Black Fell & Holme Fell

[MiniRambo]

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Walked with Malcolm. Parked in the National Trust car park at Tarn Hows. Lovely Autumn day with only a very light breeze, however, the forecast was for it to gradually cloud over from the west.

Booted up and away by 10.30am, dropping down from the car park to the edge of the Tarn, following the western side for several hundred yards until a fork in the path led us away to the north west.

Lovely Tarn Hows

....and a little further along

Eventually reached a gate/stile into a lane where we turned right. A short, steep section was followed by gradual incline along a snaking track before we reached a gate that accessed a wooded area known as Iron Keld.

and onto the lane

This wood has been harvested in the few years and replanted with younger stock. We left it by going through another gate onto open hillside with great views to the surrounding Coniston and Langdale hills. A good and easy path led to the summit of Black Fell where we had lunch with lovely views south/east to Windermere. Lovely warm sunshine with hardly a breeze made it a special place to be!

Malcolm before the final push to the top

The top is in sight!

Looking west to the Coniston Hills

At the top of Black Fell

Great views on a lovely day

....and zoomed in....

Malcolm enjoying the sunshine

Looking over Windermere

After lunch, we descended steeply to the west and re-entered enclosed farmland and gained track that took us close to Low Arnside farmhouse. Shortly after we met a walker doing the same route in the opposite direction. Dropping further down we eventually reached the main road running between Ambleside and Coniston.

back to the summit from over the wall!

on to Holme Fell

Crossing the road, we followed a path to its western side heading south. Our next target was Holme Fell but we were unsure of the access point to the hill. The route we were following was from a website but we couldn't locate where the path went, so, we headed along and up the minor road to Oxen Fell farm and soon discovered a gateway onto the hill, furthermore, we gained a path that took us along the ridge, a very undulating ridge indeed!

Looking over to the quarry on Langdale

On to Holme Fell

at the top!

at the top of Holme Fell

The weather had gradually deteriorated and although still clear, the sky was now cloudy and cool breeze meant we donned jackets at the summit. After a quick drink, we retraced our steps for a couple of hundred yards until we picked up a path that would lead us down to Yew Tree Tarn and gain the path beside the main road again.

Another 'bad step' for Malcolm

On our way down

We now thought it would be an easy stroll through a wood back to the edge of Tarn Hows however, it soon became evident that we would climb back up again when we were confronted by the first of several water falls. The path meandered alongside the edge of the beck which we being fed by the outlet from Tarn Hows. It made for an interesting end to the walk.

Waterfalls in the woods

Impressive waterfall near the end!