Kirk Fell

[canisp]

Kirk Fell (Lake District) 802 metres
OS Map 89 or 90, Grid Ref 195105
Start Grid Ref 186086
Distance walked 6 km’s
Height Gain 800 metres
10 December 2008

I left the car just after 8:00 am and made my way up Kirk Fell which rises steeply above Wasdale Head, 700 metres of ascent in 1.5 km‘s distance.


High on Kirk Fell looking down on Wasdale Head and Wast Water


Pillar, right of centre


Nearing the summit of Kirk Fell


Great Gable


Great Gable


Great Gable

I had intended to continue to Great Gable and photograph the sunset from its summit, but Great Gable’s summit was covered in cloud and it didn’t seem like lifting so i decided to photograph the sunset from Kirk Fell instead, which afterwards would leave a short steep easy descent back to the car.


Cloud coming in over Great Gable


Pillar


Kirk Fell Tarn frozen over


Great Gable


Great Gable shortly before sunset

To kill some time i wandered slowly round and explored the double summit of Kirk Fell, taking numerous photo’s before settling down near the top to watch the sunset.


Cairn, Sunset and Wast Water


Cairn, Sunset and Wast Water

After a beautiful sunset i headed back down Kirk Fell, the near full moon lighting the way until near the foot of Kirk Fell when it was obscured by cloud.


Pillar


Moon over Great Gable


Scafell on the left and Burnmoor Tarn on the right


Wast Water


Seatallan


Great Gable under moonlight


Looking down on Wasdale Head

All in all a short day out but an enjoyable one.

[yokehead]

Stunning photos Canisp (same with your Ben Lomond report, forgot I hadn't replied to that). Looks like a great opening haul to get the blood flowing and a real full day out. Sunset steals the show of course, unbeatable. Are the sunrise/sunset outings a regular thing for you when planning your trips?

[canisp]

Are the sunrise/sunset outings a regular thing for you when planning your trips?

Yes, i think sunrise’s/sunset’s are the best part of the day. I find sunsets are easy as i’m already on the hill, its just a matter of waiting. Sunrise’s though take a lot more effort especially getting out of bed at 3:00 on a winters morning

[Paul Webster]

I reckon these could be your best photos yet - I love the first shot that brings back memories from when I was living at Wasdale Head - and the Gable glowing red and the sunset ones.

Shame we don't have a sponsor to provide prizes for the England and Wales trip reports forum yet as this would have been a very strong contender... I'll have to start looking for one!

[mountain coward]

I keep wanting to do this route but get a bit of vertigo when on something so continuously steep and high (at least I think I probably will). What's the scree bit like 2/3 of the way up? Very loose and unpleasant or not so bad? I think I'll probably end up doing it on my own as my friend Richard doesn't fancy such a hard slog!
We're due at our usual pub B&B in Broughton-in-Furness at the end of the month for a few days (The Manor Arms) so maybe I'll persuade him to do it then but I doubt it. I think we're going for the Connies anyway. I need to get fit for a trip to Roybridge in mid-Feb anyway so I'll have to get up some stuff.
Superb pics - especially the sunsets/moonlit ones.

[canisp]

I keep wanting to do this route but get a bit of vertigo when on something so continuously steep and high

After reading of your adventures on Arran (Cioch na h’Oighe) i doubt you’ll have any problem with Kirk Fell. It is a lung busting unrelenting 700 metre’s of ascent, but there are bucket steps lower down and the way is obvious.

What's the scree bit like 2/3 of the way up? Very loose and unpleasant or not so bad?

The scree is more a nuisance than anything, two steps forward one step back, but it’s short lived. The two photo’s below were taken on a previous visit and give an idea of the terrain.



Kirk Fell, the path looks to run vertically upwards behind the hotel


Kirk Fell. The path can be seen running diagonally upwards from near bottom left

[mountain coward]

Hmmm - well going up the Cioch must have been more convex 'cos when you looked round to look back down again you could only see a section of the mountain, not the whole way to the bottom, so it wasn't so bad (apart from worrying about those slabs if you had to go back down that way!). I was really hoping that scree patch was solid with a nice zig-zag path up it but I've seen many people struggling or getting stuck on that bit so I rather gathered it was a bit loose

I'll just have to go up when I'm having a good day and try to drag someone else up for company...

[maddjock]

more great pics Canisp...
esp like Great Gable shortly before sunset and the second pic of Cairn, Sunset and Wast Water