Route: High Rigg
Area: Central Lake District
Date of walk: 30th December 2016
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.7 miles
Weather: Cloudy, mostly dull and some light rain
High Rigg is a wonderful little fell which punches well above its height on account of its rough and craggy nature, and being surrounded by higher fells it offers dramatic views in all directions
We parked in the car park at Legburthwaite and walked to the verge of the A591. From here there’s a thankfully very short 50 yard walk beside the busy road before a stile is reached, which leads into the woodland below the fell. The climb starts immediately, initially through some attractive old pine trees, until the ridge is reached. There then follows a long walk along the knobbly spine of the fell, with innumerable ups and downs until the summit is finally attained
We didn’t linger at the summit as the views weren’t seen at their best today and without ado we descended to St John’s Church and followed the higher of the two paths along St John’s in the Vale. The alternative lower path along the floor of the valley is equally attractive and a case could be made for either route back
The weather today wasn’t on our side, being mostly dull and lacking in atmosphere but the beauty of the surroundings overcame this deficiency and we were glad we’d chosen to return to this special place
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Start of the walk as we leave Legburthwaite car park
After a very short section beside the A591 we cross over the ladder stile
The path forks off to the left here, and we will eventually return via the path ahead
We walk towards Wren Crag
Looking back
Pine trees on Wren Crag…
Clough Head in the clouds
Castle Rock, a popular place for climbers to practice their skills
Great How and Thirlmere
Looking down in St John’s in the Vale as we gain the undulating summit ridge…
High Rigg ahead
One of the many ups and downs along the way
Bonnie climbs the ladder stile
Castlerigg Fell
Looking back along the path
…and now looking forward to the summit
View from the summit of High Rigg - Blencathra has its head in the clouds
Looking back along the knobbly ridge
Clough Head on our right as we start the descent
Blease Fell in the background, leading up to Blencathra
We descend to the Youth Centre and the church in the hause between High Rigg and Low Rigg
St John’s Church
We follow the quiet lane for a short distance and turn off here to follow a path along the foot of High Rigg
Looking down to Bridge House
A delighful section along St John’s in the Vale…
Castle Rock again as we approach the end of the vale
We arrive at St John’s Beck
We follow a path which takes us above the beck
Back to the ladder stile and the busy A591, and from here we retrace our steps to the start
