Place Fell and its Birketts

[trailmasher]

Current Track_ 06 JAN 2015 10_05.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

My New Year's resolution is to get out walking twice a week again and what a start to it. Place Fell is my objective for today. I've done Place Fell a number of times in the past but have decided to try and knock off all of the Birketts in the Lake District as well as the Hewitts and Nuttalls. There are seven of them on Place Fell and I managed to get six of 'em as I was running short on time and daylight so had to forego climbing up to Low Birk Fell.

The one thing about doing the Birketts is that you climb the fells that you haven't done for a while especially if they are not amongst your favourites.

Looking towards Gowbarrow and Ullswater from mid way up the path to Boredale Hause.

Arnison Crag-Birks-Birkhouse Moor.

Looking over Deepdale.

The weather was bad, with rain and high winds when I set off from Patterdale, parking at the end of the lane leading to Side Farm. Getting up to Boredale Hause wasn't too bad as it's a bit sheltered from the wind but once at the 'Hause' it let me know that it was still about. The path was slippery due to the rain and once I had got to Round How the wind really hit me. Mist covered the fells and with the rain made visibility a bit dire.

Next on was Place Fell summit followed by The Knight, Hare Shaw, Birk Fell/Bleaberry Knott, Mortar Crag, and High Dodd. I never realised how big this fell is until I started walking around it, it seems endless. Very wet underfoot and fairly hard going on the pathless areas.

Place Fell trig point.

The Knight summit looking towards Ullswater.

The view towards the Hartsop Dodds.

Loadpot Hill-Wether Hill with High Dodd in the foreground.

Didn't see another soul on the fell but did see plenty of deer roaming around and a couple of squawking Raven's probably hoping that I would be dinner for the next few weeks. Hard luck, not this time!

Ullswater from Mortar Crag.

View over Ullswater from Mortar Crag.

High Street and Beda Fell.

Got a bit of sun later in the afternoon and was out of the wind once I dropped off High Dodd. I intended getting to the top of Low Birk Fell from the path leading down to Scalehow Wood but couldn't get across Scalehow Beck due to the volume of water so will pick it off next time I'm going past.

Ullswater-Sleet Fell-Hallin Fell from High Dodd summit.

View from High Dodd top.

Hallin Fell catching the last of the sun.

Now for the 5.5km walk back to the car along the lakeside path. A nice walk on a good day but after today's trudge through moss and water could have done without it. Never mind, rather a wet day on a hill than a sunny day in the office. All in all a decent walk despite the weather and underfoot conditions.

[nigheandonn]

Nice views once it cleared - I like the contrast between the pastoral north and the ridges to the south.
Place Fell probably deserved more time and attention than I gave it, but I'm not very good at single hills - I like to be going somewhere

[trailmasher]

Don't usually do this sort of walk but trying to knock off a few Birketts as mentioned in the report so thought that I would start with this one. Like you I like to move on a bit once out.

[AJNicholls]

I'm yet to encounter anyone out on the hills doing dedicated Birkett-bagging. How far through them are you? I appear to have done 262, so 279 to go. Looks like I'm missing 1 Hewitt and 30 Nuttalls in the Lakes too... all the more reason for me to get back there of course!

[trailmasher]

Thought that I would do some of the smaller ones but some not easy to get to. Tally so far is Birketts - 295, Hewitts - 119, Nuttals - 147 so 12 of these left. Long drive from Bristol so you must like to get a handful in when you get up here. Good luck with the rest of 'em.