Walking the smallest Wainwright
Setting off from Rosthwaite National Trust Car Park (free for members, arm and a leg if not) we walked up the smallest Wainwright Fell of Castle Crag. Head through the farmyard and follow the track to the river. Follow the river crossing New Bridge. Keep following the river till the path splits and head through the gate starting your ascent up the hill following the obvious path. You plateau out onto a grass area then head over the ladder stile to start the climb us the slate zig zags to the top of Castle Crag quarry. From here it’s a short climb through the trees to the summit. From the summit we dropped onto the Cumbria Way path and headed down to meet the River Derwent before following the river me back up and around Castle Crag to find Millican Dalton’s Cave. (A true character in the history of adventure in the Lake District) a walk of around 7km with a steep ascent of just short of 300m. From here it’s heading along the river again to find New Bridge and back along the track to Rosthwaite. A gentle walk but conditions, especially on the slate zig zags that can make it into a much harder walk.
