walkhighlands

This board helps you to share your walking route experiences in England and Wales... or overseas.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

High Tove & Armboth Fell

High Tove & Armboth Fell


Postby Phooooey » Sun May 27, 2012 9:04 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Armboth Fell, High Tove

Date walked: 27/05/2012

Time taken: 3

Distance: 10 km

Ascent: 510m

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Armboth - High Tove - Armboth Fell - (attempt at Raven Crag) - Armboth

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


The english summer arrived this weekend (well for a few days anyway) and the 4 days of drying weather formed the plan to climb into one of the districts wettest areas. Wainwright himself wasn't keen on the bogs that line the central ridge and having witnessed Bleaberry and High Seat last year (further north on this ridge) I kind of knew what we were in for.

We arrived at the banks of Thirlmere at about 09:10 and decided to park down the road from Armboth Car Park. There are plenty of little bays down this road if you,re prepared to do a little road walk before heading higher.
A brisk breeze was blowing down the lakes flanks and freshened what would have otherwise been a very hot day for this time of year.

Opposite Armboth Car Park we found the gate and route up a steepish little track heading onto the central ridge. After 20 minutes of herding sheep (around 30 of them kept to the path ahead of us and refused to move either left or right on to safer ground), we clambered up the final zig-zag and through the stone wall onto the upper reaches of High Tove and the start of the boggier country.
As predicted, the ground had fairly dried out leaving only the ground surface wet in places , preventing most of our boots sinking and progress was easily made up a wide expanse of heathered moorland up to the summit.

Helvellyn Range from High Tove.jpg
Helvellyn Range from High Tove ascent
For panoramic view of this photo, please follow link :
http://www.dermandar.com/p/cfyCMa/helvellyn-range-from-high-tove

DSC_0006.JPG
Damson on High Tove summit (hiding in the shadows)
DSC_0008.JPG
John on High Tove

We then headed left along the fence line to Middle Fell, which was the worst part of the trip for this area held most of the water and a large expanse wasn't passable without getting feet wet. From Middle Fell we headed back toward Thirlmere making a beeline for Armboth Fell which is quite distinctive with its large rock summit in the middle of all that marsh.

DSC_0012.JPG
John on Armboth Fell
DSC_0013.JPG
Damson on Armboth Fell
DSC_0014.JPG
Me and Damson take a seat on Armboth Fell

The plan had been to then head south and follow the waterfall down to the Thirlmere road but as it was still early we decided to head for Raven Crag which could be seen under its wooded cloak at the northern end of the lake.

DSC_0018.JPG
John climbs style heading for Raven Crag
Thirlmere and central ridge.jpg
View back to Thirlmere and Armboth Fell
For panoramic view of this photo, please follow link :
http://www.dermandar.com/p/eDUWXk/thirlmere-from-central-ridge

A straight line (or as straight as possible) was taken back across our ascent path and up to the edge of the Forestry Commission boundary which we skirted round looking for the wooden gate that led to the Forestry path and the summit of Raven Crag. (I'd done this with Damson last year from Dale Bottom campsite so knew what I was looking for). On arriving here however, we found the final ascent path was blocked by a large number of felled trees and a no admittance sign. This work was being started when I last climbed this fell back in summer of last year.and I nearly got turned back then. Surely it would be common courtesy to hang a few signs round the lower reaches of the fell advising of the position or better still clear the paths of the trees that are left abandoned over a very large stretch of mountain. I know as ramblers / fell walkers we have few rights but a 12 month restriction of a Wainwright fell top seems excessive.

Anyway we headed back the way we'd come along the forest track planning on following this all the way to the car park. We didn't however notice that the roads didn't meet up on the map and when we reached the dead end heading back south, we had a decision to make : head back north and follow path down to Thirlmere Dam, head up through the trees to find the ridge and come back down the way we'd gone up or push on blindly down through the trees to try and find another path.
Despite John's bad knee we took option 3 and fell / crashed / plummeted through the trees down towards the lake. After picking up about half a tree a piece in our clothing, socks and ruck sacks we crashed through the tree line and onto a lower path just above the road.

DSC_0021.JPG
You can see wind across Thirlmere
DSC_0025.JPG
Thirlmere from break in the woods

This path dropped us right back down to the car park and our little trek along the road back to the car.
Nice little route which wasn't too taxing and got us out in the great British Sunshine. Also leaves only 75 fells for me and Damson to finish.
User avatar
Phooooey
 
Posts: 244
Hewitts:111
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Apr 4, 2010
Location: Dalton -In-Furness

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby johnkaysleftleg » Sun May 27, 2012 9:12 pm

Lovely pics and another great report. I've still to do High Seat, High Tove and Armboth Fell. You made them look almost inviting.
User avatar
johnkaysleftleg
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 3340
Munros:25   Corbetts:11
Fionas:11   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:7   Hewitts:172
Wainwrights:214   Islands:8
Joined: Jan 28, 2009
Location: County Durham

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby Phooooey » Sun May 27, 2012 9:24 pm

Make sure you do them in either glorious sunshine or mid winter when the bogs have frozen solid. I enjoyed the walk a lot bar not being able to summit Raven Crag. Easy rambling once you finish small climb and doesn't take all day.
User avatar
Phooooey
 
Posts: 244
Hewitts:111
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Apr 4, 2010
Location: Dalton -In-Furness

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby SusieThePensioner » Sun May 27, 2012 9:54 pm

Glad you eventually found your way back down through the forest :D

Enjoyed your report and the photos, excellent :thumbup: Nice to see Damson posing again :lol:

I recently did a walk down by the lake, the Wythburn end, had to turn back as it was so boggy and the path was blocked by a tree; sound familiar?
User avatar
SusieThePensioner
 
Posts: 1543
Munros:6   Corbetts:3
Fionas:4   Donalds:7
Sub 2000:3   Hewitts:107
Wainwrights:156   
Joined: Sep 7, 2011
Location: County Durham

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby ChrisW » Mon May 28, 2012 1:33 am

A fine entertaining report as always Phooooey, glad I'm not the only one who makes those branch collecting descents that seemed like such a good idea at the start :lol: good to see you guys getting the great weather again (at least for a short time eh) :D
User avatar
ChrisW
Rambler
 
Posts: 4941
Munros:18   Corbetts:5
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:6   
Joined: Jan 25, 2011
Location: Cochrane- Alberta - Canada

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby L-Hiking » Mon May 28, 2012 7:48 pm

Didnt think it ever got dry up there :crazy:
User avatar
L-Hiking
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 545
Munros:78   Corbetts:8
Fionas:2   
Sub 2000:2   Hewitts:141
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Aug 30, 2010
Location: York, North Yorkshire

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby garyhortop » Mon May 28, 2012 7:57 pm

Great Report Phooey and some amazing photo's!!
garyhortop
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 313
Munros:3   Corbetts:1
Fionas:2   
Sub 2000:8   Hewitts:34
Wainwrights:14   
Joined: Sep 18, 2011

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby DaveB1 » Mon May 28, 2012 9:53 pm

Great report Phooey, I did it in winter mode and Raven Crag was shut then too! Think I'm going to do a bit of complaining to United Utilities!! :-x Dave
User avatar
DaveB1
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 133
Munros:17   Corbetts:9
Fionas:4   Donalds:4
Sub 2000:3   Hewitts:172
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Apr 6, 2010
Location: Bury, Greater Manchester

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby Phooooey » Mon May 28, 2012 11:52 pm

It's only a 100m stretch of the pathway but it's the only route up according to the map. The machine they use to saw and strip the logs is more than capable of shifting them out of the way. :( Good job it wasn't the fell I needed towards the count and therfore didn't spoil a great mornings walking.
Susie, the northern end of Thirlmere will now forever hold memories of the K2B as thats where it starts, and it chucked it down last year making that entire stretch wet and boggy. No trees blocking our way that time, only a few thousand yompers ... :D
User avatar
Phooooey
 
Posts: 244
Hewitts:111
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Apr 4, 2010
Location: Dalton -In-Furness

Re: High Tove & Armboth Fell

Postby Jane Yates » Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:32 pm

Great report and great photos! Anything around High Tove is desperate isn't it!

It is still possible to get up Raven Crag, but not by the designated footpath (I tried hard to get through those fallen trees and rivers of mud recently believe me :crazy: ) If you go a bit further south on the main path you can then cut up through the trees to meet the summit path by the wooden steps - keep an eye out for a path after you cross a marshy bit. If you look in my walks diary you can see my route contouring around the front of a knoll opposite the summit. I cut straight down to the main footpath rather than contouring on my return route down though. Certainly well worth the amazing viewing spot!
User avatar
Jane Yates
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 44
Hewitts:37
Wainwrights:107   
Joined: Jan 10, 2012

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Outside Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests