OVER ILLGILL HEAD

Thursday 15/04/2010. From my tarn-side camp I awoke to another fine day, brewed up had something to eat and was all packed up and away by 8.30am. As my first objective of the day is to complete the round of the three tops of Eskdale Fell (Great How) it's close companion fell, Whinscales then the pleaseant but unobtrusive top of Boat How at the southern end of Burnmoor Tarn before tackling Illgill Head it becomes obvious that if I can stash my rucsac somewhere in the region of Oliver Gill my progress is bound to be a bit quicker. I managed to find a suitable spot by the side of the beck coming down from the Gill and then made an easy climb up to the top of Great How along the rising shoulder of Blaeberry How and on above Raven crag to the summit. This route gives fine views of the Slight Side end of the Scawfells which will require my attention before my Birkett Round is complete. In little over a half-an-hour I had my first top of the day. As the next top, Whinscales lies less than a kilometer south of Great How and at an altitude 300' lower, it is little more than a ten minute downhill romp to reach it's undistinguished top. It does justify a visit as it gives excellent views of Scawfelll, Bowfell, Esk, the Crinkles etc. From here I took a pathless but direct lline to the edge of Oliver Gill followed it downhill, crossed the beck headed west to cross the Bulatt Bridge over the Whillan Beck then looping round Burnmoor Tarn Lodge to reach the flat summit plateau of Boat How. From here I retraced my steps past the lodge (taking a few pics) and on to retrieve my rucsac and head over to the start of the steeper climb to reach the top of the Illgill Head ridge. Once on top the ridge provides wonderful views of The Gable Pillar and Scawfell hills and today the weather is magnificent so all is well with the world and my tiny place in it! Met a couple of walkers on the ridge as I strolled in a liesurely fashion topping out on the summit cairns, taking a picture at the nameless tarn below Whin Rigg and then reaching that top after the short ascent from the ridge. Now I can get stunning views over to Morcambe Bay and the Irish Sea on my west side of approach downhill to the rather insignificant top of Irton Fell with the interesting view down Greathall Gill into lower Wasdale. The final top on my list is the least significant summmit I have encountered in Lakeland called Great Bank and at 1079' it just qualifies as a "Birkett", I had difficulty finding it through the protecting conifers and went a mile or so off route - crap navigation - and when I got there it's a paltry summit hardly worth the flog through conifers bracken and bramble and the descent into Miterdale is not the best bit of walking in Lakeland either! but still I have completed my round and now have another seven Birkett tops to tick off when I get home. Well done Freddie boy. Now all I have to do is walk back to Wasdale return over Mose's Trod to an overnight camp up on the plateau above Sty Head Tarn, where I slept the sleep of a happy man after a very successful walk in wonderful weather in a great part of Lakeland, so smile and the world smiles with you I say.