SCARTH GAP Traditional Geocache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Moderate walk incorporating a short steep climb.
This pass lying between Haystacks and High Crag is well known as providing the connecting link between Buttermere and Ennerdale. Scarth meant notch, so Scarth Gap is a simple duplication of terms.
Leave the Honister Road at Gatesgarth Farm, cross the flat valley bottom to Peggy's Bridge and Warnscale Beck flowing into Buttermere Lake and past the Buttermere Pines at the head of the lake. Gatesgarth meant ‘goat enclosure’, probably referring to the ancient enclosure of goats in the Gatesgarthdale valley leading up to Honister Pass.
Sadly the stone bridge marking the ascent to Scarth Gap from the lakeside path has now disappeared - and we miss that lovely little bridge.
Join the path heading uphill, with High Crag towering above to the right and Haystacks ahead, and soon after, turn left onto the path leading up to Scarth Gap, which rises gently along the Fell side, a little rocky in places, then passes through a dry stone wall before reaching Scarth Gap. A.W. wrote that you would need a will of steel to resist the temptation to stop at one of the many boulders by the path up to Scarth Gap 
- but then A.W. hadn’t experienced Geo-caching - in reality you will need a will of steel not to stop at one of the large boulders by the path on the way up!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)