Misty, murky, meander on the Whitfell hills of Devoke Water

[trailmasher]

Ring of Devoke Water.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Mixed amongst the list of significant hills yet to climb - Hewitt's and a couple or three Nuttall's - I have also got to see off 73 Birkett's that are sometimes not so significant, but nevertheless are there to climb. Having climbed all of the Wainwright's, Hewitt's, and all but two or three Nuttall's in the Lake District my sights for the last year have been firmly set on completing these so called 'lesser fells' this year. The title of 'lesser fells' is a bit derogatory in some respects as some of these fells are well over 500 metres with plenty more well above the 400 metre height and they also have the advantage of gifting one with superb views of the surrounding countryside, sometimes even more so than some of the giants that are at the top of the tick list.

E - who is not a summit bagger - is always ready for a day or two away so we planned to settle ourselves in Eskdale for three days and knock off 15 of the best whilst staying at the Boot Inn that is in the old mining hamlet/village of Boot.

So beds booked we duly set off on a lovely, sunny, Monday morning from home to take my beloved and the hater of narrow, winding roads over Kirkstone Pass followed by a rather narrow and circuitous drive through into Little Langdale, up Wrynose and then of course the climb and descent of Hardknott Pass that has, to say the least, some pretty steep and tight bends in its makeup.

The drive in had been in brilliant sunshine and we were enjoying the drive - well I was - until
from the top of Wrynose Pass we could see a bank of low cloud over the far side of the Hardknott Pass summit which didn't bode well for our first walk which was to be a circuit of the fells around and above Devoke Water. Upon arriving at the top of Hardknott Pass we could see that Eskdale was nowhere to be seen but being grown up we sort of grimaced at each other before E closed her eyes as we dropped down into the valley bottom. As we got lower we found that we were dropping below the cloud and it was in fact just hanging high enough to cover the valley but was fairly clear at the valley bottom although low enough to drape the fell tops in its grey shroud.

Onwards we drove past Boot and Beckfoot to arrive at the T junction from where we turned left onto the Ulpha to Eskdale Birker Moor Road where the 'good bit' ends at Fisher Gate and a cattle grid before reducing itself into a good but narrower road as it does a sharp right to follow alongside and above the deep ravine of Red Gill. Before too long we had arrived at our chosen parking place opposite the road to the farm of High Ground and the track that would take us on the start of our journey around Devoke Water.

It has taken us 2½ hrs to get here and E needs a well deserved break so it's coffee and cake before we got dressed for the occasion. There were two more cars parked up on the level area of grassy ground one of which belonged to a local dog walker and we didn't see the owner of the other one. Straight across from the car park there is one of those old fashioned and rusty cast iron road signs whilst just behind it there is a bog standard fingerpost advertising the way to Devoke Water a half mile away along the track.

The start of the walk towards Devoke Water.

Just now it's 17°centigrade.

The sky was getting brighter and the mist was lifting slightly, more coming and going than anything else just now, as we set off along the good, wide and well stoned track. Just as a corner of Devoke Water came into view under a bank of low cloud, the start of a rough track had its beginning and end on our right, so this being as good a place as any to start climbing our first fell of the day we veered off and found a thin path through the grass that was leading in the general direction of the grey covered mass that was in front of us. This is Rough Crag at 319 metres in height.

As we neared the hill it proved to be of a low rounded shape more or less flat on top with its lower slopes covered in the fast growing bracken whilst the higher slopes are of grass and rock.

The way to Rough Crag.

An easy climb ensued until we reached the summit of mostly pink and grey coloured rock set in an island of rough grass and moss the cairn looking as though it has been partly built with some of the cobbles from the nearby Devoke Water.

Rough Crag with a misty Water Crag behind.

We were surrounded in clag so a photo shoot would have been a pointless exercise just now and we can only hope that the sun burns it off PDQ but after the long drive to here it's just good to be out in the fresh air.

Our next top to find in this clag is Water Crag so we left Rough Crag in a south westerly direction by just making our way through the small crags and rough grass and as we left we could just about see a sliver of water that belongs to Devoke Water to our left. Water Crag although not seen until almost upon it has a grass covered top, a fairly large cairn and sporting some large boulders but once again the views amount to zero. This is where we decided to take a break before starting the trek along the lower reaches of Devoke Water.

Elizabeth at Water Crag summit.

Upon leaving Water Crag for our next invisible summit we have quite a way to go as we dropped off the southwest ridge of our latest conquest to reach the wet and lower ground around the outflow from Devoke Water - Lingbeck Gill - from where we turned more to the south. As we passed Devoke Water the mist was lifting slightly and then dropping again but just giving us tantalising glimpses of what could have been a superb view across this small lake.

Looking across Devoke Water to Seat How.

We moved across the head of Black Beck to reach higher and drier ground to pass over a high rocky knoll that carried a wooden post and a great gathering of small rocks with a shelter cairn perched in the centre looking like a large stone tiara on some bald and lumpy pate.

Shelter cairn and post.

After crossing another low area and crossing another feeder of Black Beck we fell upon a path of sorts but as it was going in roughly our direction we gratefully took it even though it took us into a sea of waist high bracken. The thin line of the path could just about be seen running through this 'sea of American imported and invasive weed', but not for long as the going underfoot began to get rougher as foliage covered rocks tried their best to break our ankles or worse. It was time to leave this tick hoarding, rock covering plant life to start our careful climb upwards to more open ground and then once more reaching easier ground from where we could just about pick out The Knott at 331 metres. The ground is varied and pathless as we worked our way up the easiest way we could see.

Typical walking terrain and conditions.

If it hadn't have been so murky we could probably have found an easier route but the one that we took in truth wasn't too bad. On our way to the summit we passed through a large area of knee high and bright green grass, it was virtually a 'sea of grass'. Any more seas and it will sound like the music score from the Beatles 'Yellow Submarine' album. All this time we have been walking over pathless grass with a few rocks and outcrops to break up the monotony of the ground and as we reached the top via once again easy slopes we were confronted by not only the typical - well so far - grass covered top but it is also the last of our lower fells for a while. The summit of The Knott boasts two summits one either side of a long hollow with the north cairn being on the highest rocky knoll. It is so misty that I had a job seeing E as she stood on the north top whilst I investigated the south one.

The Knott.

Looking over to our right as we left The Knott we could see the few remaining trees and remnants of the plantation on Stainton Ling with Waberthwaite Fell sitting behind in cloud.

Waberthwaite Fell and forest remains on Stainton Ling.

From The Knott we now had a change of direction to the northeast that would take us over some easy ground from where we could just about see the southern end of Devoke Water. The going is over grass and we passed one of the many old and flattened cairns that seem to lie all over the place around here. As we got nearer to White Pike the ground became steeper but it's still easy going as we found ourselves at the bottom of a stone filled grassy rake…

Looking back to The Knott from the base of White Pike.

The stone filled rake leading to White Pike's top.

along the sides of which there is a strip of grass running the full length from top to bottom and it was this that we took advantage of to make our way up to top from where we then turned northwest for a short easy stroll onto the summit at 442 metres. There was a faint path to follow to the summit that has tall slender cairn perched atop a massive boulder and if the cloud had have lifted we would have had a first class view of Devoke Water. As it happens they haven't, and we didn't.

Elizabeth nearing White Pike's summit cairn.

We now had to make our way once again over the grass covered fellside but this time with the advantage of having a path to follow…

Elizabeth on her way to Woodend Height.

that led us first southeast before turning northeast to arrive at the impressively large cairn sat on a cushion of grass that marks the top of Woodend Height…

Woodend Height top.

but, once again no views I'm afraid. From where we are however we can see the outline of Yoadcastle to the south of where we are just now and through the mist it looks like a proper miniature mountain.

As we left Woodend Height we were still blessed with a path to follow which we unashamedly used and it took us but a few minutes to cover the ground between these two hills. Once again the terrain is undulating but easy enough as we passed a small and unnamed tarn. As we approached the summit of Yoadcastle the muck began to lift and we could now see something of our surroundings…

Approaching Yoadcastle.

albeit not a lot but it is definitely improving minute by minute. From the summit and looking roughly east we can see the massive green bulk of Hesk Fell that we hope to visit soon, but not today may I add. To the south we can also see Stainton Pike and Whitfell whilst further round to the east The Pike is to be seen.

Woodend Height from Yoadcastle.

Hesk Fell from Yoadcastle.

Whitfell and Stainton Pike from Yoadcastle.

We had another rest stop on Yoadcastle and enjoyed the ever increasing views as the afternoon sun began to slowly burn the clouds away. We now had a decent view of Devoke Water and our next and last top of the day, Seat How of Birker Moor fame. It's only a small hill but it's also a long way away from where we are just now with a long drop off into the low area that sits between us and it.

Devoke Water with Water Crag and Rough Crag behind with Seat How front right.

On the way down we had to contend with more bracken and waist high thistles whilst once in the bottom there are some damp areas that have to be skirted around. As we descended Seat How doesn't seem to get any nearer for quite some time and as we cross over Hall Beck we can see the oasis of Woodend Farm to our right, and Woodend Bridge from where we shall be setting off from tomorrow, Tuesday on our next excursion into the fells.

After crossing the footpath that runs in between Woodend Farm and Devoke Water we then crossed over a tumbledown dry stone wall and Seat How was now firmly in our sights.

Seat How from near Woodend.

After climbing the fellside for a short way we took an easy corridor of grass before working our way through the rocks along grassy rakes to arrive at the summit from where we had a good view of Devoke Water…

Devoke Water from Seat How.

and the first couple of fells that we had climbed during the morning. North of us and in the far distance the Scafells and accompanying fells can be seen with Harter Fell as is so usual around here not so far away and lording it above the many smaller fells around its base. Further east is Coniston Old Man.

The top is long with a low area in the centre that roughly forms two summits on the rocky top grass covered top on which - the highest - sits the cairn whilst on the westerly one and sitting in a small hollow there is to be found four plywood letters, painted red and which spells out the word LOVE.

Could this be for me I wonder.

So whoever left this token of affection for some blushing partner spent a lot of time and effort manufacturing and transporting his or her message of love, so both E and I wish them well and hope it was a good 14th February weather day and worth the climb up.

Long live love.

Woodend Height with Hesk Fell behind from Seat How.

A view east to the Dunnerdale Fells.

It is now just a matter of leaving this fell by the easiest way down and making our way to the track that we used at the start of the walk and then the half mile walk back to the car where we found that the temperature was now 23°c. Into the car, off to the Boot Inn, swift pint, shower, meal, more beer. What a good day we've had.

A disappointing, murky start to the day that made sightseeing a tad difficult, but at least the day did eventually improve and it was warm and dry apart from the fallout from the low flying cloud. Pathless after leaving Water Crag until we got to White Pike then a path to follow to Yoadcastle but from thereon, you're on your own again. Varied ground conditions, mostly dry, lots of bracken, long grass, rocky ground and humps and bumps to pass over but nothing serious. We enjoy walking these smaller fells despite the many ups and downs between the tops as the views are very good in most cases even if they only include the area that is being walked. There is usually nothing to inhibit the views and the main offender is low cloud of which we have to tolerate and get on with it, or pack up and go home which is something that I don't believe in after having spent the time and effort to plan the walk and get to the start that is often a good drive from home.

We'll hope for a better day tomorrow - Tuesday - as we tackle Hesk Fell and the fells that encircle the low lying area of Storthes.

[ChrisW]

Some hard graft in the early stages of pathless misty wandering TM (love the old sign at the start) So nice to see the mist blow out a little later on, hope you get some great weather for the next wee while mate

[trailmasher]

Some hard graft in the early stages of pathless misty wandering TM (love the old sign at the start) So nice to see the mist blow out a little later on, hope you get some great weather for the next wee while mate

Walking blind in the hills is always a challenge Chris with the best route not always chosen or spotted Tuesday was good, Wednesday back to thunderstorms As ever thanks for your comments