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Today was to be a Seat Sandal day, a re-visit day, and it was a day of cloud and sunshine, cloud over us with sunshine beaming down on others more fortunate as we drove along the A591 road to Grasmere where we had intended to park up in the long lay-by near Raise Cottage on Dunmail Raise but as we neared it we could see that traffic lights had been set up and a large mobile crane and many vehicles were parked up in our chosen spot of the day. Not to be outdone by such trivial obstacles we did a quick rethink and without stopping moved on to the lay-by/car park that is just a few metres below the farm of Town Head at NY33513 09611 and will accommodate quite a lot of cars.
From this spot a decent view of the east face of Helm Crag is to be seen.
Helm Crag from the car park near High Broadrayne Seat Sandal is one of those stand alone fells perched right on the edge of the Eastern Fells and nudging the Central Fells with only the road over Dunmail Raise separating the two. It’s steep grassy sides rise high above the road to terminate on a large grass and rocky top hosting a cairn, shelter, and a tumbledown dry stone wall from where fantastic views are to be seen mostly to the west and south due to the Helvellyn range and Fairfield blocking the views in the other directions, although a glimpse of Ullswater and just beyond can be seen to the northeast. It’s time to get going.
We walked down the road towards Grasmere but after a few minutes and metres we turned off to take the lane at Mill Bridge, initially wide and stony as it passed the cottages it soon closed in to a path due to the old cart track now being overgrown on both of its sides. This is an attractive lane to walk along with the moss covered walls, ferns and overhanging berry laden branches.
Moss covered walls contain the laneDespite the lack of sun over us it was very warm in the enclosed space of the lane and we would be glad when we had got out onto the open fellside. A few more minutes of walking saw us arriving at the Tongue Gill Hydro building that is unobtrusively built alongside the gill with natural random stone and a grass covered roof. Despite it being a commercial building it has been built sympathetically to its surroundings and is quite attractive in its own right.
Tongue Gill Hydro building The lane is well graded and rises easily up the fellside getting rougher underfoot for a while along a stretch where rowan trees were awash with a harvest of bright red berries.
A tad rougher underfoot A little further along and a glance back gave us a good view of Helm Crag and Gibson Knott with an out of the picture Steel Fell over to the right...
Helm Crag and Gibson Knott whilst over to the south there is Grasmere, Loughrigg Fell and Silver How to cast our eyes over as we enjoyed the beautiful views in this part of Lakeland.
Silver How to the right and Loughrigg Fell is left Yet another few minutes and metres of climb saw us passing a row of berry laden rowan trees perched on top of the banks of Tongue Gill.
Ruby red berried rowan trees Putting a bit of a spurt on, we passed the footbridge and soon arrived at the 250 metre contour now heading north alongside Little Tongue Gill.
The south ridge of Seat Sandal Once we had more or less left the confines of the lane the path is quite wide and grassy right the way up to Hause Riggs and with Gavel Crag beckoning us on we made steady if warm progress up the fellside.
A view towards Gavel Crag It was a little wet in places but generally an alright path and as we got to just below Hause Riggs another turn around gave us a truly magnificent view over Grasmere and beyond.
A view south towards the Coniston Fells Earlier on we had passed a few walkers who had elected to take the alternative and lower path along Tongue Gill to Grisedale Tarn whereas restricting their views as they were locked in between the steep fell sides of Seat Sandal and Great Rigg, and it must have been hellishly warm in there.
We arrived at Hause Riggs where we elected to take in the views of the sun spattered fells whilst having a short break for a drink.
The view along Great Tongue from Hause Riggs From around this point the path gets a little more ‘Lakeland mountain’ rougher as we set off and made our way below Gavel Crag towards Hause Gap and Grisedale Tarn.
Tongue Gill Waterfall leaving Hause Moss 
Approaching Hause Gap The path passes between Gavel Crag on our left and Hause Moss to the right that looks as if it was where the local becks and sikes used as a water gathering area and could possibly be the remnants of an age old tarn.
Tongue Gill head below Fairfield Brow The path is very rocky underfoot directly below Gavel Crag before reaching the final loose and stony climb up to Hause Gap and the start of the rough climb up Gavel Crag to Seat Sandal’s summit where w could see two fell runners making their way up the rough slope.
Our way is up Gavel Crag After leaving the base of Gavel Crag behind there is a short stretch of pitched stone path where the temperature seemed to drop suddenly that encouraged my walking partners to don an extra layer.
Layering up with Hause Moss behind Soon enough we were at Hause Gap and now had a good view of our way up Seat Sandal.
Gavel Crag on Seat Sandal Looking the other way from Hause Gap there is the wall and path running all the way up the steep slope to Fairfield’s fair summit.
Follow the wall for Fairfield summit You just have to admire the work of the dry stone wallers of yesteryear, the skill and tenacity of these people who toiled away high in the fells in all weathers and conditions to build these sometimes lost, forgotten, or defunct boundaries that have survived hundreds of years and bear testimony to the grit and stamina of those who worked on them.
Fairfield's west ridge route Now that E has got herself into the zone in readiness for the climb up this rough section of path through Gavel Crag we set off in earnest with me keeping close to E for support and encouragement until we reached the grass again and then she was off like a rat up a drainpipe.
Elizabeth storms ahead up Gavel Crag A couple of stops for photos and a few minutes later we were out on the grassy part of the ridge and it’s just a case of following the old wall up to the summit.
Follow the wall to Seat Sandal summit 
Dollywagon Pike behind Grisedale Tarn We arrived at the summit rather warm despite the cool breeze to find a couple of others sharing the same experience and views.
Happy on Seat Sandal summit E and M were Seat Sandal virgins hence the big smiles but the priority for E just now was eating so we made our way over to the cairn and sat with our backs to it sheltering from the breeze.
Despite the fairly low cloud cover the views were amazing with a distant haze just muting the colours of the far fells.
Dollywagon Pike to Helvellyn Ridge 
Fairfield - Cofa Pike - St Sunday Crag 
Over to the Coniston Fells 
The western ridge of the Fairfield Round 
West towards the Scafells etc 
A beautiful southern view 
North Western Fells behind the Central Fells A few other walkers passed over the top as we sat and relaxed whilst we watched lines of people making their way up onto Fairfield and Dollywagon Pike. We had two couples asking us which were Helvellyn as that was their fix for the day so we gladly put them on the right track.
Unfortunately it got to the time when we had to move on so we made our way down the north ridge which is once again a simple affair as the wall is a great guide and is most useful when the fells are thick with clag. The path is good and we got a good view over Grisedale Tarn as we made our way down towards the head of Raise Beck.
Fairfield and St Sunday Crag behind Grisedale Tarn Directly across from Seat Sandal is the great hump of Dollywagon Pike with a similar wall running down its south face along which there is a very steep path that I have seen fell runners using. I have used it myself and can say that it is somewhat steep and a strain on the knees so if using it be prepared for some discomfort in that area.
Alternative route off Dollywagon Pike A steady descent soon had us at the start of the path that we would take down alongside Raise Beck, a path that is good and firm underfoot although it was warm in the confines of the beck. There is a clear view towards the Central Fells with Steel Fell slowly taking centre stage as height is lost.
Steel Fell with Ullscarf behind 
Raise Beck waterfall Apart from stopping for a last break the walk down the beck went without incident and we were soon at the path that follows the line of the A591, a path that we would soon have to abandon once we had reached Raise Cottage. The crane and accompanying vehicles were still at the cottage and it was soon apparent that they had been erecting a new communications mast just a few metres from the existing one.
Erecting a new communications mast at Raise Cottage 
Helm Crag Now all we had to do was take to the blacktop/verge as we made our way back to the car park.
Loughrigg Fell centre skyline This short walk was originally picked out for a winter’s day but as we had had a few tiring days since Friday we thought that we’d have an easy one for a change. Forecasted thunder storms were also a deciding factor in our decision not to go too far into the fells today and although they didn’t happen it was still warm and humid in the confines of the fell sides. It seems like autumn is coming on fast this year with the bracken beginning to die off and the trees, shrubs, and wild plants and flowers coming into seed and fruit, some spectacularly so, especially the rowan trees.
At 736 metres this is not a small hill at all but it does seem to be so when stood on its summit looking at the surrounding fells seemingly towering well above us, so it was very satisfying to be here once again taking in the views of those far distant mountains stacked up in rows one after the other. Most other walkers were ignoring Seat Sandal and going for either Fairfield or the Helvellyn groups of fells, but that was fine by us as it made it a whole lot more peaceful where we were.
