Day 2 Alternatives

Day Two – Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite

River Liza Alternative

Not a major diversion by any means, but we happen to think the path on the south bank of the Liza is much nicer than the traditional route on the north.

Instead of cutting left across the fields at the end of Ennerdale Water, keep to the forest track and cross Woundell Beck before picking up a path to the right of the river. Follow this track for 3km until you see a bridge, crossing the river to your left. Ignore this bridge and carry on along the track for another 1000m where you will find another bridge. use this to cross the river and return to the northern path. If you are heading up Scarth Gap (see below), you will rejoin the path just prior to the Scarth Gap route, unless you wish to visit Black Sail, in which case, stay on the traditional path.

Scarth Gap Alternative

The reason Wainwright did not suggest this as the preferred route out of Ennerdale valley is probably due to the tricky scramble on the way up to Haystacks, but other than that this route stands head and shoulders above the traditional Loft Beck exit from Ennerdale.

There is a clear path cutting across the face of the hill beneath Seat and also beside the wall if you have stopped in at Black Sail, both tracks lead up to the col between Haystacks and Seat, called Scarth Gap. Then follow the narrow rocky path to the right, up to Haystacks and along to Innominate Tarn, the place where Wainwright’s ashes were scattered. There is an obvious path past Blackbeck Tarn, across Little Round How and on to the Dismantled Tramway that takes you down to Honister.

Great Gable Diversion

This is a big diversion, for dedicated fell walkers and will add something like two hours to the route back to Rosthwaite, however it crosses some of the best Lakeland scenery there is, including the beautiful Stockley Bridge. If you want to squeeze the most out of the Lake District sections of the Coast to Coast, consider this.

Instead of turning left after Black Sail and heading up Loft Beck, continue straight ahead and follow the beck (that eventually becomes the River Liza), up Tongue. There is no defined track on the ground, but you can follow the lie of the land easy enough. The climb is steep in places and later becomes a scree of red stones, so ascent can be tricky. Pass over the col of Windy Gap and drop down the other side to Styhead Tarn. From here follow the clear path beside Styhead Beck, which soon becomes a fine stone-laid path to Stockley Bridge. You can then follow the Allerdale Ramble back through Borrowdale to Rosthwaite.

6 Responses

  1. Dave Sipson says:

    At least we’re on the same wave length now, thanks. You do have me thinking hough about going up Sail Beck. I bet the views from the Boat Hows path are something else and I’ve been on the Tongue (down) before.

  2. Dave Sipson says:

    Hi Stu hope you’re well.
    Understand what you’re saying but don’t follow the logic. My intension was to follow the Liza up the Tongue to join up with Moses Trod not to go up Loft Beck to join it as you may be thinking. Don’t see a Sail Beck/Boat Hows route as being much different to the Tongue with the Tongue being possible a steadier climb

    • stuart says:

      Ahh, I understand. Yes that makes more sense, I was thinking you were looking at going up Loft Beck then coming back on yourself, but the route up the Tongue although mostly pathless is probably just as good and more direct than my suggestion.

  3. Dave Sipson says:

    Staying at Ennerdale YH on this crossing (June 15) so having plenty of time to get to Borrowdale I was thinking of doing Great Gable onto Green Gable and then down via Gillercomb. Would be intersted in anyones thoughts about what I’m seeing as a Great (scuz the pun) days walk. Whats the best (unfair question) to climb Great Gable I was thinking talking Moses Trod over to Beck Head and up that way and then down to Windy Gap and straight up to Green Gable.

    • stuart says:

      Dave, seems to me like you’re adding mileage to an already big day. If I was doing this I’d go up Sail Beck from Black Sail then use the path beneath Boat How Crags to reach Beck Head then up the nose of Great Gable, across to Green Gable then down Gillercombe.
      Hope that makes sense?
      Cheers Stu

Leave a Reply to stuart Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.