High Hartsop Dodd and Little Hart Crag. Adding another “Tick” to the Wainwright’s

High Hartsop Dodd has a wonderful mountain profile when viewed from Sykeside, yet despite its obvious attractions this was the only hill in the Brothers Water area we had yet to climb.  I am not sure why we have left it till last, but assume it was the attractions of loftier and craggier neighbours like Dove Crag that have enticed us away.

High Hartsop Dodd on a sunny day

With regard to Little Hart Crag we have made the short detour to its summit a few times while heading to and from Scandale Pass, simply because it makes a grand viewpoint.  Little Hart Crag incidentally is the highest point of the ridge that continues above High Hartsop Dodd, making today a two Wainwright walk, but only one new tick. 

Waking to rain rattling on the roof of our campervan and with all of the tops clagged in, we did not really feel like doing these two tops as part of a longer walk taking in Dove Crag, so instead decided on a short day which would take us directly up the nose of High Hartsop Dodd and then along the ridge to Little Hart Crag.  The return would be via Scandale Pass and Caiston Glen.  That’s only a distance of 7.5 K, but given the conditions it would keep us entertained until early afternoon.

Accompanied by friends G&S we took the track from the Sykeside campsite up to Hartsop Hall and then headed over the fields. As the climbing started so did a light drizzle, but rather than keeping us cool it left us feeling rather hot and muggy in our waterproofs. 

The lower slopes

It was a bit of a relief when the wind got up as we reached a wall crossing the ridge at right angles. That relief however, was rather short lived as the view disappeared and it began to rain harder.

Gear faff just as the rain came in.

The view towards Brothers Water and Angle Tarn Pikes.

The summit of High Harstop Dodd soon came - and went – as did the summit of Little Hart Crag.  

Summit cairn on High Hartsop Dodd

No views at all from Little Hart Crag

With zero view we sat in the lee of some rocks near the summit and had something to eat and drink.  By the time we had finished the rain was hammering down and streaming off our waterproofs.

With visibility now down to a few feet, we located the metal boundary fence and then followed this south to Scandale Pass.  From here it was a damp splodge down Caiston Glen.  Almost at the bottom the rain stopped, the clouds cleared and the sun shone on the tops we had just visited.  Ahh well you can’t win em all.  At least we were able to grab a pint of Wainwright’s in the pub to console ourselves.

Oh, and I picked up a horrible little hitchhiker on my side, although that did not become apparent until the day after.

Not sure if it was on my kit and then got onto me the next day
or whether it was there overnight. No bulls-eye rash yet so fingers crossed.

89 Wainwrights left to go.