Starting point: Patterdale Church  (NY 393162)  Distance: 5.8 miles  Ascent: 2437'  Date: Monday 16th August 2010

The ascent of St. Sunday Crag by the Elmhow zig-zags, the standard ascent route a century ago, but now little used by walkers.  I have been informed that the zig-zags are used by climbers and scramblers heading for Pinnacle Ridge, Broad Buttress and South-West Buttress.

Route: From Patterdale church, walk along the main road towards Glenridding, turning left just past the Old Police Station and follow this minor road up into Grisedale.  Continue along the track when the tarmac ends and pass Elmhow (now holiday accommodation).  At the end of Elmhow Plantation, turn up the fell alongside a wall to find a grassy path leading uphill in a series of zig-zags.  Follow this delightful path and where the slope eases head east , then southwest to join the main ridge path at a small cairn.  Continue to climb the ridge to the summit of St. Sunday Crag.  A detour may be made to Gavel Pike before contouring back to the main descent ridge.  At the col, continue along the ridge to the grassy summit of Birks.  Follow the ridge along a narrow path and descend steeply to a wall above Thornhow End.  Here, join the main path down to the minor road coming from Grisedale and walk downhill back to the road.  Find a footpath which skirts a playing field to enter the churchyard and the starting point.

Dollywagon Pike (left) and Nethermost Pike (right) dominate the view forward into Grisedale

The stump of an ash tree

Elmhow, once a farm, now holiday cottages

Alfred Wainwright once spent a night in this barn.  The story is recounted here.

The Elmhow zig-zag ascent begins here

This unnamed beck is dry today

Place Fell, from the zig-zags

Eagle Crag and the east ridge leading to Nethermost Pike

The zig-zag path on St. Sunday Crag

The zig-zag path joins the main path to the summit seen ahead

Looking back to Ullswater

The lit summit of Birks is our route of descent today

Deepdale and the crags of Fairfield from the summit

The Far Eastern Fells are rather hazy today.  Gavel Pike extreme left of shot.

Beattie at the summit of St. Sunday Crag

The ridge continues down to Deepdale Hause and up on to Fairfield

Beattie at the Ullswater viewpoint

A dramatic shot looking into Nethermost Cove with Striding Edge (right) leading up to Helvellyn

The summit of Birks

A steep descent down Thornhow End

 

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