Red Dell, Wetherlam and Red Gill Head

Somehow, there was a traffic-jam of walks this past weekend. On Friday, LTD negotiated the A66 and M6 over to Kendal and, on instruction or request to have a walk which would include the Synge top called “Ladstones”, or, possibly “Top Above Ladstones”, or even, “Red Gill Head”, perhaps, the Bro and us trundled off to Coniston and climbed up past the Coppermines Valley into Red Dell.

Red Dell is probably so-called due to the colour of the rock in the spoilheaps. There’s a lot of mining low down in the valley, including a hugely deep wheelpit, which once killed it’s operator, according to the info board nearby.

We puffed and panted our way sweatily up Red Dell and on to the summit of Wetherlam on a thin path which shows just how quiet is this route. Those in a sulk, or otherwise of an unsociable bent might well enjoy climbing Wetherlam by the Red Dell route. Just sayin’.

It was quite chilly at lunch on Wetherlam and our route, rounded to the nearest ten miles, was to descend Wetherlam’s South ridge, lighting on Lad Stomes aka whatever it might be called from above, thus taking it completely by surprise. The name Ladstones appears in www.hill-bagging.co.uk and, I suppose, in Synge’s list. The name, though, seems to locate some rocks in the small but beautifully formed corry or cwm just below. Otherwise the top is unnamed. Innominate Top, at 640 metres and a bit is a small outcrop near a small tarn, but with a big view. We enjoyed it briefly.

We finished our rounded-up walk by continuing down the ridge to Coniston.

It wasn’t very far, really… but a beautiful walk with a view of Coniston Old Man, specially for Li Yang, who is hoping to climb it shortly, I’m lead to believe.

More walks on the same weekend ought to follow very shortly providing my blogging mojo stands up to the challenge.

Coniston Old Man…