Castle Crag

'The smallest Wainwright to start the year right'

Date: 7 Jan 2012                                              Start time: 10:56
Start point: Borrowdale Visitor Centre, Grange - NY254175
Walkers: Mark Illingworth, Emma Lever
Distance: 5.14miles                                          Time: 3:11:49

Route: From Grange, head south along route of 'Cumbria Way'. Pass Holmcrag Wood and Hollows Farm to meet a broad meader of River Derwent and follow the river east, before breaking south through Low Hows Wood to High Hows Wood, via the disused quarry and Millican's Cave. Shortly after leaving the wood climb a stile to your right and head north-westerly throuh field to wood and summit top ahead. At the top of a short but quite steep climb, climb a wall stile and turn north to weave up winding slate path to the shelf below the summit top. A short burst further north-east and you reach the summit, with the Borrowdale War Memorial making up the summit rock. Descend back down the slate path then head west downhill to join the westerly branch of the 'Allerdale Ramble' and follow Broadslack Gill north between the craggy eastern face of Low Scadel and High Spy and the sheer western face of Castle Crag. This path leads down to River Derwent where you follow the 'Cumbria Way' back to Grange.

Weather: Squally showers and blustery but strong westerly winds, with some gale-force gusts and a distinct lack of the bright spells forecast for the afternoon. Rare signtings of blue sky and distant rods of sunlight breaking through the clowds. The higher tops of Skiddaw north and the Scafell massif south were shrouded in cloud cover. Small patches of snow were visible on northern side of Glaramara.

The water of River Derwent was an almost tropical looking green-blue colour and very clear o the river bed - a remarkable sight in single digit temperatures.
The quarry caves are well worth the diversion off the main path. The large mouthed lower cave is impressive, but the higher cave with 'the attic' sleeping area and a vast but enclosed main chamber is the more interesting of the two caves - perfect for a stop for lunch in poor weather, it would also be a great spot for a wild sleep and its no wonder Millican Dalton furnished this as his home between the wars. A tunnel cave is blasted out of the rocks further along the route but offers less shelter from adverse weather.
The recent high winds had caused a lot of damage to tress. One interesting uprooting had disturbed the path on the climb to the summit with the roots coming up and taking some of the path away. A couple of wind felled trees blocked the path following Broadslack Gill.
The campsite at Hollows Farm has the base for exploring Borowdale and the fells above. We would have walked longer, but not on a day like this one.