An obvious landmark looking south from Buttermere, and a route by Wainwright, although probably best left till spring or later!
From Buttermere the bridge at the Mere outflow is down at present, although stepping stones, if it’s not too wet, are fine on the left, or take the Scale Bridge route. The “climbers path” of Mr W, “120 yards past the wall in the Wood” does not exist here, but going up diagonally from here to a top forestry track leads to the path and the stile, then under a dripping crag and round to a metal gate and into Burtness Comb.The path leads to a stile and continues up. Cross the Beck when you want and by a small crag turn up into the rake, broader at the bottom than apparent from a distance.Boulders abound, then scree then grass higher up. Sheepbone buttress does not look appetising for a rock climber in January.
Over High Crag and Stile to Red Pike in mist, decided to try a new route down. The fouly eroded path to the Dodd Saddle, then the path from here left, curling round the Dodd and suddenly doubling back, as per the OS map, traversing then descending roughly to meet an infant Near Ruddy Beck, and following this down roughly, (not as per the OS) with some better diversions in the heather each side, through a wall by a wood fence and down on its left side through birch then oak, still pretty rough and not per the OS, to a Holly near a bridge over the Beck and back. Interesting ascent, awful descent, and I suspect the same in reverse! Over 6 miles and 3000ft ascent, it took me nearly 5 hours.
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