Stonycroft Gill

Lake District walks - Stonycroft Gill

This picture was taken from high up on Barrow on a murky afternoon (ten minutes later, the clouds disappeared and the sun came out, but this is far more dramatic!). You can see the path round the back of Stile End, on the right, continuing past Outerside. In the distance, just covered in cloud, is Eel Crags, with some snow on it, and Sail in front; the Causey Pike ridge is on the left. Compare the colours in this picture with those in the next, after the fire.

Barrow Door, taken from Barrow after the 2003 fire. Braithwaite down on the right, Stile End up on the right, and Outerside in the distance. With the heather burnt away, at least the paths are easier to see - in fact, it is now easy to note the short-cut path down to Stonycroft Gill, on the left. But the heather has taken at least two years to start re-generating, and even now (late 2005) it is unclear whether it will fully recover.

This is what we are missing from Stile End and Barrow! Heather, as seen on Outerside from the flank of Stile End. Sail is straight ahead in the distance.

The reverse picture, looking down Stonycroft Gill from the lower slopes of Outerside. Poor old Barrow, on the left, is still looking very barren two years after the fire.

Six weeks later. The heather has lost its colour, and the bracken is beginning to turn. Not a bad view for mid-October...

Looking down on Barrow Door from the top of Causey Pike, soon after the 2003 fire. You can see not only the short-cut down to the Gill, but also the two paths on the left: the lower one is the usual way to go up to Sail Pass, the higher one is the direct route to Outerside.

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For somewhere to stay nearby, try

Highbridge Cottage.