Throng Close Buttress

1

SD230974 Take the leftmost of two footpaths east and down towards Tarn Beck, bending right by a wooden waymarker in a boggy patch. Head north along the valley at the base of sparse woodland passing left of two stone buildings, then cross the stream on a footbridge. Throng Close Buttress is visible ahead – the leftmost of two large outcrops separated by a shallow grassy valley.

2

SD236977 Cross a stile then through gates over boggy ground in the valley bottom. Head left of a prominent lone tall pine tree, follow a wall line on your right to a corner, then out to a triangular buttress at the base of crags.

3

SD239981 The route heads up the rightmost edge of these; however go right on easy ground past the first two slabs to avoid an insecure exposed heather flog. Further up, choose your line on a lovely series of easy rock steps, with escape options to the right.

4

SD239982 Head right across bracken/grass to the base of a long rocky spur with a few fallen blocks below a tall overhanging slab. Start left of the boulders, on the north-west side of the spur heading up broken scrappy rock and just right of a small holly tree. Now stick as best as you can to the crest of the spur, moving left or right to avoid difficulties. Higher up you will likely find yourself on the very right of the ridge, and will need to sidle awkwardly left on a ledge with good holds, then left across an exposed corner. More broken rock soon leads easily to a slight knoll.

5

SD240983 Head through newly planted saplings to a tall wall with a fence above. Follow this uphill then escape awkwardly over a wired-up gate. Follow the wall line up to a corner then bend gently left towards the steep sided valley of Seathwaite Tarn. Cross a slight rise then over a marshy valley to the reservoir track. Head left on this to the dam wall.

6

SD249984 Access the dam wall path just right of the track, then head left along this over a couple of footbridges and along the western edge of the tarn. Pass a wide boggy area, then cross the stream as the bog eases. Bend slightly back on yourself towards a sheepfold and then it’s a steep flog up the grassy flank by Far Gill to Goats Hawse.

7

SD266982 Take an optional detour out and back from the Hawse to the summit of the Old Man, taking care to fork right (easily missed) by a stream then gently arc rightwards to join the ridgeline path southwards to the summit of the Old Man. Retrace your steps back to Goats Hawse.

8

SD266982 Head west then south from the Hawse to Dow Crag. This ridge-path undulates over a scrambly blocky summit with exposed sheer crags

and a few incised gullies to your left then drops more easily to Brown Pike. Bend right and down to join a wide track (Walna Scar Road).

9

SD258964 Descend Walna for about 2.3km. As you gain tarmac, turn right over a bridge and through a gate. Turn left immediately before a second gate, cross a stile and boggy corner, then down a green lane. Stay left of a house as you cross its drive then the green lane leads to fields.

10

SD236974 Go through a farmyard (Tongue House) then left on tarmac through a large green gate. Take a footbridge rightwards into fields, continue uphill near a wall, then bend right and up to Thrang Cottage. Turn left and out through a small gate to rejoin your outward route and retrace your steps to the start.