Peak & Lake District Sojourn. Day 44.
Updated: Sep 14, 2022
Mosedale Horseshoe, Wasdale (6xNuttalls).
Looking Stead 627m, Pilar 892m, Pilar Black Crag 828m, Scoat Fell 841m, Steeple 819m and Red Pike 826m.
Summary
This was a horseshoe that I had wanted to do for a while and today was supposed to be only a so so weather day but it turned out dry, cool, had great light for photos (they are pretty good today!) and the cloud was only intermittent. It was a perfect day out!
A stunning anti clockwise route of the famed Mosedale Horseshoe taking in 6 Nuttalls including Pilar. Rocky craggy paths, great ridges, great views, dry weather and a cool breeze, nothing really to dislike!
The gpx track is pretty self explanatory and the paths are in general easy to follow and as described quite rocky. I will add that the steepest longest pitch is the hike up Black Sail Pass and onwards to Pilar. Apart from that the height gain is minimal. I only had to put my hands on rock on the section between Scoat Fell and Steeple and even then I would call it the easiest of scrambles. This section has some exposure but you only need to be careful in high winds or in winter conditions in my opinion.
I would conclude that even though this is a straight forward walk in good weather I can imagine it would be challenging with snow on the ground and in fog/cloud when the paths are obscured. There are cairns at frequent intervals through out.
Parking: National Trust Car Park at Wast Water. £7 per day.
Route: Rocky, craggy but generally easy to follow and distinct. Some easy scrambling going to Steeple. A great horseshoe outing, superb!
Route Statistics: A superb 18.5km outing with 1,070m of height gain done in 6.5 hours.
OS overview
Beautiful start to the day
First section from the NT car park to Black Sail Pass.
Kirk Fell Behind Looking Stead Cairn
Looking Stead.
Mosedale Valley
Looking Stead to Pilar
Scoat Fell and Steeple Black Crag Cairn
Black Crag between Pilar and Scoat Fell
View of Steeple Middle Scoat Fell Cairn View of Scoat Fell and Steeple Scoat Fell and Steeple Looking back at Pilar Red Pike
Views from and around Scoat Fell. Scoat Fell summit is unmarked even though there is a cairn marking the top of Middle Scoat Fell at 833m.
The route from Scoat Fell to Steeple and back to Scoat Fell.
Red Pike Red Pike close up Red Pike top Mosedale Valley Red Pike cairn
Scoat Fell to Red Pike.
Coming down to Dove Head View of Yewbarrow Stirrup Crag on Yewbarrow Kirk Fell left Yewbarrow right Dore Head and Yewbarrow Overbeck Valley View up Yewbarrow Wast Water Wast Water End of the day coming up
From Red Pike to Dore Head then down the Over Beck valley to the finish.
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