Catstye Cam via Birkhouse Moor Lake
by broad, grassy ledges. The rocky bits were fun; it was the grassy rakes I struggled with – steep ground that was still slick from the previous night’s showers. Even the ledges, eagerly anticipated during each lung-busting, slippery section of climb, proved tiresome – swampy in places, tussocky at best. This was hard work!
Surmounting the last outcrops, I was relieved to find a lovely little trail climbing the easy slopes ahead, and it wasn’t long before Catstye Cam’s perfect, pyramidal peak appeared, followed by Helvellyn’s headwall. Rewards after a tough climb! As I rejoined the Mires Beck path, though, I wondered at the thought processes that led to me toiling up rough ground for 90 minutes or more when
I could’ve simply stuck to the path and reached the same point in half the time and for half the effort. Did I regret my decision? Of course not!
My next objective was Catstye Cam, accessed via a series of easy but fairly busy paths. I’m sure that, as a child, long before I’d ever climbed my first hill, this was how I’d imagined all mountaintops to be – pointy, with a few rocks scattered about and room for only a handful of people. Maybe that’s why I find such summits particularly satisfying now; none of that wishy-washy plateau stuff, where you’re left wondering which is the highest point. Catstye Cam’s 890m top is never in doubt. I found a little nook for my lunch, dangling my legs over the edge.
I was soon joined by another pair of walkers. I looked up and recognised one of them as local mountain guide David PowellThompson, who I’d met once in a pub in west Cumbria. He explained he was coming close to the end of completing yet another round of Wainwrights – all climbed between his 70th and 71st birthdays. I felt a little humbled in the presence of this fell legend, particularly after having made such a meal of my climb onto Birkhouse Moor. As we all prepared to descend, I hung back “to get some more photos”; I knew I’d be slow and clumsy on the loose, stony path and didn’t want to reveal my awkwardness. As expected, David descended with grace and sure-footedness, and the pair soon disappeared into the distance.
Looking down on Glenridding Dodd and Ullswater from the climb onto Birkhouse Moor; Catstye Cam from Birkhouse Moor; Swirral Edge leading up onto Helvellyn with Red Tarn down to the left
Further information
Maps: OS 1:25,000 Explorer sheet OL5 (English Lakes, North-Eastern area); Harvey 1:25,000 Superwalker, Lake District East
Transport: Stagecoach bus 508 (PenrithWindermere) passes through Glenridding. Details from stagecoachbus.com or cumbria.gov.uk/buses/508
Information: Ullswater iCentre at Glenridding, 01768 82412 visitlakedistrict.com
i
Start/Finish
Car park at Llanfihangel-y-pennant GR: SH672088
(Before setting off on the walk,
the little church is worth a look. It
houses an exhibition about Mary
Jones – a local girl who, in 1800,
at the age of 15, walked barefoot
from Llanfihangel-y-pennant to
Bala (about 25 miles) to procure a
copy of the Welsh Bible. This act
led to the formation of the British
and Foreign Bible Society. Inside
the church, too, is an interesting
three-dimensional cloth map of
the Dysynni Valley.)
Head N along road and cross
Afon Cadair. Just over bridge is
a monument to Mary Jones who
lived in the now ruined cottage
here. Stay on road, which runs
alongside Afon Cadair, to its end,
continuing on broad gravel track.
This climbs steadily uphill to
Hafotty Gwastadfryn.
Continue N on track
(ignoring one to L) and cross
a stream. Soon after, leave track at
a gate and bear R along bridleway
path which leads up to col (Rhiw
Gwredydd) on main escarpment.
Turn R and follow well-used
stony path (stone slabs
some of way) up to summit of
Penygadair, 893m/2930ft, where
there’s a trig point and shelter.
Return same way. Back at
col keep ahead and follow
fence-line along crest, keeping
fence on R. Craig-las – or Tyrrau
Mawr, as it’s also known – is the
first top you come to on the ridge.
There’s an excellent little grassy
‘viewing platform’ on other side of
fence. Continue along ridge to
end of Craig-y-llyn. You lose the
fence for a short while as the path,
which is very distinct, descends to
a col and carries on along the edge
of the escarpment, bearing NW
towards the plantation on Braich
Ddu, where once again you have a
fence for company (now on L).
Once past trees, path bears L
along top of Craig Cwm-llwyd,
descending to meet a broad track.
Turn L and take second
footpath on L, which
becomes a bridleway leading
down Mynydd Pen-rhiw back to
Dysynni valley.
Just beyond farm of Bodilan
Fach, turn L on a path
through fields around foot of hill,
then R across a bridge and along a
farm lane back to start.