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I've only written a walk report for this in case someone else fancies doing Hen Comb from the west rather than the Loweswater area, and wants an idea of possible routes. The different start point from 'normal' is the only reason for the report; I'm under no illusion the the prose and photos have any other merit
Anyway, another afternoon where I had the chance to get out, but the forecast was poor and there was low cloud over all the hills, even the really small local ones like Dent; by Frizington I was very, very tempted to turn round and drive home. Didn't; decided I might as well head to Cogra Moss or Ennerdale and took the minor road from Rowrah through Kirkland to come out on a minor road which could take me to either once I'd seen which looked better conditions - but at that junction there were a few cars parked, and room for some more, so I just parked there and went up Gavel Fell a slightly different way than I'd done before. I've fancied trying to do Hen Comb from this side too, and even though the hills were in cloud, I decided I might as well give it a go while I was here now.
From the parking area, I took the forestry track along the south side of Knock Murton's base which then gained a bit of height, before meeting the path up from Cogra Moss. This was where I'd come up previously, so knew to turn right and go over the gate, then head up Low Pen, High Pen and then over to Gavel Fell.
Continued on over the summit of Gavel Fell following the fence down and then crossed it to head across the very wet White Moss bog, coming alongside another fence and following it to the base of Hen Comb. Followed a worn path up which was a great help in the poor visibility, took me nicely to the summit cairn. Initially followed the same path down, then when it split, took the left branch this time to head back a different way, aiming for what was shown as a bridleway on my map, going to Whin. Got views of Ennerdale water as I passed through fields, then the bridleway deteriorated into a path between a drystone wall and fence, becoming very wet and a bit overgrown in places, then finally coming out on the minor road where I turned right and followed it back up to the car.
There were a couple of variations I could have done on inward and outward routes, but what I did this time was:
- Just coming down from High Pen to the col between Blake and Gavel fells, this was the view (or not!) of Gavel Fell. Not really a day for photos.
- Gavel Fell summit
- View of Hen Comb from White Moss (or it would be if it wasn't under a cloud)
- I was surprised to come across big bags of rocks on my way across White Moss - like the ones dropped by helicopter for path building on hills. The trodden path to Hen Comb was a sopping wet bog fest, but didn't really seem like a popular enough route to warrant building a good path instead.
- As I started up the lower flanks of Hen Comb, I looked back and saw Gavel Fell (right) was clear of cloud for a time.
- Hen Comb summit was still well and truly fog bound unfortunately
- Descending back down Hen Comb, instead of aiming for the fence line running up the pic on middle/right here which I'd followed the other way when heading for Hen Comb, I went more to the left. The White Moss was a bit drier to the left, and I followed a trodden route aiming for the left of the obvious small peak of Floutern Cop where my map showed a bridleway.
- The path became clearer, and I got a view back to Hen Comb at last
- Passed near Floutern Tarn nestling below Great Borne
- Followed the bridleway west, with the western end of Ennerdale Water appearing. It had been low cloud in the Lake District all day, but seemed to have stayed nice on the coast
- Looking across Ennerdale to Crag Fell and Anglers Crag
- The upper stretch of the bridleway was nice, crossing open fields, though it then went between a dry stone wall and fence (still okay) then between a wall and beck where the path was like a stream after the wet weather, and gorse bushes had to be negotiated.
- This was the signed gate where the bridleway ended (or started); I headed up the road from here, an easy uphill walk, through Croasdale and back to the car