A wide Newlands Round

looking down into the Newlands Valley from Dale Head and my route of ascent along the ridge from Catbells

I picked a good day to take off this week.  Tuesday was bright and dry, a little windy on the tops but I really shouldn't grumble.  The Newlands Round route is a classic.  I put a bit of a twist on it by continuing over Robinson, dropping down to Newlands Hause and then taking in Knott Rigg and Ard Crags as the last two fells on the return section.  I didn't pick the most direct route across the valley bottom, I was feeling good and, having not got the map out all the way around, it seemed a bit silly to use it once I was back on the road so I just followed road signs back to Skelgill where my car was parked.  This route was just over 14 miles and took me about 4 hours.

Elevation profile - peaks from left to right: Catbells, down and up to Maiden Moor and High Spy.  The second big dip is at Dale Head Tarn and then the climb up to Dale Head, the highest point, down and up to Robinson, almost as high as Dale Head, and then the big drop down to the road.  You can see the point where I tried to descend along Moss Force but then decided against it and climbed back up for a bit.  The last two high peaks are Knott Rigg and Ard Crags, probably the toughest climb on the route, then there is the long descent to the valley bottom.

climbing Catbells with the sun shining over Borrowdale

looking back to Keswick over Derwent Water

the route opening up ahead.  The day would see me visiting many of the fells in this picture descending down Aikin Knott on Ard Crags which I think is the fell 3/4 of the way across with the green going further up than the one on the far right (Rowling End).

looking back down Catbells and over to the Skiddaw range

Catbells summit

now looking back to the summit (can still see people on top) from the climb up to Maiden Moor

from the northern edge of Maiden Moor looking back to Catbells

over to Borrowdale

Maiden Moor summit cairn with the track up to High Spy visible on the left.  Dale Head and Hindscarth middle and right.  Great Gable is visible to the left of Dale Head.

now at High Spy looking over to waves of fell ridges.  My descent route is in there somewhere.

almost at Dale Head summit

Dale Head

my onward route over to Robinson in the middle of the picture.  Buttermere is on the left.

climbing up Littledale Edge looking back towards Fleetwith Pike and Honister Pass.

Robinson summit

looking down over Crummock Water with Rannerdale Knotts prominent in the centre.

The Coledale Fells with Knott Rigg and Ard Crag looking quite easy from here.

starting the climb up Knott Rigg looking back to Robinson and the road

Knott Rigg summit

from Ard Crags summit looking back towards Buttermere

now descending Aikin Knott.  It's a really nice run along the ridge but it gets steep here and care is required.  The green track I would take is in the centre of this picture.  Catbells (and my car) are ahead across the valley with the blue of Derwent Water just visible between Catbells on the right and the flank of Rowling End on the left.

on the flat(ish) looking back

I think that's Robinson on the far left above the gate, Hindscarth and then Ard Crags.  This is looking back from Little Town, home of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.