I thought it would be advisable to be home at a reasonable time to enjoy the roast MrsR was cooking, so opted for something relatively close to home.I must admit though that Fell of Fleet had never been a hill that had filled me with much enthusiasm. I'd always had it in my head it was going to be something of a slog.......involving trees
Thankfully though the tree fellers have been felling and with good access tracks to the foot of the hill gaining the summit did not involve quite as much huff n puff as I'd feared.
P1050767 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrParked up at NX546751, where there is plenty of room for a few cars to park without blocking the track
P1050769 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrNice pleasant walk to the foot of the hill - only met a couple of couples out walking their dogs
P1050780 by Pete Riedel, on Flickrthe OS map shows a track heading off the main track at NX552714, although if you blink you'll missit, given it is overgrown.........I blinked and missed it
P1050783 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrOnce you're on it ther track actually provides an excellent and quite gentle ascent up the side of the hill. Got me up to about 370 metres
P1050787 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrNice views opening up as I gained height
P1050788 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrThe track continued, making easy work of the initial climb
P1050790 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrAll changed as I hit the high point of the track. Now was time to gird loins and head off on to the open hillside. This was tough going, with much tussocky terrain, with plenty of potential to break ankles....or worse.
P1050792 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrSomewhere in there I was following a vague track of sorts. Could have been animal or human, but if it helped make it easier I was using it.
P1050797 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrOnce I'd hit the plateau I was faced with this
Reminded me of Fleet's neighbour Cairnsmore, the Black Craig of Dee - something of a b'st*rd of a hill that had taken two attempts to overcome previously. There were though plenty of tracks on Fleet (I assume animal) that made progress a little less painful and soon I was making the final, very short climb to the summit cairn
P1050804 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrFirst summit of the year
P1050805 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050808 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050811 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrA selection of summit views
P1050814 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrThe Black Craig of Dee.......looks so benign, but don't be fooled
It was a tad chilly on the summit, so I wasn't for hanging around. For my descent I chose to make a circuit by heading off down the north eastern spur toward Shaw Hill(ish). Pathless, heathery stuff, but pretty uneventful. That was until the final steep descent was reached
P1050825 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrLooking back to Fell of Fleet as I dropped off the hill
P1050828 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrThe photo makes it look not too bad, but truat me it was a bit of a pig, even if it only lasted a short distance
P1050831 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrLooking back the way I had been descending
Unfortunately I had conspired to not head quite where I'd wanted. Had I hugged the edge of the forestry I'd have been in a wide fire break........but I didn't and so somehow ended up confronted by some very nice trees and horrendous underfoot conditions - the detritus from previous fellings, which were all very slippery and often rotten, as I discovered when I trod on it
P1050837 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrOops
P1050839 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrEventually sourced another firebreak, although to be honest it was still pretty rough going until I was finally deposited on to the main track
P1050843 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrMy descent off the Fell of Fleet. Certainly slowed me up somewhat
P1050844 by Pete Riedel, on FlickrEasy going from now on en route back to the car
All in all a really good walk and a pleasing way to kick off my 2019 walking. My second walk of the year was something very different, but that's another story.......
