Looking down the Newlands Valley from Dale Head

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The Newlands Horseshoe

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Difficulty:	Exposure:
A long but wonderful day on one of the classic horseshoe walks of the Lake District
Distance: 18km / 12 miles	Ascent: 1190m / 3900ft
Duration: 7 hours	Maximum Group Ratio: 10:1

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This event is also available as a private event every day of the year;
At a time that suits you, you can even make changes to the route!

£22.00

*Dates:: +/- 3 days+/- 7 days

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Event Description

"This is a mountaineering must."

A. Wainwright

The Newlands Horseshoe is a wonderful ridge walk taking in six great summits and some amazing scenery, particularly the view from the summit of Dale Head, the highest point of the round.

Although a long day the route can be adapted to suit any group with several alternative descent routes.

Why not let our experienced leaders show you some of the beauty of our local mountains.

Summits included on this route:

Robinson	737 metres/2418 feet
Hindscarth	727 metres/2385 feet
Dale Head	753 metres/2470 feet
High Spy	653 metres/2142 feet
Maiden Moor	576 metres/1890 feet
Catbells	451 metres/1480 feet

Dale Head stands at the junction of the two main Lakeland geological systems, the Skiddaw slates to the north and the Borrowdale Volcanics to the south.

On the northern flanks are outcrops of the Buttermere Formation, olistostrome of disrupted sheared mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

Southward march the Borrowdale series beginning with the plagioclase-phyric andesite lavas of the Birker Fell Formation, visible near the summit.

The fell has seen extensive mining history. Dale Head Mine was driven below the northern crags for copper, several levels still being visible.

Long Work was another copper mine a little further down the valley, worked for malachite and pyrite from Elizabethan times.

On the southern flank of the fell, centred around the head of the pass, are the Honister Quarries. These are an extensive system of underground quarries, worked for Green Slate. The earliest extant records date from 1728 and since then huge caverns have been carved out on either side of the pass. The Yew Crag workings on the Dale Head side were operated until 1966, operations on the slopes of Grey Knotts continuing. In 1887 work began to drive a tunnel right under Dale Head into Newlands Valley, connecting with a proposed tramway to join the railway at Keswick. The scheme was abandoned after opposition from landowners. The main workers accommodation at the mine is now the Honister Hause Youth Hostel.

Although a long walk this route can be adapted to make a shorter route by descending from the ridge at various points.
We will climb the northern ridge of Robinson, along the High Snab Bank ridge to the summit, with great views over the Newlands Valley and down to Crummock Water to the south.

The ridge continues over Hindscarth to the summit of Dale Head, the highest peak of the ridge, with spectacular views north down into the Newlands Valley and across to Skiddaw.

A steep descent on a good path brings us to Dale Head Tarn where we will begin to climb again to the summit of High Spy and the wonderful ridge north over Maiden Moor to Catbells, here we will descend past the old mine workings to the Newlands Valley and Little Town.

Each participant will be required to bring suitable equipment for their chosen event, please see Kit List tab above.

Meet Point	Car Park near Little Town, Newlands
Postcode / GR	CA12 5TV (Approximate) / NY 231 193
Location Info	From Keswick / A66: Turn off theA66 (Between Keswick and Cockermouth into the village of Braithwaite, after the camp site turn left (signposted to the Newlands Valley) turn left again over the bridge and follow this road out of the village. Continue on this road crossing a cattle grid and the bridge at Stonycroft. Continue past the Stair turning until a bridge is crossed on a hairpin, shortly after this a road will lead to the left, follow this to the bottom of the valley, crossing the bridge until a car park is seen on the right of the road (£3 in 2015), just past a sharp corner. We will meet here.