- Grisedale Pike
Infobox Mountain
Name = Grisedale Pike
Photo = Grisedale_Pike_from_Barrow.jpg
Caption = Grisedale Pike seen from the fell of Barrow, 3 km to the east
Elevation = 791 m (2,593 ft)
Location =Cumbria , ENG
Range =Lake District ,North Western Fells
Prominence = "c." 189 m
Parent peak =Grasmoor
Coordinates =
Topographic
Grid_ref_UK = NY198225
Listing = Marilyn, Hewitt, Wainwright, Nuttall
Translation =
Language =
Pronunciation =GB summits entry
Name=Hobcarton Crag
Gridref=NY193220
Height=739 m (2425 ft)
Status=Hewitt, NuttallGB summits entry
Name=Hobcarton End
Gridref=NY194235
Height=634 m (2080 ft)
Status=NuttallGrisedale Pike is afell in theLake District ,Cumbria ,England situated 7 km west of the town of Keswick in the north-western sector of the national park. At a height of 791 m (2593 feet) it is the 40th highest Wainwright in the Lake District; it also qualifies as a Hewitt, Marilyn and Nuttall. Grisedale Pike presents a striking appearance when viewed from the east, rising to a perfect pyramidal peak and has the nickname of “TheMatterhorn of Lakeland”. It possesses two subsidiary summits: Hobcarton Crag and Hobcarton End.Topography
Grisedale Pike is a large fell throwing down three long ridges to the valley floors and two shorter ones that link to the adjoining fell of
Hopegill Head and the strategically importantColedale Hause which links the fell to the rest of the Coledale Fells. It is bounded to the west by the four kilometre valley of Coledale and to the north by theWhinlatter Pass which carries the B5292 motor road. The village ofBraithwaite sits at the foot of the long eastern ridge, and some of the northern slopes have been planted by theForestry Commission , with the Hospital Plantation occupying much of the valley of Grisedale.Geology and Mining
The ridge is composed of the laminated
mudstone andsiltstone of the Kirkstile Formation, typical of theSkiddaw group.British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps, "England & Wales Sheet 29": BGS (1999)]The Coledale side of the fell has been extensively mined, with the Force Crag mine being the last working lead mine in the Lake District before closing in 1990; it also produced zinc and barite. The mine has had many owners and been closed and reopened regularly since the early nineteenth century. The mine suffered a major collapse in 1990 which led to the owners, the New Coledale Mining Company, deciding to close it.
Ascents
The majority of ascents of Grisedale Pike usually start at the village of Braithwaite using a well blazed trail up the eastern ridge. An alternative ascent starts at a car park in Hospital Plantation near the top of the Whinlatter Pass and goes up the northern ridge taking in the “Nuttall” top of Hobcarton End before continuing to the summit. From the same starting point it is possible to climb the fell up the north eastern ridge following a ruined dry stone wall.
Grisedale Pike is often included in the circular walk called the Coledale Round, a 17.5 kilometre walk starting and finishing at Braithwaite. It includes the other fells of
Hopegill Head ,Eel Crag , Sail,Scar Crags andCausey Pike with over 1300 metres of ascent. The view from the top of the fell is comprehensive with the Cumbrian coast in view to the west and thePennines seen in the distance to the east. Grisedale Pike has a subsidiary top, 800 metres to the south west of the main summit, it is unnamed on maps but has been given the name ofHobcarton Crag by writers, at 739 metres (2425 feet) it hasNuttall andHewitt status.ummit and View
A description of the view from west round clockwise, from this [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/ENGP/Grisedale%20Pike.pngcomputer-generated panorama] ;
The hills near Belfast (111 miles away) are visible over the sea to the west. In the north, the
Southern Uplands of Scotland can be seen, includingMerrick (62),White Coomb (58) and the closerCriffel (28). In the foreground to this is theLord's Seat group (3).The distant skyline continues over the
Kielder Forest hills (55) to reachThe Cheviot (75) before it is interrupted by theSkiddaw group (6) andBlencathra (8) with the Vale ofKeswick andBassenthwaite Lake in the foreground. The section of thePennines containingCross Fell (31) is visible.The
Helvellyn range (10) occupies the skyline to the east, fronted by the High Seat ridge (6), and in front of that,Catbells (3) and [Causey Pike) (2).Ingleborough (45) can be seen to the south-east. Then come theLangdale Pikes (11), theConiston Fells (14),Bowfell (10) andScafell Pike (10) with theDale Head group (5) in front.To the south-west the view is dominated by
Crag Hill (1) andGrasmoor (2). A small portion of Wales (107) is visible to Crag Hill's left. To the west, aboveHopegill Head (1), can be seen theIsle of Man (54) andSlieve Donard in Northern Ireland (112), the most distant peak visible.References
*
Alfred Wainwright : "A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells , Book 6, The North Western Fells": Westmorland Gazette (1964): ISBN 0-7112-2459-5
* Bill Birkett: "Complete Lakeland Fells": Collins Willow (1994): ISBN 0-00-713629-3
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