THE LAKE DISTRICT
1st November 1980 to 7th November 1980
Another autumn week in the Lake District staying in a cottage to the west of Crummock Water. The objective was to finish off the fells in Wainwright's North Western Fells.
Saturday 1st November
Not too early a start but made good time and arrived at Ambleside around 10 o'clock. Wandered round the shops before crossing the Kirkstone Pass to climb Little Mell Fell and Great Mell Fell. Little Mell Fell was quite easy being just a very short walk from the road. The wind was blowing strongly and was quite cold and there was no shelter on top. Grass all the way except for the very top which was a little mound of heather. Good views of Ullswater. I went up Great Mell Fell alone and being sheltered from the wind the going was very hot even though the sun had disappeared. Not a steep walk but long, across hummocks of grass and heather - quite tiring. There was a fine view of Blencathra from the summit. The rest of the day we spent in Keswick before driving over to the cottage which is at Armaside past Lorton. The valley and views are very pleasant.
Fells - Great Mell Fell - Little Mell Fell
Sunday 2nd November
Drove to Wythop Mill on a fine clear day and climbed, firstly, Ling Fell on a grassy terrace and then open heather. Quite an easy walk but again cold and windy. Sale Fell, our next objective, looked extremely steep from here. Good view of Skiddaw from the top. An easy descent took us back to the road and down to the valley turning right towards Kelsick Farm. Returned immediately up the fellside - quite steep at first then easing off giving a pleasant undulating walk across a grassy top. The sun was shining and the walk was quite easy and enjoyable. A better view of Skiddaw from here together with Bassenthwaite Lake and the plains northwards. The descent, which from Ling Fell looked impossibly steep, was surprisingly easy - a gradual slope down on a wide grassy path. We finished the day with a drive over Newlands Hause to Buttermere and Crummock Water and a fine view of Grasmoor.
Fells - Ling Fell - Sale Fell
Monday 3rd November
Into Cockermouth first thing for some shopping then a drive around to the Swan Hotel underneath Barf where Sandy waited whilst I climbed Barf direct - a steep slippery route. Firstly up to the Bishop on the loose scree - not too difficult - then more scree and a few rock climbs before the ground levelled off. Below, a superb view of the Swan Hotel and, across the valley, the Skiddaw group. The day was bright and clear but very hazy in the distance - a greyish sort of haze that hung over everything. The route continued - very varied, rock faces, heather, scree, exposed ledges and finally a grassy climb to the summit. I wasn't sure that I had reached the top - confused over Wainwright's notes - so checked with compass and found I was there. Lords Seat stood invitingly a short distance away and in case the weather was not as good tomorrow I decided to take in Lords Seat as well. A fairly easy walk climbing nearly all the way and I was on the top. Good views northwards but to the south only black hazy shadows of the ridges as the low winter sun shone into the haze. The descent was interesting through the forest on different paths and I was soon back at the start. A little later we drove up to the top of the Whinlatter Pass to climb Whinlatter - a delightfully easy top with only one short steep climb in the middle. The top was long and undulating but very good walking among the heather and grass. It turned cold as we descended but the descent did not take long and we were soon back to the car after another fine day and some excellent walks.
Fells - Barf - Lord's Seat - Whinlatter
Tuesday 4th November
Another clear day although not too sunny except in patches. We walked from the cottage to climb Graystones and Broom Fell. A long varied track took us to the slopes of Graystones, or rather Kirk Fell, which was the only steep part of the ascent. From Kirk Fell an easy stroll down a dip and up again brought us to the summit of Graystones. The view over to Grisedale Pike was much clearer than yesterday as, although dull and overcast, we could pick out much more detail. Dropping down from Graystones we turned right for Broom Fell which looked a long way off and a fair climb but which was fairly easy. A few ups and downs past the forest and a final climb before a long undulating top and a final pull to the rounded summit. The return journey was mostly along the same route and was an easy stroll taking a little over an hour for a four mile walk. With time to spare (we had arrived about 2.30p.m.) we drove around via the Honister Pass with some superb views of the mountains - dark and handsome, to Keswick where Sandy bought a new duvet jacket before we finally returned home.
Fells - Broom Fell - Graystones
Wednesday 5th November
Not quite such a good morning first thing with the cloud down on the higher fells. I had planned on Grasmoor and some others so we set off for Rannerdale where Sandy would wait in the car. By the time we arrived the cloud had lifted and the sun shone through in patches. I set off virtually straight up from the road and it was up all the way. The climb up the scree on the upper half was tortuous and steep - slippery and very long. I was tired on reaching the summit ridge only to be met by a strong wind which made it difficult to walk and even difficult to stand still. On top of Grasmoor is a superb wind shelter - like four horseshoes back to back - a welcome respite from the wind. From Grasmoor I walked across to Eel Crag with some dramatic views left to Whiteside and to the northern crags of Grasmoor. Eel Crag was reached easily and there were good views northwards although it was rather grey. A final path led to Wandope circling Addacombe Hole on the left with grand views down to Sail Beck. The wind was still knocking me about and any shelter was welcome. Next on to Whiteless Pike - a fine little mountain - and the long drop down towards Buttermere with superb views backwards to Causey Pike. I turned right for Rannerdale Knotts - an easy walk on the grassy ridge with a few interesting rocky climbs. A good little summit for a small fell - as many are. The descent was steep but reasonably easy running down the scree and I arrived back feeling quite tired mainly from the constant fight with the wind. We drove around to Keswick over Newlands Pass and via Grange with some superb views of Derwentwater from below Catbells with a beautiful autumn sunset as we approached Keswick.
Fells - Grasmoor - Rannerdale Knotts - Eel Crag - Wandope - Whiteless Pike
Thursday 6th November
Drove round to Braithwaite for an ascent of Barrow and Outerside to complete all the North Western Fells. The weather wasn't quite so good although still dry. Blencathra in the distance had a smothering of snow on its northern side. Barrow was reasonably easy - a straight walk up the ridge with good close views of Causey Pike from the top. A fine path led down and contoured around Stile End leading to Outerside which although over 400 feet higher than in Barrow proved a remarkably easy climb. The wind was blowing strongly up the ridge and on the descent we had a few minutes of sleet but nothing much. Quite an easy day.
Fells - Barrow - Outerside
Friday 7th November
Our last walking day and we set off to ascend the fells we could see from the cottage window - Fellbarrow and Low Fell. We climbed from Thackthwaite up an easy track and onto the open fell where we headed straight up Fellbarrow - steep but fairly easy. From the top we had a clear view of Scotland - quite a surprise. The ridge to Low Fell looked to be quite hilly but turned out to be a fairly simple stroll although the wind was blowing strongly. Low Fell has two tops and we found we still had a fair way to go after reaching the first but were soon sitting down for lunch with a tremendous view over Crummock Water and Buttermere and the fells beyond. The wind blew even stronger on the way back and we cut straight down the fellside for a quicker route back and were soon back at the car. We rounded off the day with a drive via Honister Pass and a visit to Watendlath followed by a short wander around Keswick.