1. Saskills
Whitestone Crag.
Whitestone Crag, Newton Fell, was often climbed on as a stop-gap if the central crags were wet. But I always liked the place, the easy angle and the rough rock, enjoying many sunny evenings there. Remember spending what seemed like hours belaying Tony on the overhang of the V or maybe W climb as he repeatedly slumped back down. The top fell side was a delight to relax on post-climb. So today, the first day of 2016, I found myself walking up to the crag and scrambling up on its right side, the steep climb punishing my post-Xmas body. Reaching the top, as the weak sun did its best to burst through, I was rewarded with views up to the snow smeared Coniston Fells, Langdale Pikes and the Helvellyn range. My object was to walk along the ridge to the highest point Saskills 239m, another of Wainwright’s Outliers. Keeping to the east of the wall I reached the ‘summit cairn’ with open views over reservoirs down Newton Fell to Arnside and Morecambe Bay. An unsightly communications tower was unceremoniously plonked nearby – ?planning permission.
South from Saskills.
North from Saskills, Coniston and Langdale fells.
My original idea was to walk the length of the Newton Fell ridge above the A 590 road but as Wainwright had suggested this was an awkward task, what with walls and private land. So I backtracked and found a delightful path winding down the craggy fell side into woods with mature yew and holly and on to the regulation green caravan site, and I was soon reunited with my car.
Quote of the day for dog owners and the rest of us from the caravan notice board – 
2. Dixon Heights.
Dixon Heights above Eller How.
Phase one completed I had difficulty parking on or off the new high-speed bypass to walk into Eller How Farm, now a complex of desirable properties. Soon I was walking up past a folly and onto the open fell side of Dixon Height with its ruined tower. Some fell ponies were contentedly grazing near the top. Below the Winster Valley is beginning to dry out, Ingleborough was prominent to the SE.
South from Dixon Height.
North along Newton Fell from Dixon Heights.
That was a quick but delightful summit.
I look out on Newton Fell. I love both those walks. Dixon Heights is beautiful with its views over the Bay, its follies, and the wild horses that have its run. Never tried the scramble on White Stones. What grade is it? I’m comfortable enough with grade 1’s, but haven’t really progressed beyond that yet.
You live in a lovely spot. Dixon Heights is magic.
My scramble that day was up vegetated gullies and slabs trying to avoid any difficulties, not recommended.
On the left of the crag is a long rambling route of about Diff rockclimbing standard, this is overgrown and awkward in parts.
Best keep clear of Whitestone!
Brian Evans, as you probably know, has published a book of graded and recognised scrambles in the Southern Lakes [?Cicerone]
Yes, I have that. I’ll look it up, but maybe I’ll stick to admiring the Whitestone crags from the footpath.
If you’re doing both summits again as a walk you don’t necessarily have to re-park. Some of the land between is private and not open access, but Bishop’s Tythe Allotment, the summit north of Dixon Heights is open access. If you walk up the road from the Whitestone caravan park, you come into High then Low Newton. Opposite Yew Tree Barn antiques is a farm. A track that is a right of way loops around the barn and becomes a footpath following a drystone wall. Just after the first gate, the path forks. The right hand (lower) fork follows the wall all the way along until it meets the path coming up from Eller How. I usually come back that way. The left hand fork, takes you up on to the top of Bishop’s Tythe Allotment. From there you can descend to Tom’s Tarn (dry after long dry spells). This is essentially the col with Dixon Heights. A gate takes you through to the path up from Eller How, which you can cross and find your way up to the top.
Thanks for that George.
I’ve spotted it on the map and will use at some later date, perhaps first footing 2021.