Coledale & Causey Pike
NY233236 Walk through the heart of Braithwaite and continue along the road signed to the Whinlatter Pass. At the first bend, as the road begins to climb steeply uphill, turn left on a narrow path through trees and walk ahead to pass through a small gate. Keep on to join a broad track and veer left up the valley with the meandering Coledale Beck, initially hidden in trees, below on the left. Simply keep ahead for 3.5km – the track runs straight as an arrow – and enjoy the views of the dark crags and tall, tumbling waterfall at the head of Coledale, where efforts are under way to conserve the old buildings at Force Crag Mine. This was the last working mine in the Lake District (lead, barytes and zinc were all extracted here) until it closed in 1990. Information panels help explain some of its history.
2 NY199216 Descend to cross Coledale Beck and walk uphill to meet the distinct path rising west above the crags at the head of the valley. This soon turns through a series of zigzags to arrive at the col known as Coledale Hause. Looking north, you’ll see more old mine buildings perched on the cliffs above Force Crag. During WWII, barytes (a mineral) was extracted here for munitions and trucks transported materials down the side of the fell on what was known as the ‘Burma Road’. In order to overcome harsh winter conditions a cableway was built to link these upper mines with Coledale. 3 NY188210 Turn left and head up the high valley to the west of Eel Crag, with a stream on the right. Continue up to an obvious path junction after 900m. Turn left, uphill, to climb to the top of Crag Hill. Follow the ridge, eastwards over a dip, onto the top of Sail and continue downhill on the recently reconstructed path (with a series of zigzags) for approximately 600m to the col below Scar Crags. Keep ahead, now walking east-north-east, to climb onto a knobbly, heathery ridge and continue to the top of Causey Pike.
4 NY217209 Keep on
good path and follow the crest of the ridge, turning eastsouth-east, for 500m. Fork left, downhill, to descend to the lane by the bridge over Stonycroft Gill. Turn left and walk north along the lane for
1.15km. 5 NY233223 Take the bridleway on the left, which rises beside a forestry plantation, and keep ahead to the gate above Braithwaite Lodge. Dramatic low sunlight on Bleaberry Fell, viewed from Causey Pike, with the Helvellyn range rising into the clouds.