Outdoor Odysseys

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District’s craggy beauty

Published on 17th January 2025 Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

The overriding memory of July 2022 is that of the record-breaking temperatures endured during the middle of the month. In hindsight, it would have been more productive not to have tried working through this at all, telling my client as much at the time. Scarcely anything could be accomplished in these conditions.

Not having air conditioning in a terraced cottage in the north of England was no preparation for temperatures exceeding 30° C around the clock, which meant that nights largely were sleepless as a result. Having a place near the coast in Ireland might have made for a good holdout while this was happening, something that only came into my possession last year, two years too late for that episode.

Before all that meteorological fury, I scurried north to the Lake District for a day hike. The destination was inspired by reappraisal of photos in my online gallery, a pervasive trend throughout 2022. It had been the most of twenty years since I first completed the Fairfield; a reprise came not before time. Since film photography was my mainstay back then, this was an opportunity to engage in some digital capture of what is found around there while following a similar route.

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

The preceding night may not have been as restful as I might have liked, yet I got to Rydal at around 10:00. On that round all those years ago, there were fewer people around until I got as far as Fairfield. The reprise was busier, especially on the ascent of Nab Scar, where the steep slopes caused others to clump together on rest breaks. Even at that stage of the day, there was summer heat to be felt, so the ascent was sweaty work.

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

When the gradients relented, I found somewhere to stop for a while to take on board some refreshments and savouring views of Rydal Water, Loughrigg Fell, Grasmere and whatever else lay about me. Because it was likely that there was a bolus all staring at once that morning, I left others pass on their way. One joked that they were on their second way around when they passed me again after my overtaking them during the initial ascent. It might have been prompted by the pandemic strictures easing substantially, but there was a feeling of added camaraderie on this round.

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Once I got going again, Heron Pike was my next landmark. With everyone now more scattered, each could have more space, and that also applied to me. The going was now gentler than before and greater views were opening around me. It never ceases to amaze me how stiff the first few hundred metres of an ascent can be, only for things to ease off once you are higher up; then everything can feel a little more plateau like. This can catch you at the end of a descent too, as I found on this hike, and glacial action often is the cause of such arduous going.

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

The summit of Grey Rigg was my next staging post as I navigated the undulations atop a narrowing ridgeline; gradients again stiffened on the final approach to the summit to open up more views for me. To my left lay the narrow valley leading up to Grisedale Hause and then Grisedale Tarn. It was a scene showing the latter that I had in my mind’s eye for its capture using newer technology than I had all those years ago. The further up and the further in that I went, the more that I got to savour.

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Even with reaching the top of Great Rigg, I was not done with uphill gradients just yet. The last heave on the way to the flat top of Fairfield needed to be surmounted first. Patience was in order at this point before things became much kinder. On the way, I could glimpse my return route as it threaded between Dove Crag, Hart Crag and other eminences. Once on the top, the high point of my day’s walking, I could glimpse St. Sunday Crag and Helvellyn to the north. The former was the subject of a yomp around eight years before, and the end of August would see me surmount the latter. There was topological majesty in every direction anyone could face, all brightly lit on the day.

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Revisiting the Fairfield Horseshoe: A stirring trek through some of the Lake District's craggy beauty

Once you reach the greatest height of your day, the only way is down, not that such a reality means that it gets easier from there. Initially, the inclines were kind enough, and I could peer into Patterdale and make out the outline of Place Fell, a summit I surmounted in January 2010 at the start of a year of career turbulence for me. The list of fell tops that I would cross became Hart Crag, Dove Crag, High Pike and Low Pike.

It was after the penultimate of these that gradients again stiffened, that being my lot until I reached the floor of Scandale at High Sweden Bridge. Walking poles were essential for saving some knee strain, and patient foot placement was my lot while allowing the fleeter of foot to pass me; everyone has to hike their own hike. For a time, it seemed easier to follow the informal path by the stone wall instead of seeking out the line of the public footpath.

That came to an end when a challenging down scramble lay before me. Then, I sought out the public right of way to High Sweden Bridge, leaving the topological drama of High Brock Crags and Low Brock Crags behind me. This also left a walking group to go their way, possibly towards Low Sweden Bridge, mine turning out to be a quieter affair; the rest of the descent to Ambleside was now at hand. This broad track better suited wearied limbs, allowing patient progress to convey me safely onto busier streets, where I sought out the main bus stop after a satisfying day.

In summary, I had experienced what I came to encounter, making many images and enjoying the round. Though I normally seek quietude, the moments of shared camaraderie added its own special moments too. Any challenge posed by the warmth of the day has faded from recollection now; it was a scenic grandeur that stood out for me. This was a reprise more than worth doing as it took me around places that I have frequented before. It was great to see them all again.

Travel Arrangements

A return train trip from Macclesfield got me to Windermere. From there, I had a choice of bus routes for getting to Rydal for the start of the hike. The same applied for getting from Ambleside to Windermere. You can use either service 555 or 599 for this; the latter goes between Bowness-on-Windermere and Grasmere, while the former goes between Lancaster and Keswick.

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