Читать книгу Walking the Lake District Fells - Patterdale - Mark Richards - Страница 15

3

Birks 622m/2241ft

Start
Climb it from	Patterdale 24 or Deepdale Bridge 23
Character	Staging post ridge on the rise to St Sunday Crag
Fell-friendly route	2
Summit grid ref	NY 380 144
Link it with	St Sunday Crag or Arnison Crag

In essence, Birks is little more than the broad shoulder of St Sunday Crag, a rather plain northeasterly ridge stepped down from the higher fell, holding altitude for half a mile before plummeting into Grisedale. It is, however, bound by crags to north and east, and those overlooking Grisedale, notably the lower and glacially smoothed Elmhow Buttress, are a playground for eager rock climbers. Divided from the parent fell by Cold and Blind Coves, neither of these hanging valleys being of scenic note, its most charming face is the Black Crag scarp overlooking Glemara Park.

Few walkers set out to climb Birks – most commonly its summit is a pleasant incidental, drawn into the descent from St Sunday Crag. Even then many pass the summit cairn without faltering their stride, preferring the Thornhow End viewpoint over the head of Ullswater. There are, however, a number of contrasting options combinable to make a low-level circuit from Patterdale, perhaps taking in Arnison Crag en route for a closer survey of the lake. A westerly tack from Deepdale Bridge is another option for the fellwanderer.

Birks from the Helvellyn path across Grisedale

Ascent from Patterdale 24

Three contrasting routes lead up from Patterdale – straight up the steep northern ridge, gently up the Hag Beck valley and a longer walk-in along Grisedale leading to the Elmhow zig-zags on the northwestern flank.

Via Thornhow End →3.5km/2¼ miles ↑470m/1550ft 1hr 45min

1 Walk round to the right of the Patterdale Hotel and follow the path to a kissing-gate onto open fell from Mill Moss. Through the gate turn right to cross the foot of Glemara Park and meet a stiled footpath rising direct from the Grisedale valley road. Bear south, climbing the steep Thornhow End ridge, and rise above the open woodland skirting a crag to reach a low stile in the park wall. A grooved, heavily worn path continues. Divert almost immediately left onto the leading edge of the fell and wind onto the grassy crest above Black Crag, curving southwestward (right) to reach the summit.

Ullswater from Thornhow End

Via Glemara Park →3.2km/2 miles ↑470m/1550ft 1hr 30min

2 Set off from Patterdale with Route 1 but, after crossing Hag Beck, turn off left to ascend the open woodland of the Glemara Park valley. Halfway up to the dale-head, cross back across the beck to complete the climb close to its east bank. At the top, cross the metal ladder-stile spanning the dale-head wall and continue to where the broken wall kinks right. Here, climb the steep grass slope, pathlessly, beside the broken wall, to emerge just northeast of the summit and rejoin Route 1.

Elmhow Buttress

Via Blind Cove →4km/2½ miles ↑470m/1550ft 1hr 50min

3 About half a kilometre up the main road towards Glenridding, at Grisedale Bridge, take the minor road leading into Grisedale. Follow this southwest for about 2km as it becomes a gated track and eventually leads past Elmhow. Directly after the gate beyond the ruined barn, break off up left from the track and climb beside the walled plantation. Ford the gill at the top and swing round the left-hand side of the little knoll to a green path which becomes more apparent as height is gained. These, the Elmhow zig-zags, climb the fellside into Blind Cove. As the slope eases, the path drifts east (left), away from the shallow hollow to meet a path running southwest from Thornhow End. Turn right to join it and then at the shallow depression above Blind Cove bear sharp left with the grassy ridge path to locate the summit cairn.

Ascent from Deepdale Bridge 23

The approach from Deepdale is a little rougher and less distinct.

Via lower Deepdale →5.2km/3¼ miles ↑470m/1550ft 2hr 10min

4 Begin by following the walled lane to Lane Head. Turn left to follow the gated track bound for Wall End, passing to the right of Deepdale Hall Farm. Continue to where the telephone wires slant across the path above you and go right, keeping beneath their line on a ramped green track, and continuing to the right of the wall corner and into a confined groove. As you gain height a path materialises, drifting up from the walled enclosures, and this fords a gill below a confluence. Continue within the grooved path until bracken intervenes. Now bear up right, pathless, towards the ridge-top, gradually gaining a sheep trod and passing a ruined fold to reach the Trough Head cross-paths. Take the rising path left, climbing steadily across the southern slopes of Birks to the marshy depression above Cold Cove and bear right with the grassy ridge path to gain the summit.

The summit

A timid huddle of stones marks the summit – all else is grass. If the ground is dry settle on the turf and admire the girdle of friendly fells, particularly of the Far Eastern fells due east.

Safe descents

From this benign crest perilous crags are little suspected, even in clear conditions, but they are very real for anyone who strays N and NE from the summit. The wisest precaution is to head east off the ridge path (2), passing a large erratic en route, to join a broken wall that descends to the headstream of Hag Beck. Bear left to the ladder-stile, crossing the old deer-park wall at the head of Glemara Park, and accompany the beck down-dale bound for Patterdale.

Ridge routes

St Sunday Crag →2km/1¼ miles ↓15m/50ft ↑235m/770ft 50min

A grassy ridge leads SW to the wet depression above Blind and Cold Coves. Either follow the worn highway up the ridge or ease the gradient by slanting S (half-left) with a path aiming towards the prominent shoulder of Gavel Pike, before turning to the summit on the Cape.

Arnison Crag →2km/1¼ miles ↓230m/750ft ↑80m/260ft 35min

Aim E, and on finding a large white erratic boulder descend, quickly picking up a broken wall leading down to Hag Beck. Go left to the deer-park wall at the head of Glemara Park and follow it up right. At the wall’s high point bear up right again onto the grassy ridge which undulates to reach the rocky summit.