Far Eastern Fells - Done!

[DaveB1]

Easter Saturday, dearly beloved working, all mates on hols or working, so its me time! I've been pondering/daydreaming how to add to my Wainwright collection given that I'm running out of big circular walks that the lads like and single day trips would be to Wasdale or further a good three hours driving before you start! I'd a few odd W's that I'd missed and these two, Sour Howes and Sallows needed doing. So its up and out of the house before 0700 and off to Kentmere, via the local Co-op to buy essential supplies, bananas (essential) and Tunnocks Caramel Wafers (Easter Treat!). The M6 was blissfully quiet and I arrived by the Church about 0810hrs (wasn't speeding, honest guv!). Kentmere was empty and parked easily only one car. After a coffee and a banana, it was about 0820 when I set off.

Kentmere and Garburn Pass path

I've been up this path a few times and had decided to do Sour Howes first then on to Sallows, as it turned out the weather was good as was the path.

Even I couldn't miss this one!

I noticed a British Mountaineering Council sign for Badger Rock which piqued the curiosity and took a photo of it.

Badger Rock

Big isn't it? Research on the BMC website revealed it as 'a popular bouldering venue' and I can see why. So onwards and upwards with the summit of the Garburn Path in mind and a quick check of the map to establish where the route to Sour Howes was. What I'd like to know was who planted the trees? as they served to confuse and forced me off down the path towards Troutbeck, before deciding to hop over the fence and wall and climb up to the proper path, which had been there all the time of course. The view from the top of the pass was excellent so I took a photo of Red Screes! The trees were just off photo to the left

Red Screes; the small cairn on the right is the start of the route to Yoke, Ill Bell etc etc

Hope you like our snow, Chris W, it 'll be like that for you in about July
Now on the path and with the summit of Sour Howes in sight I was bombing along quite happily, so happily that I walked right past the stile in the big wall, which would have put me on the right side of the wall for the summit and then nearly did myself serious harm straddling the barbed wire and big wall before getting back on course.
I hadn't expected to see anyone on these two unprepossessing hills and hadn't seen anyone since leaving Kentmere but was beaten to the summit by two walkers up for the day from the Oldham area, coming up from Troutbeck and as we stood there chatting, by another lad from Middlesborough, from the same direction.

Summit of Sour Howes

After a few minutes and a flapjack I set off after the Middlesborough lad and met up with him on Sallows, he was off to do Troutbeck Tongue & Wansfell. As I left the top the other two lads appeared! Sallows would be lovely on a warm sunny day, it has a very convenient sitting spot with great views of Windermere but today time was not on my side so I dived off the top and headed directly for the top of the Garburn Pass.

Summit of Sallows

The walk/jog, yes I did try a bit, back to the car was unremarkable except for the number of times I said 'good morning' to my fellow walkers heading up the path towards the Yoke turning. I'd counted ten before reaching the path, it was going to be a busy day on the Kentmere Horseshoe!
Back at the car, I pinched an idea I'd seen on another report and tried an experimental photo of my E-Trex.

E-trex and Cars

There were cars everywhere in Kentmere and the B&B at the start of the village had made a good return on opening his field for a £3 a day fee it was just about full!

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Part Two of the plan involved a drive over the Kirkstone Pass to Bridgend where I anticipated difficulty in parking by the phone box due to the time and day. The traffic through Windermere was dire by Lakes standards and the trip over Kirkstone Pass very slow, but my increasing anxiety was totally unfounded as there wasn't a car by the phone box despite the car parks at the top and bottom of the Kirkstone being jammed full.
So another coffee and banana, I told you they were essential and off along the path to Boredale Hause.

Bridgend with the path to Boredale Hause running diagonally to the obvious col

Hartsop Dodd from Bridgend

Place Fell

As you can see the day was pretty good and it warmed up quite nicely, requiring discarding of layers as the ever steepening path to Boredale Hause increased internal temperature well past 'comfy'.

'the ever steepening path'

Beda Fell was my destination, as I'd chickened out doing it when I did Place Fell last year and seen it when doing The Nab a few weeks later, inwardly cursing that I'd missed it out.
For those of you who have been to Boredale Hause, I think its the Lakes equivalent of Spaghetti Junction, as paths seem to go everywhere, so with a bit of careful map reading and compass use and with the E-trex for position I set off on the path to Beda Fell. The reason I seemed hesitant was that I eventually realised that I'd written the wrong grid numbers on my A4 bit of printed map so the E-trex was putting me off towards Angle Tarn Pike. (Oops!). Glad it wasn't misty otherwise I'd still be wandering around. The path, once on it, is clear enough and the views it gave were great as you can see.

Boardale, thats how its spelt on the map

Martindale

The Nab, Ramps Gill and Wether Hill in the background

It felt a lot further than it looked to the summit and there were plenty of other folk about all enjoying the weather and views and the summit provided a good lunch spot, with only Skylarks disturbing the peace.

Beda Fell Summit

The view northward with Hallin Fell, Steel Knotts, Bonscale Pike and Gowbarrow Fell all in view

After lunch a gentle stroll back the way I'd come, I felt sorry for the folk on Helvellyn as the mist didn't appear to lift till very late in the day, but had done so by the time I was back at the car.

Helvellyn and Catseyecam (its the pointy one!)

Of the rest of the descent I spotted the only tree for miles, looking a bit sorry for itself but surviving nevertheless and decided that you needn't carry an emergency whistle if you had young children with you as their screams, they were playing 'Pooh Sticks' in the valley below, carried at least a mile up hill! At least they were outdoors and having a great time.

Tree

Back at the car I reflected on the day, took another photo of my E-trex, ate three caramel wafers ( I can do more!) and began to plan for the next foray.

Days end!!

[L-Hiking]

Well done Dave...not may more to do now!

[simon-b]

Congratulations on knocking off all the Far Eastern Wainwrights, Dave.

Beda Fell with views of Martindale is a nice way to finish that group.

I completed the FE Fells myself this January with Sallows and Sour Hows, during a very pleasant round from Windermere, returning over Orrest Head. These two Wainwrights seem to have become a lot more walker friendly since AW's books were first published.

[Morecambe Monkey]

Good effort there Dave & well done on finishing the Far Eastern Fells. You more than likely passed me as you drove in to Kentmere on saturday,i was walking in from Staveley around that time! Not many more for you to do now,any grand plans for which will be your last one?

[ChrisW]

Great report as always Dave and some wonderful shots along the way, but all I can think of right now is Tunnocks Caramel Wafers, I used to eat my own weight in those beauties every time I went out on the hills back home

[DaveB1]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the comments, its a good feeling to get one book out of the way. I've got 9 Central, 3 Eastern, 6 North W, 6 North, 8 South and 13 West still to do, I can see its not going to be straight forward as they are all around the edges, but the fun will be in the planning and doing. As for the last one MM, I'm inclined towards Gowbarrow Fell a) because I think I'll be able to get 'dearly beloved' up there! b) there's a cracking pub in Dockray to celebrate in. . Dave
PS Chris W, Just eaten 2 Caramel Wafers, there was a pack of eight and I resisted until tonight!