Saturday 14th May, 2005

Crazy Crinkle's and Climber's Traverse

Start Point: NY 293 063

End Point:  NY 293 063

Distance:   13 miles

Max Height: 2960 feet

Height Ascended:  5233 feet

Estimated Time:  6 hours

Weather:   10 C at 2000 feet in a cold north-easterly wind

General Description:  Starting from the New Dungeon Ghyll.  Oxendale - Whorneyside - Crinkle Gill - Crinkle Crags - Three Tarns - Climber's Traverse, Bowfell - Great Slab - Bowfell Summit - Esk Pike - Cow Cove - Great End - Esk Hause - Eastern Flank of Esk Pike to Cambridge Crag - Climber's Traverse - The Band - Great Langdale - New Dungeon Ghyll

This was a fabulous and varied route, engineered to avoid most of the heavy crowds on this gorgeous late spring day.  After enjoying a scramble in Crinkle Gill, I went on to Bowfell and Great End before returning to The Climber's Traverse via a high level traverse behind Angle Tarn.

Prospect of the first objective - Crinkle Crag from behind the NDG

Crinkle Gill showing the srcambling route followed.  The route is not visible at some points hence the lack of line

In the lower part of the gill.  At this point an easy and lovely scramble up the stream bed with nothing but birds, wild flowers and glorious sunshine as company.

A view towards the peaks

The gill begins to get deeper - a gorge in character

Wood Anemone or Windflower

The western 'amphitheatre' in Crinkle Gill.  The route ascended the left cascade of four converging streams.

Emerging from the gill into the bright sunshine

A view of the buttressed wall of the Crinkle Crags (Long Top)

A reconnaissance for a later visit and scramble

Bowfell Summit and Bowfell Links from Crinkle Crags

The Scafells from Three Tarns - from here I dropped only a little to the east to gain access to the Climber's Traverse.  I descended towards the band but kept well above the path so I didn't need to re-ascend the fellside.

On Climbers' Traverse - Bowfell.  Heading north for the water spout beneath Great Slab.

Cambridge Crag is visible.

Ascending Great Slab on foot - not to be recommended in ice or wet conditions!  The rock was easy to ascend and gave a firm footing - much preferred to the boulder strewn pathway in the photograph.

Scafell Pike from Bowfell summit - I ate my lunch with a bitter north easterly wind blowing in.

Between here and Esk Hause, I visited Esk Pike and Great End.  I spent a pleasant half hour relaxing just south of the main Calf Cove route before taking in Great End.  I managed to avoid the hoards of people by criss-crossing the main routes all day - "Don't be a sheep!"

At Esk Hause - heading home.  I was determined to find a new route back to Great Langdale without the usual tourist route for company.  I had had a new route in mind for a few years which included traversing the base of Hanging Knott and returning to the northern end of the Climber's Traverse.  This is where I went.

Angle Tarn from an usual vantage point.

Traversing the western slopes behind Angle Tarn - avoiding the crowds on the Rossett Gill path.

Making a beeline for the Climbers Traverse from the north - a new and crazy route!  Here the route approaches Hanging Knotts.

Turning the corner!

The Great Slab, Bowfell - previous ascent route to Bowfell summit

Back on the Climber's Traverse - southbound and heading home

Peter M. Burgess, 2005

'fellrunning'