Wednesday 17th September 2008

Start point: Wasdale Head (NY 187 088)

Wasdale Head - Black Sails Pass - Looking Stead - High Level Traverse - Shamrock Traverse - Pillar Rock (541) - Pillar - Wind Gap - Mosedale - Wasdale Head

Distance: 6.6 miles     Total Ascent: 960 metres     Time Taken: 7 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Hazy with sunny spells. 16oC.

Route Map

It's been a long journey, much longer than I expected when I started out on a quest to complete the Birketts on 4th May 2004 but today I finally achieved that particular goal. I must admit to losing the will to carry on with them half way through, hence the time taken, but it was all worth it in the end and it certainly got me to places I never would have gone otherwise. Today's route took in Pillar Rock; no walk this one, it is a climb and not one for the faint hearted. Make sure you take the proper precautions if you want to tackle it. Me? I had the perfect guide today...

You see yon precipice--it almost looks
Like some vast building made of many crags,
And in the midst is one particular rock
That rises like a column from the vale,
Whence by our Shepherds it is call'd, the Pillar.
Extract from 'The Brothers', William Wordsworth 1800

Kirk Fell from Wasdale Head.

Heading into Mosedale with Bill Birkett and his dog, Jet.

Kirk Fell from Mosedale.

Pillar at the head of Mosedale.

Red Pike.

Sunshine walking through Mosedale.

Stirrup Crag on Yewbarrow and Dorehead Screes.

The climb of Black Sail Pass.

Yewbarrow from Gatherstone Beck.

Gatherstone Beck falls.

Pillar and Looking Stead.

The same view from the un-named top, 587m.

Green Gable, Great Gable and Kirk Fell form Looking Stead.

Pillar from Looking Stead.

The High Level Route to Pillar Rock.

Looking across Ennerdale from the plaque on Robinson's Cairn.

Pillar Rock.

The Pillar from the Shamrock Traverse. Bill's friend Tom waits for us at the foot of the climb.

The first part of the climb - descend this great slab descending to the left in this photo.

Bill climbs the slab.

Bill and Tom at the top of the slab.

Bill belays whilst Tom climbs the notch.

The view to High Stile and High Crag across Ennerdale from the top of Pillar Rock.

Pillar from Pillar Rock.

Ennerdale.

Tom and Bill on High Man, the summit of Pillar Rock.

Bill Birkett summits Pillar Rock.

541 up! Completing the Birketts on Pillar Rock.

On top of Pillar Rock, or is that the world?

All we have to do now is get down! Abseiling into Jordan Gap.

Watching Tom abseiling Jordan Gap from below.

Someone else has climbed it after we left.

...and now the sun is shining once more.

Spot the climber to see the route of ascent.

Great Gable and the Scafells from Pillar.

Red Pike and Yewbarrow from the descent to Wind Gap.

The steep descent into Mosedale from Wind Gap.

Yewbarrow, sunlit through the haze.

The Y Boulder, Mosedale.

Heading back to Wasdale Head.

I also managed to get from Bill Birkett some signed copies of his 'Complete Lakeland Fells' almanacs - these are the pocket versions of the big book and ideal to carry around on the fells and this is the one I have carried throughout the last few years. E-mail if you want one, stocks are very limited and this is now out of print.

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Previous Walk 12th September 2008 Brock Barrow < > Next Walk 22nd September 2008 Dow Crag via the South Rake