Wythop and Lorton Fells

Date: 17th July 2024

Wainwrights: Graystones, Ling Fell, Sale Fell, Broom Fell, Lord's Seat, Barf

Start/Finish: Darling How Car Park, Whinlatter

Distance: 11 miles

Height Gaines: 3700 ft

Time Taken: 8 Hours

The route : clockwise from the Darling How car park (bottom left)

     A video of the hike - Watch it ! It's really good ! (IMHO☺️)

 The intention of this hike was to tick off the 7 fells in the Wythop and Lorton region but ... I ran out of steam after the 6th fell. The main problem with trying to link these fells together is that many of them stand alone and therefore require a considerable height loss between each one. This does sap the leg strength, and as a result, I will need to leave Whinlatter for another day. OK, excuses over. Let's get on with the hike.

The walk starts by the Darling How car park on the Whinlatter pass. A path wanders down and over the Aikin Beck before turning to follow it downstream for a short while. Just before the Scawgill Bridge, a vague path heads steeply upwards following a dry stone wall on a fairly straight course up onto the summit plateau of Kirk Fell. Graystones is the name given to the summit. 

The steep path up onto Graystones

From Graystones summit, Ling Fell looks a long way away. A path follows the course of a tumble down dry stone wall northwards towards Ling Fell. Much height is lost and has to be regained on this 2 mile route. 

The view from Graystones over to Whinlatter

The onwards view to Ling Fell

Ling Fell ahead

On the summit of Ling Fell is a lovely pillar shaped Trig point that looks like it was built yesterday. It really has weathered well since its construction in 1949. 

Ling Fell Summit with a glimpse of Bassenthwaite Lake

From here, the whole circular route can be surveyed and in particular, the dispiriting sight of Sale Fell which stands alone like an island. The realisation soon dawns that this fell will also require its full height ascended and descended. And so I started the steep descent with the knowledge that every step downwards would require another equal step upwards on the other side of the Wythop valley. 

Sale Fell over the Wythop Valley

It's another steep climb through the bracken up onto the summit plateau of Sale Fell, which represents the far northern extremity of the Lake District fells. From the summit, there are stunning views out over the Irish Sea, and the Solway Firth to Scotland. 

The path up Sale Fell

Sale Fell views over to the coast

Onward views towards Broom Fell & Lord's Seat

Attention then turns south towards Broom Fell, and the Wythop valley in between which requires crossing again. A good path leads off the fell down to Old Scales but from there onwards there is no clear path to Broom Fell on the map. Progress is therefore made upwards along farm tracks on grassy field skirting the right side of a small valley eventually passing a small copse on the left and heading upwards onto the summit plateau. Broom Fell adorns an impressive summit cairn and wind shelter as well as stunning views over towards the much larger Coledale Fells. 

Broom Fell views over to Skiddaw …

… and the Coledale Fells

Lord's Seat is thankfully only a short distance, and a short ascent away. This is the highest fell of the hike today at 1811 feet. A good path then meanders down to Barf. 

Lord's Seat summit looking down to Barf and Skiddaw beyond

Barf summit is a wonderful place and without doubt the highlight of the walk. The views over the length of Bassenthwaite Lake over towards the Skiddaw massif are breathtaking and well worthy of a 30 minute respite. 

Barf summit view

From here the path to Lord's Seat is retraced about 2/3 of the way before a side track heads off in the direction of Whinlatter. Soon, a forestry track is intercepted which winds downwards towards the flanks of Whinlatter. At this point I decided that 8 hours and 3700 feet of ascent was quite enough for one day and I therefore continued on past Whinlatter which will need to be climbed another day. 

This walk was hard work, mainly because of the considerable ups and downs which saps the strength. But unless each fell (other than Broom Fell, Lord's Seat and Barf - which link nicely together) is climbed on a different day, there is no easy way to link them together. These are very quiet fells though so for those seeking solitude they represent very good value. 

So thats 208 Wainwrights now climbed. Just 6 left to go.

Back O'Skiddaw

Dates: 19th & 20th May 2022

Wainwrights: Binsey (1467 ft), Bakestall (2208 ft), Great Cockup (1726 ft), Meal Fell (1804 ft), Great Scafell Fell (2136 ft), Brae Fell (1923 ft), Longhands Fell (1585 ft)

Total Distance: 13.6 miles  

Total Height Gained: 4000 feet

Time Taken: Day 1 = 1 hour.  Day 2 = 7 hours

                A 30 minute Video of the Trip

These are a difficult group of fells to link together in a single hike, mainly because Binsey is sat out on its own as the most northern of the wainwrights. I therefore decided to take the camper van and tackle Binsey on its own and then move closer to the other 6 fells which can be climbed easily as a group. 

Day 1 Route up and down Binsey

I set off straight after work and arrived at the foot of Binsey at about 18:30. It's a short climb with the summit reached in just 30 minutes. The summit has lovely uninterrupted views north and west towards Scotland and the Isle of Man. 

Binsey overlooking Over Water

Binsey Summit View over Bassenthwaite Lake

It would be great place to watch the sunset but I was about 2 hours too early so I headed down and then moved the van to a nice spot close to the start of tomorrows walk.

Day 2 Route

After a nice quiet night in the camper I set off up Bakestall at 5am, mindful of the weather forecast which had thundery showers heading my way in the early afternoon. The path heads up grassy tussocks on the right side of dead crags. The summit was reached almost exactly an hour after leaving the van.  

 

Bakestall 

Bakestall Summit

From Bakestall I headed down a path on the northern side of the fell picking up the Cumbria Way at Dash Falls and then heading westwards under dead crags before veering off north towards Dash Farm and then up onto Great Cockup. A cuckoo, the first I've heard this year, kept me company for most of the 2 hours between fell tops.

The Fells on the route ahead from the descent from Bakestall

A good path then leads on towards Meal Fell, then Great Sca Fell, Brae Fell and finally Longlands Fell. The whole of this region is a series of grassy mounds reminiscent of the Howgills. This section of walk was populated mainly be skylarks. I didn't see another person until descending off Longlands Fell. 

Longlands Fell summit view towards Over Water and Binsey

This trip took the Wainwright count to 194. Just 20 to go.

Bowfell - Mountain Profile

Bowfell Height: 2959 feet (902 meters)

Area: Southern Fells

Bowfell is the 6th highest mountain the Lake District. It's pyramid shaped profile stands at the head of the Great Langdale, Eskdale and Langstrath valleys.

It forms part of a continuous horseshoe ridge of high rocky ground from Crinkle Crags at the south eastern end to Slight Side at the south western end, with Great End and the Scafell Massif occupying its northern apex.

Angle Tarn sits in a glacial corrie under the steep eastern crags of Bowfell. A cluster of much smaller tarns called '3 tarns' (but varying between 1 and 5 bodies of water depending on weather) nestle in the col between Bowfell and Crinkle Crags.  

Bowfell is most commonly climbed from Stool End Farm in the Great Langdale valley via the 'Band', or as part of a ridge walk from Crinkle Crags. It can also be climbed from the Eskdale or Mosedale valleys from where its steep gully scarred southern aspect (Bowfell Links) can be best appreciated.

Bowfell Walks :-

: from Oxendale via Crinkle Crags
: from The Band & Climbers Traverse (and then on to Scafell Pike)
: from the Band & Climbers Traverse in Winter

Bowfell Summit View Panorama

Crinkle Crags and Bowfell over the Oxendale valley

Bowfell Links from Shelter Crags, at the northern end of Crinkle Crags

  

Bowfell and Esk Pike from Esk Hause

Bowfell over Angle Tarn

Great Slab and the Boulderfield from Rossett Pike

A Classic Lakeland View - The Great Slab on Bowfell

Bowfell Summit, looking south over Crinkle Crags

Bowfell summit panorama west - towards the Scafells

Bowfell summit panorama east - towards Langdale

My Top 10 Best Lake District Mountain Photographs

 I can’t get out and up into the fells at the moment for reasons explained in my previous post and so I’ve been trawling through my photos from the last few years and have selected my favourite 10. I thought I would stoop to the title of  ‘Top 10 Best ...’ as I read somewhere that this is a favoured search term on google eg. ‘Top 10 Best Smart Phones’, ‘Top 10 Best Oil Tankers’, ‘Top 10 Stickiest Glues’ etc. So here we go. Drum roll please.

In no particular order ...

1) Let’s start at ‘Lakes Level’ with a lovely Autumn scene looking over a glass calm Grasmere towards everyone’s favourite mini-mountain, Helm Crag and its bigger brother across Dunmail Raise, Seat Sandal. A circuit of Grasmere on a fine day is always a joyous affair but particularly so in autumn when the trees are at their very best.

Grasmere with Helm Crag & Seat Sandal

2) This is Side Pike on the path up to Lingmoor Fell. I love this view, with the dry stone wall, the heather and the Langdale Pikes in the background. It’s a lovely little fell within 30 mins walk from Blea Tarn. Well worth a visit at any time of year but even better in late Summer when the heather is in bloom.

Side Pike in late Summer

3) Another low level view. This one in winter from the old Walna Scar Road on a walk up to Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man. The view is looking over to Wetherlam and when the sheep turned round to look at me, it made for the perfect Lakeland winter picture.

Wetherlam in Winter

4) This next picture was taken from the summit of Grasmoor in the late evening during a summer wild camp. The light seeping through the clouds was just stunning and reflected beautifully off Loweswater and the Irish Sea. 

Loweswater Gold

5) Next is another winter scene. This is Dow Crag (left) and Coniston Old Man (right) from the same hike as picture 3) was taken. It looks quite calm and serene but the wind chill was around -15 degrees C as it was blowing a hoolie! 

Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man 

6) This next picture is of Ullswater with Gowbarrow Fell and the Great & Little Mell Fells in the background. The Ullswater Steamer and its wake sets the scene nicely. The picture was taken on a hike of the Deepdale Horseshoe in late November.

Ullswater from Thornbrow End

7) This photo was taken from the summit of Bessyboot and looks down the Borrowdale valley over Derwent Water and towards Skiddaw in its lovely winter apron.

Snowline on Skiddaw

8) This picture was taken on a winter hike of the Kentmere Horseshoe. I had hiked the route clockwise so the view is looking back over the ridge I had just hiked. The scene appears almost alpine with the 3 peaks of Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick in their winter coats.

The Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick Ridge

9) This is the view that will reward you if you make the easy climb up onto Rannerdale Knotts by the banks of Crummock Water. In fact you don’t even have to make it to the summit as this picture was taken from a small promontory about half way up. The view is of Mellbreak, a stunning mountain dominating the western shore of the lake. 

Mellbreak over Crummock Water

10) One the of best winter hikes in Lakeland must be the classic route up Helvellyn via Striding Edge and Swirral Edge. I was lucky to have a perfect calm, cold winters day for this hike. The view is looking back along the route I had already hiked, along Swirral Edge and towards Helvellyn.

Helvellyn over Swirral Edge

11) I know I said the top 10 best photos but having just shown shown you Swirral Edge in winter, it would be remiss of me not to show you Striding Edge from the same day. So this is the view that greets you as you stand at the start of this magnificent arete just before you take the plunge. Just stunning!

Striding Edge & Helvellyn

So that’s its. My 'best 11' fell photos of the past few years. Hopefully more to come in 2021 if this bleedin virus does one!  

The Deepdale Horseshoe

Date: 29/11/2019
Start/Finish: Bridgend/Patterdale
Wainwrights: Birks, St Sunday Crag, Fairfield, Hart Crag, Hartsop above How
Distance: 10.5 miles
Max Elevation: 2864 feet (Fairfield)
Total Ascent: 3415 feet
Time Taken: 6-7 Hours

The Route - Anticlockwise from Bridgend

It was 10 years ago when I last hiked this route. On that day I was clagged in the whole way round and saw nothing. I'd made a mental do it again in fair weather and well …. it was fair weather, so it was time for 'The Deepdale Horseshoe round 2'. This is a classic route. Tougher that the Fairfield horseshoe although not as far. I'd walked it clockwise 10 years ago and remembering the scary descent down Cofa Pike I decided that anti-clockwise would be more prudent, and that does seem to be the most popular way to tackle it.



A 10 minute video of the whole walk

Patterdale

Black Crags

Ullswater

Views over the Grisedale valley

Frosty ground on the path to Birks

The onwards route to St Sunday Crag

I missed the path up onto Birks so had to take a slight diversion back up to its summit.  

Birks

Views to Helvellyn from St Sunday Crag

St Sunday Crag summit

Mist and glare over the Deepdale valley

The onward route to Cofa Pike and Fairfield

Grisedale Tarn

Cofa Pike

It's a steepish scramble up Cofa Pike, unless there is an easier route that I missed. The use of hands was required at certain points.

The Deepdale Valley

Dollywagon Pike, Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn

Looking back over St Sunday Crag

Grisedale Tarn

Fairfield summit views

The path to Hart Crag

Looking down the Rydal valley to Windermere

The head of the Deepdale valley

Hart Crag summit views towards Dove Crag …

...

… and back to Fairfield

The Deepdale valley and the forward path to Hartsop above How

Views back over to St Sunday Crag

Hartsop above How summit view 

The forward view back to Bridgend ...

… and the backward view to Hart Crag

Sun just setting on Angletarn Pikes and Place Fell

Nearly back, in the fading light

When I did this route 10 years ago it took me around 5 hours. Today it more like 7 hours. This may be because I'm now 10 years older and less fit … Or it may be because the ground conditions were quite icy and careful foot placement was required. I'm going with the latter ….