dore Head continue to the cairns on Black Crag NY165101, CB 309 and on to Red Pike NY164106.

3. From Red Pike continue to Little Scoat Fell NY159113, CB 320. NOTE: Probably easier to BL at JNCT NY161111 and then either TR across boulder field once near top to summit or continue to JNCT and TR to double back along PRoW to summit.

4. From Little Scoat Fell out and back to Steeple. From summit FP on other side of fence/wall CB 280 for c. 200m then at JNCT NY157114 TR CB 342 to follow out to Steeple NY157116 on Grade 1 scramble.

5. From Little Scoat Fell continue to Great Scoat Fell NY154112, CB 250. From Great Scoat Fell continue to Haycock NY144107, CB 250. NOTE: PRoW does not go to summit. Need to take a line off PRoW and make way up. Can handrail fence/wall and summit is a plateau.

6. From Haycock descend to Pots of Ashness. Aiming for start of FP at NY145093, CB 180 from cairns at NY144107. A number of lines down from Haycock. NOTE: Possible rough cairn line: NY144107 to NY144105, CB 215, 150m, to NY141103, CB 208, 250m. Then CB 165 1000m to start of FP NY145093.

7. Follow FP up Seat Allan NY140084, rough CB 210. Descend Seat Allan to FP NY148080 above Greendale Tarn. Number of descents available. Rough CB 120.

8. Follow FP up on to Middle Fell NY150071, CB 160. Continue across Middle Fell CB 215 and descend on FP CB 229. At JNCT with main PRoW NY143061 at Greendale Gill continue down to road. TL along road and follow to CP. OR at JNCT TL and contour above Hause Crag to Water Crag NY153060, CB 275. From Water Crag descend to road and TL back to CP.

Glossary BL - Bear Left BR - Bear Right CB - Compass Bearing FB – Footbridge FP - Footpath. Usually marked on 1:25 but not on 1:50 JNCT - Junction (paths/tracks cross/join) OA – Open Access PRoW - Public Right of Way. Usually marked on 1:25 and 1:50 Quad bike track - Two parallel lines going across the fell made by continued use by quad bike RHS – Right hand side LHS – Left hand side TL - Turn Left TR - Turn Right Track - A wide track that looks suitably for 4x4 vehicles