High Street from Brothers Water
FOUR Wainwright circular walk: Caudale Moor, Thornthwaite Crag, High Street, The Knott
Walk Rating:⭐⭐⭐
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Parking: FREE - on one of the lay-bys at the foot of the Kirkstone Pass, north of the Brotherswater Inn.
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| The ascent ridge to the west (right) of Caudale Moor |
As the highest of Wainwright's 'Far Eastern Fells', High Street is always a peak worth climbing. The top of High Street itself is of limited interest but there's a good choice of ascents and descents. Elsewhere in this blog, I describe routes up from Haweswater, along the course of the old Roman Road, and via the Kentmere Horseshoe. This route, however, takes you up a less well-walked ridge of Caudale Moor, passing some interesting industrial ruins, then takes you around Hayeswater, before heading back along the banks of Brothers Water.
The walk is generally straightforward although the paths down and up 'Threshthwaite Mouth' have become worn and loose and can certainly be tricky in icy conditions. A pair of hiking poles is therefore recommended.
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| Strava estimates a total walking distance of 15 km |
1. There is normally room to park for free in one of the lay-bys on the A592 Kirkstone Pass Road, just to the south of the Brotherswater Inn / Sykeside campsite. There's a footpath that runs along the edge of the fields above the main road that will take you to the start of the walk at Caudale Bridge.
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| The view to the ascent ridge from Caudale Bridge |
2. Standing on the footbridge over the Caudale Beck, just to the west of the main road, start to make your way along the right (south) bank up towards the ridge above.
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| Looking back towards High Hartsop Dodd |
3. The main path - with a few minor corner cutting paths as well - then makes its way up through the bracken around the foot of the ascent ridge of Caudale Moor. Eventually it reaches a distinctly grooved path just to the west of the crest of the ridge, looking down onto the beck running out of Caudale, with Hartsop Dodd beyond.
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| Up through the bracken (at least in late summer!) |
4. The path climbs steeply until it reaches the site of the old Caudale Quarry. It closed in 1934 but there are still a number of buildings and spoil heaps to explore.
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| Looking down over Brothers Water from the old quarry |
5. To continue up the fell from the ruins, look for a path that first heads back north-west up to the top of the ridge before you start to ascend southwards again.
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| Climbing up the ridge above the quarry |
6. The walk gives excellent views down over the road winding over the Kirkstone Pass and a fine panorama from Fairfield to Helvellyn and around to Place Fell.
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| Looking down over Red Screes and the Kirkstone Pass |
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| Looking back south towards Place Fell |
7. As the path starts to level out at the top of the ridge, resist the urge to veer left to the top of Caudale Moor but instead continue northwards above Kirkstone Pass. This allows you to find 'Mark Atkinson's Monument', a wooden cross atop a large cairn to the right of the path (see 'Worth Knowing' below).
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| Mark Atkinson's Monument to the right of the main path |
8. Once you've paid your respects at the monument, it's worth bearing south-west a little back to the higher ground to find the first of the two main cairns that stand on the ridge of Caudale Moor. Continuing past the small 'Caudale Head Tarn', and along the ridge wall, you can then spot another crumbled cairn which marks the official peak, also known as 'Stony Cove Pike' (2502').
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| The cairn on Stony Cove Pike |
9. From the top of Stony Cove Pike, continue to head west along the top of the ridge, following the wall heading towards the next fell on the route, Thornthwaite Crag. In between you and the fell, however, you have to negotiate a deep dip in the fell ridge, known as Threshthwaite Mouth
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| Heading down into Threshthwaite Mouth |
10. Take it slowly down into Threshthwaite Mouth, especially if its at all icy, and take in the fine views left down the valley of the Pasture Beck and, right, of Trout Beck.
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| The valley of the Pasture Beck with Gray Crag beyond |
11. Take a break in the peace of Threshthwaite Mouth (unless the wind is whistling through!) and then head up the obvious, but also now rather loose and worn, path up the other side of the dip. Hiking poles will definitely be useful here.
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| Looking back down the loose path on the other side |
12. Follow the path - which becomes a lot less worn as the gradient eases off - up the side of Thornthwaite Crag, with fine views back over where you have come from, until you reach the next fell summit.
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| Spectacular views north and west towards Helvellyn |
13. The top of Thornthwaite Crag (2569') is made very obvious by the fourteen-foot high stone column at its summit:
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| The column at the top of Thornthwaite Crag |
14. Looking west from the summit, the gentle wide track that continues your route, curving around to the broad ridge of High Street, should be easy to spot - this is, after all, the path of the old Roman Road.
15. As you walk along the track, there will be a good view down to Hayeswater to your left. The walk will be taking you down to its water's edge later!
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| Hayeswater, at the foot of High Street |
16. From here, continue along the track, eventually bearing right to the ridge wall that runs along the top of High Street to find the Ordnance Survey Column which marks its summit (2718').
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| The highest point of the Far Eastern Fells |
17. Continuing over High Street, the best views are often found by heading a few yards to the west of the ridge wall, so that you can look down towards Haweswater and Mardale.
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| Looking east towards Kidsty Pike and Haweswater |
18. Continue north along the ridge to reach a narrow dip with the fine name of the 'Straits of Riggindale'.
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| The Straits of Riggindale |
19. Head up the other side onto a very clear path that continues northwards to the bottom of the domed height just above the left of the path. This is 'The Knott'.
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| The Knott rising up to the left of the path |
20. You could continue on the main path around the base of 'The Knott' (2423') but the short walk to the top will be rewarded with a fine view back over Hayeswater:
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| Looking back to High Street and Hayeswater |
21. Continue on down the far side of the fell back towards the main path, looking out over Rest Dodd and 'the Nab' into Martindale.
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| Head down 'The Knott' to the clear path below |
22. When you reach the main path, turn left and continue along it for a few hundred yards before taking a fork onto an older path to your left which leads you down the hillside with a view down over Hayeswater below you.
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| Make your way down to Hayeswater |
24. You'll arrive at a little 'beach' from which you can then cross the gill on stepping stones (summer 2025) over to the track on its far side. (NOTE - the footbridge that crossed the gill a little further downstream was blown down by Storm Isha in January 2024 - it is due to be replaced but, before that is done, if the water levels are high, you may need to take off your boots and ford the river at this point)
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| Looking back up at 'The Knott' |
25. From here, take the wide track down the side of the Hayeswater Gill.
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| Take the track back down the valley alongside the gill |
26. The track takes you down to the hamlet of Hartsop.
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| A restored farm building next to the track above Hartsop |
27. From Hartsop, to avoid walking on the main road, look for a footbridge that takes you left over the beck and then take a path that leads alongside a wall to come out on the road just above Brothers Water. Cross the road and finish the circular walk along the bank of the lake until you reach the Brotherwaters Inn.
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| Lilies on Brothers Water (August 2025) |
Worth knowing: Mark Atkinson's Monument was first erected in memory of a former licensee of the Kirkstone Pass Inn, the pub (although now being turned into a more upmarket 'boutique hotel') which can be seen down below at the saddle of the top of the pass. He had requested that his ashes be laid to rest on the moor.
Today, the weathering of the original 1930 plaque for Mark Atkinson has made it hard to read, but that for his son, William Ion Atkinson, who died in 1987, is still easy to read.
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| Mark Atkinson's Monument |
