Whiteside, Hopegill Head and Grasmoor down via Red Gill scree

from the start looking up Red Gill on Grasmoor, my planned route of descent

I first had this route penned in for a run but decided I wanted an easy day today and so walked around.  There's a steep climb up Whiteside, a nice ridge route along to Hopegill Head and then a short down and up over Coledale Hause back up to Grasmoor.  From here I picked out Red Gill scree, one of the best scree runs in the lakes.  It just so happened that my car was parked at the bottom of it.

just short of seven miles

route and elevation

walking up the road to Whiteside

the famous Y gulley (Lorton Gulley) on Grasmoor

up the first steep bit of Whiteside and still more climbing

From Whiteside looking over towards Grasmoor.  Dove Crags vertical line up to the summit.  The line on the horizon is pretty much the route I will take all the way around.

further along looking back towards Whiteside.  Melbreak in view across Crummock Water between the slopes of Whiteside and Grasmoor.

looking in the other direction along the ridge with Hopegill Head prominent where I will take a left turn

looking back along the ridge to Whiteside.  The path at the bottom of Gasgale Gill on the left is horrible.

down at Coledale Hause looking over towards Keswick and the other side of the Coledale Valley

Climbing up to the junction point between Grasmoor, Crag Hill/Sail and Wandope, looking back to the path up Sand Hill on the left with shapely outline of Hopegill Head behind.  This is the path I have just descended.

climbing up to Grasmoor, looking down Rannerdale Beck to Rannerdale Knotts at the edge of Crummock Water.

Grasmoor on the right.  Ridge to Whiteless Pike on the left.

on top of Grasmoor looking down to the first layer of Whiteless Pike ridge then behind this High Snockrigg and Robinson looking square and broad mid left.  Fleetwith Pike is in the top middle of the pic, to the right of Robinson looking dark.  To the right, Haystacks is visible with the Scafells above it on the horizon far right.

from the shelter summit.  It was pretty windy up there today.

sun shining on the top looking across Crummock Water to Red Pike, High Pike etc on the left.

I managed to pick out my route of descent.  Red Gill is a big long scree section.  It's deceptive from the bottom; definitely not advisable to ascend but a blast to run down in the right conditions.  The route goes down the scree from right to left.

now looking directly down

looking back up from the bottom.