Greendale Round

[johnkaysleftleg]

Final day of our bagging weekend saw us head west again this time to Wasdale. The cloud base was around 600-700 meters so our choice of walk, a Greendale round, looked a good one. It’s hard to imagine not getting parked at Greendale whatever the time of day as so many will drive past and onto bigger things up the valley.
The grassy trod up Middle Fell starts form the back of the car park and remains clear all the way to the rocky summit giving fine views towards the Wasdale screes which today were looking quite menacing. Middle Fell may not have the charms of its near neighbour, Yewbarrow but it’s a fine little fell whose summit view must rank among the best is the district. Unfortunately for our visit the upper reaches of the Scafells were hiding but it was still a fine panorama to behold.

Whin Rigg by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr


Illgill Head by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr


Grace and Hughie on Middle Fell by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr


Wasdale from Middle Fell by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Follow link to view full size http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnkaysleftleg/9717017953/in/photostream/lightbox/

We used the crags on Middle Fell’s summit to shelter us from the strong wind as we had a bite to eat before traversing the fell towards the boggy col between this and Seatallan whose summit had been flirting with the clouds.


Greendale Tarn and Buckbarrow by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr

I had planned to make my way around the base of the fell to ease the gradient of ascent but Grace decided she wanted to tackle it direct and for once erosion was our friend as we made our way up the grassy steps with minimum of fuss to Seatallans windblown and clag ridden summit.


Middle Fell and Greendale Tarn by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr


Light catches Yewbarrow by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr

The substantial cairn/shelter on the summit is thought to be a very old dating from the Bronze Age. For such a substantial construction to be built on what is a predominately grassy hill sugests this must have been a place of some importance in past millennia. Perhaps the views to the west (totally missing today) played a part in this. The slightly odd name is thought to derive from the ancient Cumbric language and translates as Alein's mountain shieling. Perhaps Alein was buried under the huge mound of stones, who knows.


Blowy on Seatallan by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr


Ancient cairn on Seatallan by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr

The walk down towards the final target of the day is as easy as it gets in the Lakes (once you decide which way to go if the cloud is down) as you follow grassy slopes down a very easy gradient towards the days final target. By devoting a chapter to Buckbarrow AW played a bit of a cruel trick on Seatallan by robbing it of its finest natural feature leaving it with only grass and sheep. The “summit” however is not the best place to enjoy Buckbarrow with the best views being of it from the road as it forms some impressive impenetrable crags.


Black Combe from Cat Bields by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr


Buckbarrow with Whin Rigg behind by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr


Grace and Hughie on Buckbarrow by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr

For the way back to the car we had two options, follow the path down Gil Beck before a short walk along the road or descend next to Greendale Gill on a path I’d spotted from the ascent of Middle Fell.
We chose the latter and were rewarded with some fine views of the beautiful cascades of Greendale Gill on our way down.


Greendale Gill by johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr

It had been a very satisfying weekend that left us on 118 fells. Mentally things feel a bit different now; rather than having a mountain of fells ahead of us providing a barrier to progress it feels as if we have a mountain of fells behind us pushing us onwards.

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[clivegrif]

Looks a good walk that.

Never been up there myself, I've been one of the many who drove past to bigger things at the end of the valley.

An enjoyable read with yet more lovely Lakeland pictures. Good stuff!

[johnkaysleftleg]

Looks a good walk that.

Never been up there myself, I've been one of the many who drove past to bigger things at the end of the valley.

An enjoyable read with yet more lovely Lakeland pictures. Good stuff!

Thanks Clive.If you're ever in Wasdale this would make a great evening walk.

[DaveB1]

Great report JK, I really enjoyed Middle Fell it's an underrated hill in a beautiful area and very near to one of my favourite names 'Pots of Ashness' That's Cumberlandese for 'big wet bit' Hope to be going up there again in November. Dave

[johnkaysleftleg]

Great report JK, I really enjoyed Middle Fell it's an underrated hill in a beautiful area and very near to one of my favourite names 'Pots of Ashness' That's Cumberlandese for 'big wet bit' Hope to be going up there again in November. Dave

Cheers Dave, I do like a nice bit of Cumberlandese

[Ibex]

More hills conquered and more great photo's taken.
That day looked really 'moody'. Nice that you had no clag though.

For me its the first time i've seen the top of the Whin Rigg/Illgill Head ridge. When me and AJ did it earlier this year, it was pretty much clagged up to the eyeballs.

Well done on getting over the halfway line for the Wainwrights. Did that since I last came on the site.
I hope Hughie has caught you up now.

[simon-b]

That's a nice round of three, JK, with some good views across Wast Water to the screes.

Great report JK, I really enjoyed Middle Fell it's an underrated hill in a beautiful area and very near to one of my favourite names 'Pots of Ashness' That's Cumberlandese for 'big wet bit' Hope to be going up there again in November. Dave

Cheers Dave, I do like a nice bit of Cumberlandese

The last time I did these three (Buckbarrow first), I followed it up with a interesting off-piste route from Middle Fell to Red Pike and Yewbarrow via Pots of Ashness, Waver Beck and Scoat Tarn. This is useful for anyone climbing the Wainwrights who's already done the main spine of the Pillar range from the Ennerdale side, but still has these five on the Wasdale flank to visit.

[johnkaysleftleg]

More hills conquered and more great photo's taken.
That day looked really 'moody'. Nice that you had no clag though.

For me its the first time i've seen the top of the Whin Rigg/Illgill Head ridge. When me and AJ did it earlier this year, it was pretty much clagged up to the eyeballs.

Well done on getting over the halfway line for the Wainwrights. Did that since I last came on the site.
I hope Hughie has caught you up now.

Thanks ibex, Hughie still has a few to catch up, nearly there however.