Six hills around Corney Fell and Thwaites Fell.

[trailmasher]

Corney Fell Hills.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

This was to be my second attempt at climbing these six hills that lay in the far south of the Lake District sitting north of Whicham and the Black Combe group of hills as my first was thwarted by bad weather, fog so thick that I couldn't see more than 3 metres. I'm by no means a fair weather walker but this was worse than bad. Now I know that sometimes it is inevitable that we must encounter and walk in the likes of this, but I for one am not prepared to un-necessarily start walking in conditions like this as I like to be able to see something when I'm up there in the hills and as it's a long drive from home I was more than reluctant to call off the walk. In the hope that the fog might lift I sat around for a good while, it didn't, so I ate my sandwiches and had a leisurely drive back home.

So now that my tale of walk abandonment is over with I'll continue with the one that happened. I took the A66 to Cockermouth and from there the A5086 to Egremont, A595 to Bridge End/Millgate where I then turned onto the minor road that runs high over Corney Fell to either Duddon Bridge or the A595 at Broadgate. My choice of parking was at the highest point of this minor road and at about 400 metres would save me a fair bit of climbing. There is a small parking area at SD 150896 large enough for around 6 cars but you may have to coax the free roaming Highland Cattle or sheep to move first. South of the car park there is Stoneside Hill with Black Combe behind it imitating its name just now.

Stoneside Hill with Black Combe behind.

Today it was cloudy but with plenty of blue showing, warm but there was still a cool breeze that knocked the edge off it being really warm but no matter it's a fine day for walking. My route took me straight across the road and north onto a grassy track that runs alongside a dry stone wall. The track is good and mostly dry with just the odd damp patch and water filled holes as it climbs steadily up towards a small outcrop of rock by the name of Peg Crag that I passed by with nary a glance as my first encounter would be with Buck Barrow a large double outcrop of pinnacles at 549 metres in height, the highest hill of the day.

As I climbed I could see three of my hills to do all lined up in front of me, on the left was Kinmont Buck Barrow, centre was Great Paddy Crag, and left is the aforementioned Buck Barrow.

From the left is Kinmont Buck Barrow - Great Paddy Crag - Buck Barrow.

Looking back to the south I could see my last hill to climb that is known as Stoneside Hill overlooked by the bulk of Black Combe whilst over to the southeast the Duddon Estuary comes into view.

Upon reaching the wall corner somewhere near Little Paddy Crag the ground begins to steepen slightly and the rocky humps of Buck Barrow are more in evidence…

Buck Barrow.

as I swung over to my right and began to make my way up through the rocks using the small grassy rakes to easily reach the summit of grass and rock with the summit cairn perched on a ledge of an up thrust of rock from where the views to the southern aspect is very good.

Buck Barrow summit and looking northeast.

Burn Moor and Whitfell from Buck Barrow.

The Duddon Estuary from Buck Barrow.

East and further north there are the Dunnerdale Fells and the Coniston group of hills, west lie the farm lands of Waberthwaite and Bootle, north the Scafells are peeking over the top of Whitfell and Hesk Fell.

Next on is Kinmont Buck Barrow over in the west and I could see the large cairn from the top of Buck Barrow as I look at the landscape and my proposed route to get there.

Kinmont Buck Barrow from Buck Barrow.

I could see an odd path but none going in my direction but I could see many places to clamber over the tumbledown wall and a gate in the adjoining wall running at right angles to it. Kinmont is quite a long hill with a craggy face to its lower north end running into a long grassy rake that should allow me easy passage to the summit with its large cairn sat on top of its craggy south end.

Leaving Buck Barrow behind I found that I was wrong in my observation of the lack of paths going my way as I soon came across a quad bike track and path that took me directly to the gate that I had spotted earlier. Upon arriving at the gate it was seen to be just a lift away fence panel blocking a narrow opening in the wall which was easily scaled to all but put me in touch with Kinmont Buck Barrow.

Kinmont Buck Barrow behind the old gate.

It was then just an easy walk up the grass banking to reach the large cairn that is sat on thousands of small stones and it was from here that I looked at my approach to my next hill, Burn Moor, and at 543 metres is the second highest fell of the six planned for today.

Buck Barrow and Great Paddy Crag from Kinmont Buck Barrow.

There is a long walk across low lying ground which I was hoping wasn't going to be as boggy as it looked that it may be. I could see some straight and light looking lines that had the appearance of drainage ditches that had gotten overgrown over the preceding years but I had picked out a gate in the wall that crossed over the low area so with hope in my heart of a dry crossing made straight for it. I initially walked roughly northeast to reach the gate but the ground around it was so wet that I worked my way to the left and around it to climb over the fence that took over from where the wall finished.

Too wet to cross just here.

There are no paths to follow as I left KBB and there are still none as I now walked across the remainder of the low lying ground that lay between Burn Moor and the one that I had just left behind. The ground wasn't too bad, rough going but not too wet as I headed towards an island of grass and rock that sticks up maybe a metre and a half above the level of the col. Deciding to have a drink I climbed aboard and took advantage of the dry spot before making the climb up onto the grassy bulk of Burn Moor.

The island of rock in the middle of the moss.

Whilst on this high knoll I spotted a path running up the south side of Burn Moor and not too far away so leaving this haven of dry ground I continued on a northeast line until I reached the path that runs unerringly straight to the top of Burn Moor. The climb of 65 metres wasn't too bad as the gradient is fairly user friendly and I was soon at the top of the fell to find a small outcrop of rocks to my left that sported a small cairn…

The summit cairn of Burn Moor.

but the one that I wanted was further to the northeast along a narrow path over grass with the 573 metre high Whitfell looking down on me as I walked the short distance to the highest spot where there was another small cairn on grass to mark the highest spot. This is another of those where confusion reigns as to which is the actual summit as from the small knoll and cairn the cairn on the grassy top to the northeast looks higher but when standing on the grassy top the other one looks the highest.

Burn Moor summit with Whitfell behind.

No matter I did them both - one of them twice - and my GPS showed the cairn on the grassy top as the higher of the two.

Next on is Plough Fell way over to the southeast and it looks like a long walk over rough ground is in front of me as I return to walk south down the path with Buck Barrow directly in front of me…

Plough Fell is left with Buck Barrow straight ahead.

but upon reaching the col I left the path to move over to the southeast trying to keep on an elevation that would take me across the best ground possible and also give me the minimum of climbing to Plough Fell summit at 448 metres. The walking is over rough grass and although not steep is fairly slow going due to nature of the ground and as I gained height there is a scattering of rocks about which soon fell away as I neared the summit. As I climbed some of the hills that I had walked a few weeks ago came into view, Hesk Fell that is always in your face in this neck of the woods anyway, Bigert Pasture, The Pike, Yoadcastle, and many more whilst to the northeast Coniston Old Man and company are still much in evidence.

It seemed to take me ages to walk from the col to the summit but in truth it was only a walk of twenty minutes although the rough going made it seem like an eternity. Upon reaching the summit plateau of grass the first thing that I saw was four stones with a square wooden post sticking up from amongst them on what appears to be the highest point of the fell but my memory reminded me that the summit cairn was further over to the east sat upon some rocks that are sticking out of the ground. Sure enough as I moved further east a small cairn did indeed show itself sat upon said small rocky, grass surrounded up thrust.

Plough Fell summit cairn.

This spot is definitely not the highest point and I would presume that this spot was chosen for its views rather than its status as the highest point on the fell that I would say is where the post is situated. From here and looking east I could see the Dunnerdale Fells that I visited not too long ago, Stickle Pike, Tarn Hill, and Great Stickle whilst south the Black Combe group of hills can be clearly seen.

The view northeast from Plough Fell.

Once the views had been taken in, water consumed, photos taken, it was time to think about my return journey that would take me back to Buck Barrow before picking off Great Paddy Crag and at 532 metres the lowest of the fells of the day.

Buck Barrow from Plough Fell.

I more or less re-traced my steps to there, walking west back to a point just below Buck Crags…

Looking back to Plough Fell from Buck Barrow.

east side after picking the easiest line and then crossing over the notch that lies between its two up stands of rock from where I made my way the short distance southwest to attain the top of Great Paddy Crag that is once again the grass and rocky top typical of these three southern fells. The cairn sits on top of a large rock and also has the remains of an old dry stone wall running across its top on which someone had placed a pointed stone, probably trying to make it the highest point on this fell.

Great Paddy Crag with Kinmont Buck Barrow behind.

Buck Barrow from Great Paddy Crag.

From this viewpoint I could see my car and the last hill of the day, Stoneside Hill away in the distance to the south.

Looking back to Stoneside Hill with Black Combe behind.

I left the fell by walking down the steep bank immediately beneath the summit rock…

Great Paddy Crag left.

and then simply re-traced my steps down to the car where I had a quick drink before dumping my bag and taking off on the path that was directly behind the car park. The path which is clear to see runs alongside the wall all the way up to the summit and is once again gently rising until it reaches the base of the fell then makes a sudden steep rise up to the summit.

The summit is rocky with a thin covering of - for a change - green grass with a couple of rocks thrown down on the highest one that is sticking through the grassy top. The accompanying wall turns south from the summit and wends its way down to Charity Chair then begins to climb steadily up to Stoupdale Crags and Whitecombe Edge that are part of the Black Combe group of hills and from the top of Stoneside Hill look almost near enough to be at, and on, in not too long a time but that is not on the plan for today so I made my way back to the car, finished off my food and drink then a contented man left the hills behind.

Buck Barrow and Great Paddy Crag from Stoneside Hill.

Black Combe from Stoneside Hill.

This had been only a short walk with not much height gain but that is not what it is all about, it's about enjoying the walk and yourself whilst doing it and on this one I have certainly enjoyed both especially with the weather as it has been today. Ok, apart from the first three hills being nearly on top of each other there has been a lot of rough walking in between to the other three fells that looked a long way away, but to be fair the ground was soon covered despite there being no paths. Maybe my past forays into the depths of the Pennines has prepared me for this sort of ground along with the many other pathless Birkett's that have had to be found and climbed over the past few months.

Six more walks and the Birkett's will be completed, so that will mean more time spent in the Yorkshire Dales to knock off the remaining English Hewitt's and Nuttall's. That doesn't mean that the Lake District will be left behind as it's still my favourite stalking ground and there are still paths that I haven't walked on yet plus the odd hidden Lakeland Memorials to seek out.

[ChrisW]

That's one I would have enjoyed as much as you did TM, what a wonderful wander

but I for one am not prepared to un-necessarily start walking in conditions like this as I like to be able to see something when I'm up there in the hills

I'll second that mate, I'm not putting in all that graft just to see a gray wall and looking at those pics you would have missed some beautiful countryside had you opted for a fog slog

[trailmasher]

That's one I would have enjoyed as much as you did TM, what a wonderful wander

but I for one am not prepared to un-necessarily start walking in conditions like this as I like to be able to see something when I'm up there in the hills

I'll second that mate, I'm not putting in all that graft just to see a gray wall and looking at those pics you would have missed some beautiful countryside had you opted for a fog slog

Yes a great wander Chris easy with a bit of wet ground to keep you on your toes

It's the first time that I have had to abandon a walk because of fog that was so thick I couldn't even pick out the stone wall in front of me but once seen on a good day the views and countryside were certainly worth going back for a second go at it
As ever thanks for your comments