Braithwaite, Outerside, Sail, Crag Hill, Whiteless Pike, Cumbria
[ 18.3 km] Wed 25 Aug 2010

NY 2323 2366
The weather prospects looked good. It was overcast when I arrived at Braithwaite and no rain forecast. I left the car in a lay-bye and set off towards Barrow Gill. People were coming and going at the village store as I passed then I set off up the track and past the reservoir. Further up I saw the ruins of High Coledale through the trees and decided to have a closer look. It had been abandoned a long time but must have been an incredible spot to live when I was inhabitable. The main path heads up to Barrow Door but I left it to take the steep climb up to Stile End and its great views down in to Coledale Beck and the Force Crag Mine.

I now descended a bit before heading for the climb of Outerside via the area known as Low Moss. Although a discernable path crosses the Moss it is no way to go without wellingtons. I had to make a wide detour to keep my feet dry. From the summit of Outerside I had a good view of the north side of Causey Pike and could see a faint track. I decided to head for it and avoid the main path up to the base of Sail. Crossing High Moss I came to the path but on reaching it found that it was now just a sheep track but looked as though it was used by people in the past. I kept climbing following a fault line in the rock then came to an old mine entrance which isn’t visible from the main path below. I’d read about it some time ago and was pleased to find it as it is the 1846 Cobalt mine.

Apparently there were four adits cut so the other three still remain to be found. The ground was now very steep so I traversed with care to join the main path just below Sail. A mechanical excavator was parked up and a lot of path reconstruction had been done recently including an impressive zig zag path all the way up Sail. Then followed the exhilarating path up to the trig point column of Crag Hill.

The weather continued nice and still no people were around. I turned SW to follow the edge of the fell while looking down in to Addacomb Hole which is a hanging valley above Sail Beck. I continued along Whiteless Edge then over Whiteless Pike and down the main path to the flat area at Whiteless Brest. I left the main path here and turned east to descend the steep pathless fell down to Bleak Rigg where I picked up a sheep track to take me to the path at Third Gill.

The path follows the contour as far as Addacomb Beck then soon comes to a fork. The lesser fork to the left is the one I wanted as it took me steadily up to the pass just below Sail where I had been earlier in the day. By now people were about and several people were sat on the grass resting. I followed the main path down High Moss and then a minor path to Barrow Door. Looking down there were many people on the lower path by Stonycroft Gill. I headed down the narrow path down Barrow Gill which eventually widens to a nice grassy way. Then the stoned track took me back down to Braithwaite.