High Tove & Armboth Fell
Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 9:04 pm
Armboth - High Tove - Armboth Fell - (attempt at Raven Crag) - Armboth
The english summer arrived this weekend (well for a few days anyway) and the 4 days of drying weather formed the plan to climb into one of the districts wettest areas. Wainwright himself wasn't keen on the bogs that line the central ridge and having witnessed Bleaberry and High Seat last year (further north on this ridge) I kind of knew what we were in for.
We arrived at the banks of Thirlmere at about 09:10 and decided to park down the road from Armboth Car Park. There are plenty of little bays down this road if you,re prepared to do a little road walk before heading higher.
A brisk breeze was blowing down the lakes flanks and freshened what would have otherwise been a very hot day for this time of year.
Opposite Armboth Car Park we found the gate and route up a steepish little track heading onto the central ridge. After 20 minutes of herding sheep (around 30 of them kept to the path ahead of us and refused to move either left or right on to safer ground), we clambered up the final zig-zag and through the stone wall onto the upper reaches of High Tove and the start of the boggier country.
As predicted, the ground had fairly dried out leaving only the ground surface wet in places , preventing most of our boots sinking and progress was easily made up a wide expanse of heathered moorland up to the summit.
For panoramic view of this photo, please follow link :
http://www.dermandar.com/p/cfyCMa/helvellyn-range-from-high-tove
We then headed left along the fence line to Middle Fell, which was the worst part of the trip for this area held most of the water and a large expanse wasn't passable without getting feet wet. From Middle Fell we headed back toward Thirlmere making a beeline for Armboth Fell which is quite distinctive with its large rock summit in the middle of all that marsh.
The plan had been to then head south and follow the waterfall down to the Thirlmere road but as it was still early we decided to head for Raven Crag which could be seen under its wooded cloak at the northern end of the lake.
For panoramic view of this photo, please follow link :
http://www.dermandar.com/p/eDUWXk/thirlmere-from-central-ridge
A straight line (or as straight as possible) was taken back across our ascent path and up to the edge of the Forestry Commission boundary which we skirted round looking for the wooden gate that led to the Forestry path and the summit of Raven Crag. (I'd done this with Damson last year from Dale Bottom campsite so knew what I was looking for). On arriving here however, we found the final ascent path was blocked by a large number of felled trees and a no admittance sign. This work was being started when I last climbed this fell back in summer of last year.and I nearly got turned back then. Surely it would be common courtesy to hang a few signs round the lower reaches of the fell advising of the position or better still clear the paths of the trees that are left abandoned over a very large stretch of mountain. I know as ramblers / fell walkers we have few rights but a 12 month restriction of a Wainwright fell top seems excessive.
Anyway we headed back the way we'd come along the forest track planning on following this all the way to the car park. We didn't however notice that the roads didn't meet up on the map and when we reached the dead end heading back south, we had a decision to make : head back north and follow path down to Thirlmere Dam, head up through the trees to find the ridge and come back down the way we'd gone up or push on blindly down through the trees to try and find another path.
Despite John's bad knee we took option 3 and fell / crashed / plummeted through the trees down towards the lake. After picking up about half a tree a piece in our clothing, socks and ruck sacks we crashed through the tree line and onto a lower path just above the road.
This path dropped us right back down to the car park and our little trek along the road back to the car.
Nice little route which wasn't too taxing and got us out in the great British Sunshine. Also leaves only 75 fells for me and Damson to finish.
The english summer arrived this weekend (well for a few days anyway) and the 4 days of drying weather formed the plan to climb into one of the districts wettest areas. Wainwright himself wasn't keen on the bogs that line the central ridge and having witnessed Bleaberry and High Seat last year (further north on this ridge) I kind of knew what we were in for.
We arrived at the banks of Thirlmere at about 09:10 and decided to park down the road from Armboth Car Park. There are plenty of little bays down this road if you,re prepared to do a little road walk before heading higher.
A brisk breeze was blowing down the lakes flanks and freshened what would have otherwise been a very hot day for this time of year.
Opposite Armboth Car Park we found the gate and route up a steepish little track heading onto the central ridge. After 20 minutes of herding sheep (around 30 of them kept to the path ahead of us and refused to move either left or right on to safer ground), we clambered up the final zig-zag and through the stone wall onto the upper reaches of High Tove and the start of the boggier country.
As predicted, the ground had fairly dried out leaving only the ground surface wet in places , preventing most of our boots sinking and progress was easily made up a wide expanse of heathered moorland up to the summit.
For panoramic view of this photo, please follow link :
http://www.dermandar.com/p/cfyCMa/helvellyn-range-from-high-tove
We then headed left along the fence line to Middle Fell, which was the worst part of the trip for this area held most of the water and a large expanse wasn't passable without getting feet wet. From Middle Fell we headed back toward Thirlmere making a beeline for Armboth Fell which is quite distinctive with its large rock summit in the middle of all that marsh.
The plan had been to then head south and follow the waterfall down to the Thirlmere road but as it was still early we decided to head for Raven Crag which could be seen under its wooded cloak at the northern end of the lake.
For panoramic view of this photo, please follow link :
http://www.dermandar.com/p/eDUWXk/thirlmere-from-central-ridge
A straight line (or as straight as possible) was taken back across our ascent path and up to the edge of the Forestry Commission boundary which we skirted round looking for the wooden gate that led to the Forestry path and the summit of Raven Crag. (I'd done this with Damson last year from Dale Bottom campsite so knew what I was looking for). On arriving here however, we found the final ascent path was blocked by a large number of felled trees and a no admittance sign. This work was being started when I last climbed this fell back in summer of last year.and I nearly got turned back then. Surely it would be common courtesy to hang a few signs round the lower reaches of the fell advising of the position or better still clear the paths of the trees that are left abandoned over a very large stretch of mountain. I know as ramblers / fell walkers we have few rights but a 12 month restriction of a Wainwright fell top seems excessive.
Anyway we headed back the way we'd come along the forest track planning on following this all the way to the car park. We didn't however notice that the roads didn't meet up on the map and when we reached the dead end heading back south, we had a decision to make : head back north and follow path down to Thirlmere Dam, head up through the trees to find the ridge and come back down the way we'd gone up or push on blindly down through the trees to try and find another path.
Despite John's bad knee we took option 3 and fell / crashed / plummeted through the trees down towards the lake. After picking up about half a tree a piece in our clothing, socks and ruck sacks we crashed through the tree line and onto a lower path just above the road.
This path dropped us right back down to the car park and our little trek along the road back to the car.
Nice little route which wasn't too taxing and got us out in the great British Sunshine. Also leaves only 75 fells for me and Damson to finish.