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| The walk starts from a rough lay-by on the Birker Fell Road which is about 250 yards to the north of Crosbythwaite Farm |
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| Hesk Fell from the lay-by |
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| The Pike from the lay-by |
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| We walk down the road towards Crosbythwaite Farm |
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| Crosby Beck Bridge |
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| A little over 200 yards from Crosby Beck Bridge is the start of bridleway path which rises through three fields to the col between The Pike and Hesk Fell before descending to Holehouse Gill Bridge |
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| Where's the path? all trace of it disappears soon after crossing the stile. Bruce guesses correctly that it's supposed to loosely follow the line of the post and wire fence on the right which leads up to a gate |
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The gate at the top of the first field. Kate and Bruce have already escaped though it. The crossing of this first field has been arduous to say the least what with its mixture of clumps of sedge, gorse, reed beds and bog, it's clear the bridleway has long fallen into disuse
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| Looking back to Crosbythwaite Farm from the top of the first field |
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| Looking over towards Stickle Pike from the top of the first field |
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| Caw from the top of the first field |
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| The Coniston Fells from the top of the first field |
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| Stickle Pike and the Dunnerdale Fells from the start of path through the second field |
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| By contrast the path through the second field is,quite clear and easy to follow |
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| Well this confirms that the bridleway has indeed fallen into disuse. This is probably the worst gate to negotiate in the Lake District. A heavy metal gate without hinges which is merely attached to the wall by an enormous spring with a decrepit wooden gate barely two feet beyond it. There is no way that a horse could possible pass through this obstacle. It is difficult to open the gates more than a few inches to squeeze through them while hampered by them being sited in the middle of a boggy stream, fortunately there are a couple of flat stones to stand on while closing the gates |
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| Bruce no doubt traumatized by that 'gate' drags Kate up the slope heading directly for Hesk Fell - wrong way this time Bruce |
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| Back on track, the path continues straight on from the horrible gate |
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| The Coniston Fells and Caw from the third field |
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| Whit Fell from the gate on the col between The Pike and Hesk Fell, we leave the bridleway as it continues on through the gate and descends more steeply to Holehouse Gill Bridge |
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| The Pike from the col |
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| Looking back to the Coniston Fells from the col |
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| The path to Hesk Fell follows the wall up to a gate |
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| The gate is chained and locked, the through-stone stile provides access to the open slopes of Hesk Fell |
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| Looking back to The Pike from the stile |
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| Beginning the climb to the summit of Hesk Fell |
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| Looking left towards Buck Barrow and Whit Fell from the start of the climb ..... |
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| ..... and right towards Harter Fell |
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| Caw and Stickle Pike from the lower slopes of Hesk Fell |
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| Looking back to The Pike |
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| Rain begins to sweep across the Coniston Fells |
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| Time to don waterproofs as the rain edges ever closer from the north-east |
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| The Duddon Esturary |
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| Looking back towards The Pike |
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| A solitary upright stone flake marks the bleak summit of Hesk Fell |
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| Stickle Pike from the summit of Hesk Fell |
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| The Duddon Estuary from the summit of Hesk Fell |
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| Whit Fell with cloud covered Black Combe and Buck Barrow on the left |
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| Stainton Pike from the summit of Hesk Fell |
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| Yoadcastle and Woodend Height from the summit of Hesk Fell |
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| Harter Fell over Green Crag from the summit of Hesk Fell |
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| The Coniston Fells from the summit of Hesk Fell |
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| Caw from the summit of Hesk Fell |
