Haycock

Haycock rises between Scoat Fell and Caw Fell on the ridge that divides Ennerdale from Wasdale. Its big stony dome is well seen from both valleys, but it is a long way from either.

From Ennerdale, park at the pay and display car park below Bowness Knott and walk the track along the lake shore. Cross Char Dub, at the head of the lake, by the Irish Bridge, then take one of the gaps through the Ling Mell plantations. The natural line up follows the spur west of Deep Gill. A longer alternative climbs the Tewit How spur and turns right at the col below Scoat Fell. Walkers often add Steeple and Scoat Fell, or carry on west along the wall to Caw Fell and come down between Silvercove Beck and Deep Gill. Such a round is about 18 km.

From Wasdale, start at Netherbeck Bridge on the Wast Water road and follow Nether Beck round the base of Middle Fell, climbing more directly once you reach Ladcrag Beck. Greendale, further down the valley, is another way in.

Paths through the heather are narrow and sometimes hard to follow, and the ground is rough and slow. There is no scrambling on these routes.

On the wall

The Ennerdale Fence, here a dry stone wall, crosses the summit with a cairn on each side. The northern cairn counts as the top. Ennerdale Water is in view from there, and Wast Water from a second cairn to the south. The Scafells stand in profile, with Helvellyn and Skiddaw far off. North west along the ridge, Little Gowder Crag shows as a rocky knuckle above Ennerdale. To the south the River Bleng rises and flows for miles through empty country to join the Irt.