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A Weekend at Black Sail: Private Guiding

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The Black Sail Hut at the head of the Ennerdale Valley is the most remote hostel in the country, a night at the Black Sail Hut is a must for any lover of the Lake District. This weekend takes in all the summits surrounding the Ennerdale Valley including Pillar, Great Gable and Haystacks whilst spending the night at Black Sail.
  • Book 2 places for £160.00 per person and save 47%
  • Book 3 places for £120.00 per person and save 60%
  • Book 4 places for £95.00 per person and save 69%

Availability: In stock

£300.00
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£300.00
Difficulty: Hard
  A long walk over two days
Distance: 36.8km / 23 miles approx.
Ascent: 2600m+ / 8530ft+ approx.
Duration: 2 Days
Start Time: 10am
Maximum Group Size: 10
Minimum Group Size: 1


"Height has nothing to do with it, it is your strength that counts."
Lynn Hill

The Black Sail Hut is the most remote Youth Hostel in the country, it's quite a walk in, even along the valley, but boy is it worth the effort! The hut is surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery in the Lake District.

A night at the Black Sail Hostel should be a must for any lover of the Lake District, there's always a warm welcome from the wardens, a roaring fire and great food.

Over this weekend we will walk the Ennerdale Horseshoe route, splitting the long route into two to descend from Haystacks to spend the night in the Black Sail Hut.

The Ennerdale Horseshoe is a popular round often completed by fell runners in just a few hours. Starting from the western end of Ennerdale Water the route soon climbs up the fellside to join the long ridge that climbs to the Buttermere Fells. The route continues up and over Green Gable before turning westward to ascend over Kirk Fell. Now on the return leg the fells that surround Pillar are traversed before we turn north after Haycock to finish over the much gentler slopes just above Ennerdale Water.


Summits included on this route:
   
Great Borne
616 metres/2021 feet
Starling Dodd
858 metres/2815 feet
Red Pike (Buttermere)
755 metres/2477 feet
High Stile
807 metres/2648 feet
High Crag
744 metres/2441 feet
Haystacks
597 metres/1959 feet
Brandreth
715 metres/ 2346 feet
Green Gable
801 metres/2628 feet
Great Gable (Optional)
899 metres/ 2949 feet
Kirk Fell
802 metres/2631 feet
Pillar
892 metres/2927 feet
Scoat Fell
841 metres/2759 feet
Haycock
797metres/2615 feet
Caw Fell
690 metres/2264 feet
Crag Fell
525 metres/1716 feet


"My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing."

Aldous Huxley


Day 1:
Starting from the car park at the western end of Ennerdale Water we start to make our way a short way around the lake clockwise before climbing the fellside over Herdus to our first of many summits, Great Borne. Now above 600m we follow the ridge to the east over Starling Dodd to join the main Buttermere Fells. As we reach Red Pike we are greeted with fantastic views down into Buttermere. We will traverse across High Stile and High Crag before descending to Scarth Gap. From Scarth Gap we will scramble up the western face of Haystacks and to its lovely tarn topped summit.

On our second lowest summit of the weekend, we now start to re-ascend and make our way across the gentle ground to the summit of Brandreth where we can see into the Borrowdale Valley. We continue southwards a short distance to the summit of Green Gable, and if you are feeling energetic we can also take in the giant Great Gable.
From either of these summits we make our way to Beck Head and down into the Ennerdale Valley and the Black Sail Hut.

Day 2:
Day two begins with the climb back to Beck Head and then Kirk Fell's steep eastern face we take in both of its summits before again descending into the Black Sail pass.

The re-ascent starts again and we climb up the gentle slopes over Looking Stead to the flat top of Pillar, from where we gain superb views back down to Ennerdale Water, and of our entire route. We turn westwards and over Scoat Fell to the fine rocky summit of Haycock.

Every summit from this point onwards is lower, however the ground still undulates along the way. We walk over the long grassy Caw Fell before dropping into the woods. We emerge from the woods with our final short climb up to the summit of Crag Fell. After soaking up the views of our entire route we will descend steeply back to the car park.

What is included in the price:

  • A guide for two days walking
  • A nights stay at the Black Sail Hut

What isn't included:

  • Food, meals are avaliable from the Black Sail Hostel, as is a full bar on the evening. A three course evening meal can be purchased as well as breakfast and packed lunches for day 2. There is also a self catering kitchen at the hostel, please be aware that you will need to carry all food during day 1 though!

Each participant will be required to bring suitable equipment for their chosen event, please see Equipment Required.

 

Where to meet: Bowness Knott, Ennerdale
View Larger Map
Postcode: CA23 3AS (approximate)
Grid Reference: NY 109 153

Directions

From Cockermouth: Follow the A5086 south from Cockermouth, until shortly after the Lamplugh Tip pub is passed to the right turn left, on the road signposted to Kirkland and Ennerdale Bridge.

Follow the road through Kirkland and down the hill into Ennerdale Bridge, turn left in the village just after the Shepherds Arms and take the next right, through the forest where after a left and then a right turn will come to a car park on the left of the road, just past the campsite, we will meet at the car park.

 

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