Causey Pike Route 1
Take a delve into the Derwent Fells
F rom Caesar to Amundsen, Samuel Johnson to Sherlock Holmes, the equinoxes (where days and nights are of equal length) have long been regarded as a time of gales. These days it’s better understood that ‘equinoctial gales’ simply mark the onset and waning of generally stronger winter storms, and are not directly related to the equinox. But it’s still hard to shake the idea that March isn’t a windy month!
So if it’s blowing a hoolie in the short days of early spring and you want a ‘short but proper challenge’, you could do worse than Causey Pike. The slopes are steep in places, but as you rise up Rowling End the views expand across the Newlands Valley while occasional rocky patches add adventure, culminating in a short, enjoyable gully scramble to the summit.
The return route down the old mine track is easy going and usually a welcome retreat from strong winds, but watch out for occasional surprisingly greasy rocks if wet. Th e track was built in the 1840s to service the Lake District’s only cobalt mine; however the mine failed almost on opening as insufficient cobalt could be extracted from the mined ore to make the venture viable.
1
NY232217 From the parking place, walk down the road, passing Stoney Gill and Stoney Acre holiday cottages, and over a small bridge. Continue on the road towards the very obliquely angled junction with the road to Stair.
2
NY233210 Just before this junction, fork right onto a narrow path through bracken leading diagonally uphill. This soon bends rightwards and rises steeply on a slightly zigzagging path through bracken towards the NE ridgeline. There are other paths below, but continue to a junction of paths on the ridgeline below steeper rougher ground.
3
NY231210
Here you have a choice. You could take the easier route slanting diagonally up the valley sides. This is the main route taken by most people and is the much wider path (although you should note it doesn’t avoid the main scramble on Causey Pike!). But it’s much more fun to opt for a slightly scrambly alternative over Rowling End, heading on a narrower path crossing over leftwards and directly uphill. This is the old route up Rowling End towards Ellas Crag, and rises steeply with a few zigs and zags along the way and increasingly pleasant viewpoints over Cat Bells and the Newlands Valley. There are a few rougher slightly scrambly bits of rock as you thread through the rocks above Ellas Crag to add interest on the way to the summit of Rowling End, but nothing too extreme. Oh, and the final rise is quite steep, too!
NY229206 From Rowling End’s summit, the gradient eases somewhat as you follow the broad undulating ridgeline over Sleet Hause to the base of Causey Pike’s summit. This area can be slightly boggy in places, but the path is good.
5
NY222207 Pass the junction where the more popular, gentler path up the side of Sleet Hause rejoins at the base of the steeper ascent onto Causey Pike. The effort required gets tougher again – it’s a surprisingly steep climb, with a short, scrambly section through a chimney in the rock just before the summit. This is definitely a scramble, although it’s very short and doesn’t really warrant any kind of numbered scrambling grade. The rock is also kind enough to provide plenty of hand and footholds in a good staircase, although it’s a slightly awkward move around a gullyencroaching rock at the top.
6
NY218208 From the summit, continue for roughly 350m over the gently undulating top and down off the steeper summit cone. If the wind drops briefly, it’s worth a short detour out and back along the ridge above Scar Crags for a few extra views, then return to this point to avoid a steeper descent over rougher ground from beyond the crags.
7
NY215208 But assuming you now wish to escape the wind, fork right (or sharp left if returning from the detour over Scar Crags) onto a somewhat boggy path which leads diagonally down through grassy slopes towards the old cobalt mine road (track). This path merges with the track just above a sheepfold and is higher up than a path shown on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 map.
8
NY210211 Turn right onto the track, passing the sheepfold. This makes for a steady descent over roughly 2.75km back down beside Stoneycroft Gill, back to the road. Make sure you stay right (on the main path) after about 1km, then follow the path as it bends left and runs almost parallel above the road back to the start.