Lake District Fells

Friday, 15 December 2017

Saturday, 30 September 2017

Place Fell - Walking Route

A Glenridding Hotel Guide to the Lakeland Fells

Fell Name: Place Fell

Fell Height: 657m (2156ft)

Alfred Wainwright - Book Two – The Far Eastern Fells

Recommended map to accompany this guide - Ordnance Survey Map – OL5

Leave hotel and head to Ullswater Steamer pier, catch boat to Howtown (one way – 35 minutes).

This can be a busy route for walkers so when you disembark at Howtown just have 10 minutes on the shoreline admiring the views and let the crowd head off.

Follow the “Ullswater Way” path around the front (North) of Hallin Fell.

Just below Sleet Fell and before Scalehow Wood leave the “Ullswater Way” and follow the path adjacent to Scalehow force (Waterfalls)

Follow path past old quarry ruin.

Turn right at Low Moss and head towards Hart Crag.

The view back to Ullswater & High Dodd.

Place Fell summit.

View down to Glenridding.

Follow path towards Round How & Boredale Hause. View to Brothers Water.

At Boredale Hause turn right (West).

Follow path down to Side Farm.

The view looking back up to Boredale Hause.

Follow path through Side Farm, at Patterdale turn right and follow road back to Glenridding.

Sunday, 16 July 2017

Utterly Buttermere

An Autumn trip to Buttermere takes some beating, not only have all the leaves cleared off but also the crowds of "flip floppers" have too.

If you've never been here before, i recommend you drive the Honister Slate Mine way, the drive alone is a cracker, just make sure your brakes work ready for the decent.

Now in my opinion the amazing thing about Buttermere is that you don't need to climb any fells to get the views, all around you is beauty. My first 1/2 dozen trips here with the "bin lids" & "trouble n strife" we just wandered around the lake.

But trust me though, them "mountains are calling and I must go" your surrounded by them from nearly all sides, they whisper to you "please climb me" (they don't, I just made that last bit up, I'm sorry I'll get me coat)

Now at the far end of Buttermere is a small fell named "Haystacks" possibly named as the summit resembles stacks of hay in a field. It's a little fell standing only 1959ft and described by Alfred Wainwright as "a shaggy terrier in the company of foxhounds" due to the scale and beauty of the surrounding peaks, of all the fells in this area this is the one I recommend you climb if you get chance, it's one of the few I continually return to.

Autumn is also the time when I also feel less like the "shaggy terrier in the company of foxhounds" as this is the time that the "designer climbers" pack their expensive hardly used clobber away. No more being passed at great speed by couples wearing matching clothes, rucksacks and the obligitory "two sticks each" . I once bought one of these £80 active slim fit wicking base layers and it just made me look like I was smuggling a "Wok"

I think sometimes people enjoy the buying of things for their hobby more than their hobby itself.

So to quote AW for the last time "this is a place of great charm and fairyland attractiveness" in my words it's "Utterly Buttermere" so don't be "unabashed and unashamed" and go and have a wander.

Saturday, 15 July 2017

Three Great Walks

To name my three favourite walks in the Lake District is impossible for me, but at least three great walks are possible from this place.

For me on this wander the adventure starts on the drive there, a cattle grid at Elterwater separates civilisation from wilderness or that’s how it feels as you enter Great Langdale.

Now this is National Trust country and most things you see are owned by them, the pub, campsite, land, sky, clouds and also the carpark where this wander starts, it all has that NT polished feel about it.

The well-groomed path to the side of Stickle Barn is where the “stairway to heaven” starts, it’s a path that you will struggle to get lost on as long as you follow the water of Stickle Ghyll to the source.

For all this path’s beauty don’t underestimate the hard graft it takes to reach the top as it’s as steep as “your old nan’s stairs”. At the top your greeted by the intimidating Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle and the mirror like Stickle Tarn.

Now, at this point the tribes congregate as it is the gathering point for the “jam butty” gangs (that’s if jam butties still exist) you have to be up early to avoid this group of adventurers.

From here you could just “about face” and walk back the same route you just came up, I wouldn’t blame you, for a start you had your back to all the amazing views…

Or for the more energetic adventurer there’s a choice of multiple routes or missions (should you choose to accept):

Route one – To quote Alfred Wainwright “An easy but tedious route”.

Route two – “The North Rake” or the Bear Grylls route, makes you feel like an explorer, a bit rocky but fun.

Route three – Jacks Rake, the “will I see my friends and family again” route.

So I’ll leave it there and let you pick your own route as that’s half the fun of this wandering lark, and remember not all who wander are lost.

A Sunny & Stormy St Sunday Saunter on Saturday with Sausages

Fell Name: St Sunday Crag

Fell Height: 841m (2759ft)

Time Required: 4 to 5 Hours

Alfred Wainwright - Book One – The Eastern Fells

Recommended map to accompany this guide - Ordnance Survey Map – OL5

We get to the Glenridding Hotel at 10am and head straight into “Let it Brew” coffee shop for breakfast, it’s a bit of a trek today so need to fuel up on the Early riser sausage sandwich and Americano.

At 11am were off, left out of the hotel and walk along the side of the A592 towards Patterdale, turn right when you get to Grisedale Bridge, if you pass the Patterdale Mountain Rescue you’ve gone too far.

Follow the road uphill and look for the footpath sign on the left next to a large wooden gate, you can’t miss it, it’s the one with the huge mountain behind it.

Now the pain starts, it’s a relentless slog up Thornbow End / Birks and all the magnificent views are behind you (nearly went into pantomime mode then) it’s a great excuse to keep stopping to admire Ullswater coming more and more into view whilst secretly gasping for breath.

The path plateaus bringing respite for a brief period then steeply rises to the summit of St Sunday Crag. If you look to the right (northwest) the infamous “Striding Edge” is clearly visible, and if you look close enough you will see the queue of people crossing.

The bulk of hard graft is now behind you, a short wander down to Deepdale Hause and a steeper path to the right (southwest) down to Grisedale Tarn, a perfect place for a breather.

Follow the path down through Grisedale past the Ruthwaite Lodge climbing hut following Grisedale Beck back to where you started.

Back into “Let it Brew” for Berry Smoothies and the treat of the day, an amazing Cumberland & Sweet Pickle Sausage Roll, a speciality created by Adam and the perfect finish to an enjoyable day in the mountains.