Innominate Tarn from Honister
Innominate Tarn from Honister
This is a familiar walk with a twist, the twist being that it's actually better to take the (High) Road than the Trail for once! Here I've used Photo's from a winter and a summer walk for illustrative purposes but it's all doable in one afternoon
We Start at Honister slate mine...and take the road to the top of the Mine instead of the Trail to Haystacks/Great Gable, the reason for this will become apparent in the next Photos...
You see if you take the trail you don't get to see these magnificent standing stones at the top of the road which command a lovely view down to the Honister Mine Centre itself and the Fells beyond, got to be worth the detour! (Well for me anyway!)
As we get to the very top of the Mine we come across the odd sight of this old Wriggly Tin Shack seemingly holding back a mountain of slate!
Next it's around the bend in the last Pic to Dubb House and the point where the Trail to Haystacks and the road meet, so we’re back on track!
To the left of the House you can see the trail rising towards Innominate Tarn and Haystacks but first we go down the hill and cross the beck on the stepping stones (Rainfall permitting!)
Once across (hopefully dry!) there is a slight climb
Up towards Haystacks but nothing major, in fact it's really quite a pleasant stroll.
The view starts to open out and you can get some great shots of Buttermere and Crummock Water beyond.
Soon we reach Haystacks proper and there is a short edgy traverse around a rocky outcrop to get onto the fell itself, keep your concentration here and you'll be fine, it's easy enough in the dry but could be tricky in the wet! The summit is only a few hundred yards from here, (With its own Tarn) you can choose to head for the top or like me go back towards Innominate Tarn, for some watery shots involving some of the smaller and unnamed bodies of water that abound here, I tend not to go to the top of Haystacks these days as it's usually quite busy and not too conducive to Landscape Photography for this reason!
Then it's just back the way you came to await the Bus at the Slate Mine to whisk you off for a well earned beer in the Bank Tavern in Keswick (if you want!)
Cheers Jules...