Caw, Pikes and Green Pikes

17 February 2006

On a morning that started off overcast, we parked the car near the Newfield Inn in Seathwaite in the Duddon valley, and took the Park Head Road along the lower slopes of Caw. Here one of the many becks that crosses the path.

The track winding its way along the slopes of Caw towards the col with Stickle Pike (right)

Looking down the track to the Duddon valley, with Wallowbarrow Crag prominent centre picture, with Harter Fell with its head in the clouds behind

There is an abrupt left turn off Park Head Road onto this quarry road, with some noticeable engineering such as this embanked wall on one side.

The track up from Seathwaite on the left, and the quarry road on the right

George comes down the quarry road

At its end are some abandonned buildings and a disused level. Here we left the made path and climbed straight up towards the summit of Caw. There are traces of paths in places, but none is really needed and though the climb is fairly steep it is easy.

A panoramic view of the Duddon valley from the quarry

Unfortunately the cloud was lower than expected, and the summit was in the mist.

Descending the east slopes, we look to our next summit, Pikes (right), with the much lower Green Pikes just visible centre-left

George on Pikes

From Pikes looking to the partially cleared forest on Broughton Moor.

Somewhere down there is Dawson Pike and in the cloud is White Pike, leading on to the rest of the Coniston fells. Unknown to us when these photos were taken, this was to be the subject of tomorrow's walk.

Having visited the summit of Green Pikes, we followed the wall to this gate which gave us access to the lower fields.

Looking back to the summit of Green Pikes

This grooved track was easy to follow in the upper field, but disappeared from time to time in the lower field as we approach the Newfield Inn

George looking for the path?

"I thought you were in charge of route finding!"

In total, 6.7km, 521 metres of ascent, 3 hours 5 mins (including 58 minutes stopped)