Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Pillar    

Pillar via Corridor Route

Saturday 14th June 2014

This walk has been attempted several times in the last year or so and atrocious weather has caused its abandonment,  hence the decision to only try it when there is a really good forecast.  I intend to try the route this Saturday so that as it is not a regular walk day,  if the forecast is poor or indifferent we will not be cancelling a scheduled walk.  So if anyone does want to come and is uncertain about it then by all means give Lauren or me a ring on Friday to check on the state of play.  Best on 01768896517.  Meeting place will be Rosehill at 9am – it should be much easier to park on a Saturday than the Sands.  If the weather is dodgy,  we will postpone it to another more suitable day.

Park at Gatesgarth Farm (for the real meanies it is possible to find a free parking spot higher up the Honister Pass and then walk down,  but as there are no such people in the C.& D. Ramblers that will obviously not arise as an issue).  We then take the path to Scarth Gap and down the far side into Ennerdale and the Black Sail youth hostel – the most remote,  I believe (Heather?) in the country.  Then up to Black Sail pass – between Pillar and Kirkfell – turn right climbing very gradually to find the path that plunges (no other word for it) down,  meandering through all the great rock faces of the Ennerdale side of Pillar to Robinsons Cairn. This is a wonderful place to stop for a bite to eat,  with the huge mass of Pillar Rock in front – an amazing place for rock climbing,  though only after several days of dry, warm weather. 

We then climb the scree path to a large sloping slab – no problems in the dry but real fun in a hard winter – scramble round the gulf between the mountain and the rock and onto the climb up Pillar itself.  This is easy scrambling.  There is a slightly interesting bit near the top which is great fun,  and for most people it is a case of “b***** this,  I’ve got as far as here and I am not going to let a piddling little climb stop me”,  one big heave and you are virtually on the summit.  The views are stunning on a clear day (everyone says that about every Lake District peak, but this time it is really true) and the path down is a bit loose but presents no great problem. 

The walk itself is a long one,  I think it is the best walk in the whole Lake District,  the area tends to be very under populated because of the situation in general,  best to take a bit extra in the way of food and drink,  but anyone who has not done it will enjoy it. 

Peter