approaches to the northeast ridge are not encouraged, especially in bracken season. If you do fancy the challenge, however, rowan trees guide the way to the favoured approach.
5 The most efficient route sets off with Route 3 from the ladder-stile, breaking away right immediately before the ford. Trend up the marshy ground, keeping to the bracken fringe and seeking a sheep path that traverses to the right. The clue to its location is the solitary rowan growing from a rock – the sheep path tops the first outcropped step of the ridge. Pass a second lone rowan and climb, via juniper shrubs, up a short scree path, then follow the natural way (with only slight evidence of a path) up the outcrop-stepped ridge of The Nab. On the highest shelf pass a pool commanding a lovely view over Blea Cove. Finally reach the large cairn on the north top, a fine and peaceful viewpoint to enjoy alone, before turning south-southwest with Route 3 to bag the true summit..
Via the north ridge →4km/2½ miles ↑570m/1865ft
The north ridge offers an airy view over the environs of the Greenside Mine, from which it may be climbed directly from the footbridge.
6 A pleasant green-way leads off right from the ladder-stile across the northern flanks of Birkhouse Moor, running just above the intake wall. Part-way along an alternative (and eventually parallel) path angles half-left up onto the adapted course of a water channel. (From the rock-cut shelf where this is joined an old quarry incline leads up into Blea Cove. This is not recommended as a line of ascent.) After just about a kilometre, the two paths rejoin and shortly reach the footbridge across from Greenside Mine. Here turn left and head on intermittent tracks to the left of the crags south-southeast directly up to the north top, continuing on with Route 3 to the summit.
Ascent from Patterdale 24
Via the Hole-in-the-Wall →4km/2½ miles ↑580m/1900ft
The popular direct line to Helvellyn is another line of approach to Birkhouse Moor and there are also two much-less-travelled alternatives that set out along Grisedale.
7 About half a kilometre up the main road towards Glenridding, at Grisedale Bridge, take the minor road leading into Grisedale. The road bends right, crosses the valley, and as it bends back east towards the hunt kennels, go through the kissing-gate, rising up the pasture bank to a hand-gate. Take the path on the left pulling away gently from the wall. This heavily used path climbs, it seems for ever, via two intermediate hand-gates, to the Hole-in-the-Wall stile high above Grisedale, a stirring mountain scene. Here turn a sharp right to follow the north side of the ridge-top wall to the summit.
The summit from the Hole-in-the-Wall
8 The curious rambler will relish the discovery of the old green path which runs parallel and in sympathy with the modern trail. Find it by taking the footpath cutting back right 100 metres after the hand-gate along the fringe of old larches. After another 100 metres switch back left to rise over the brow. The path heads west above a fence and a ragged pine copse. Where the fence turns up the fellside at a stile/hand-gate, continue up the grassy slope. After crossing a stile some 40m above the main path, this higher path duly drifts down to converge briefly with Route 7 but diverges up again after a few metres along a narrow, unheralded, green path. This is the old path again and it rises through heather and bilberry, slightly sunken in places, climbing in two zig-zag stages above stone-retaining edges to level out as it approaches the Hole-in-the-Wall stile.
9 Follow Route 7 as far as the hand-gate on the far side of the valley. Here take the path going left (southwest) beside the wall above Braesteads (Breasteads on Harvey maps). Shortly after the third hand-gate, with Eagle Crag looming ahead, an old miners’ path branches half-right to a wall-stile at the entrance to Nethermost Cove. Cross and walk up beside the steep wall (no path) to reach Hole-in-the-Wall and rejoin Route 7 to reach the summit.
The summit
The slender ridge wall crosses the top of the fell in such a manner as to put the actual summit – the unmarked grassy knoll on the south side – out of reach of all but the most dedicated peak-baggers. The shambles of a cairn beside the trail hereabouts is an adequate compromise. Wisely, the excessively worn wall-side path east of the summit has been given a break with a new path pitched to the north. A far better place to deliberate is the north top. A path leads from the main track, passing pools, to the delightfully panoramic environs of the cairn.
Safe descents
Follow the ridge-top wall off to the E initially to return to either Glenridding or Patterdale. For Glenridding adhere to the newly engineered path E (3), down Mires Beck. For Patterdale keep beside the wall as far as a gate/stile, and there go right passing down through trees to reach the minor valley road.
Ridge route
Helvellyn via Striding Edge →3.2km/2 miles ↓35m/110ft ↑240m/790ft
No more thrilling ridge route exists for the Lakeland fellwalker. Follow the ridge wall W, where this breaks left at the Hole-in-the-Wall, and continue with mounting drama over the rocky crests of Low and High Spying How to test your balance (or prudence) on the rocky arete of Striding Edge. Put your walking poles in the pack and bring your fingers (white knuckles?) into play! Treat the path with reverence. The final tower is perhaps the most trying, with short chimneys down to left and right. Great care is needed in winter, with icy rocks and a strong gale, but also in summer when algae on the rocks has a similar slick effect to ice. A rough, loose scramble culminates upon the plateau edge.
3
Birks 622m/2241ft
| Start | |
| Climb it from | Patterdale 24 or Deepdale Bridge 23 |
| Character | Staging post ridge on the rise to St Sunday Crag |
| Fell-friendly route | 2 |
| Summit grid ref | NY 380 144 |
| Link it with | St Sunday Crag or Arnison Crag |
In essence, Birks is little more than the broad shoulder of St Sunday Crag, a rather plain northeasterly ridge stepped down from the higher fell, holding altitude for half a mile before plummeting into Grisedale. It is, however, bound by crags to north and east, and those overlooking Grisedale, notably the lower and glacially smoothed Elmhow Buttress, are a playground for eager rock climbers. Divided from the parent fell by Cold and Blind Coves, neither of these hanging valleys being of scenic note, its most charming face is the Black Crag scarp overlooking Glemara Park.
Few walkers set out to climb Birks – most commonly its summit is a pleasant incidental, drawn into the descent from St Sunday Crag. Even then many pass the summit cairn without faltering their stride, preferring the Thornhow End viewpoint over the head of Ullswater. There are, however, a number of contrasting options combinable to make a low-level circuit from Patterdale, perhaps taking in Arnison Crag en route for a closer survey of the lake. A westerly tack from Deepdale Bridge is another option for the fellwanderer.
Birks
