Route: Ard Crags and Knott Rigg
Area: Northern Western Lake District
Date of walk: 8th August 2018
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 3.6 miles
Ascent: 1,300 feet
Weather: Cloudy with sunny spells, a few showers, windy
Rain in the morning scuppered our plans for a longer fell walk, but rain after a drought is to be welcomed and so we weren’t disappointed, especially when we remembered that a return visit to Ard Crags and Knott Rigg was well overdue. These two modest fells, part of the same ridge, are set in the midst of some glorious mountain scenery and as an added bonus are unfrequented. This would make for a perfect short afternoon outing
We parked at Newlands Hause which gave us a substantial leg up, saving around 1,000 feet of huff and puff. The climb up to Knott Rigg starts immediately and is initially up grassy slopes, becoming a little rockier higher up but with no difficulties at all. As Wainwright says, ‘it affords a pleasant exercise, very suitable for persons up to 7 years of age or over 70’. We soon gained the ridge and continued to ascend until we reached the summit of Knott Rigg, which is a grassy mound. The view from here is good, but not extensive. Having come this far, it seemed a shame not to pay our respects to Ard Crags which lies one mile further along the ridge, involving a straightforward down and up. The weather closed in at this point, the light disappeared, and we debated whether to continue or to retrace our steps. Gilly returned to the car, but I carried on and was glad to have done so, since the dark skies blew over and I was rewarded with some lovely views over Newlands Valley looking towards Derwent Water
Having reached the summit of Ard Crags, I decided to retrace my steps. There is an alternative return route back to the start above Sail Beck (click here to see it), but there was no time for that today. There was some dramatic light on the way back and it was a pleasure not a chore to follow the same path back to the start of a superb short fell walk
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
Breakfast for this red squirrel earlier in the day
Looking across Lorton Vale later in the morning as the clouds slowly lift
Newlands Hause at the start of today's walk
Looking back to Moss Force, with a few visitors around but none of them following our uphill route
More retrospective views - Moss Force and High Snockrigg...
...the Newlands Pass and a glimpse of Crummock Water...
...Newlands Hause...
...Newlands Pass
Wandope
Another view back down to Newlands Hause
Knott Rigg ahead as we gain the summit ridge
Herdy
Views back to High Stile in the background...
Buttermere at the foot of Newlands Pass
Lovely light looking back along the path
Third Gill and Whiteless Pike
High Stile and Red Pike in the background
Crag Hill as we follow the path towards Knott Rigg
Looking back along the path
From the summit of Knott Rigg, a view along Newlands Valley towards Derwent Water
I continue along the ridge towards Ard Crags
Looking down a very steep gully to Keskadale Farm in Newlands Valley
A view back along the path from the summit of Ard Crags
Aikin Knott further along the ridge, but this is as far as I'll go today, and at this point I retrace my steps to enjoy the same scenery in constantly changing light
Robinson on the far side of the Newlands Pass
Newlands Valley, and heather about to bloom
Looking across to Whiteless Pike and Wandope as I descend from Ard Crags
A down and an up to Knott Rigg follows
Beyond Knott Rigg, Newlands Hause comes back into view...
High Snockrigg
Moss Force and the ridge leading up to Robinson
Moss Force again as I arrive back at Newlands Hause to the end of a wonderful short walk
