From Whiteside Pike along the ridge to Grisedale Pike

Old friends and new joined me for my KR Guided Walk up Whiteside yesterday.  With a good forecast the 77 bus over Whinlatter and round to our starting point at Lanthwaite Green was standing roon only.

A steep climb up through glorious heather over Whin Rigg and up to the Whiteside West top was rewarded by a superb view all the way along the ridge.

I love the feeling up here of being on the edge of the mountains. The coastal plain stretches out in one direction to the Solway Firth whilst in the other Grassmoor and Crag Hill are just the closest of many Lakeland Peaks.  



view along the ridge to Hopegill Head and Grisedale Pike

A bit hazy today but you could still see line upon line of ridges with Helvellyn cloud free to the east.





Lunch in a sheltered hoolow on the ridge was followed by Hopegill Head, Sand Hill and Grisedale Pike before carefully descending the ridge over Sleet How to Braithwaite



all the group on Grisedale Pike



Whiteside Ridge on a glorious day

One of my favourite walks in the Lake District especially in such glorious weather.  We took the 77 Honister Rambler bus round to Lanthwaite Green before climbing the rocky path up Whin Ben and on up to the beginning of Whiteside ridge.  The views back down over Crummock Water were stunning and as we climbed we could see more and more summits peeping out over the neighbouring ridges.

You can see from the picture how Whiteside got its name - the rocky outcrops on the eastern slopes of the ridge glistened in the sunshine. There is a mile of undulating, twisting ridge (and a stop for lunch and enjoying the view) to enjoy before you reach the summit of Hopegill Head.  Superb views to the east right across to Helvellyn, Langdale Pikes and Scafells as well as to the west across the Cumbrian coast to the Solway Firth, Scotland and, just visible, the Isle of Man.

From the summit of Hopegill Head another mile or so of ridge walking brought us to Grisedale Pike and a descent down the ridge to Braithwaite nad ice creams before catching the bus back to Keswick.

On Whiteside Edge with Hopegill Head behind