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Ill Bell plus four, by four

Ill Bell plus four, by four


Postby simon-b » Mon Jul 20, 2015 1:34 am

Wainwrights included on this walk: Froswick, Ill Bell, Sallows, Sour Howes, Yoke

Hewitts included on this walk: Froswick, Ill Bell, Yoke

Date walked: 18/07/2015

Time taken: 6.5

Distance: 16.1 km

Ascent: 941m

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



About two weeks before this walk, Pam had texted me, saying she fancied a visit to the Far Eastern Fells of Lakeland. She asked if there was a route I could recommend, and if I'd like to come. I answered, "Yes and yes". Froswick was on my 'direct ascents to do' list. Neither Pam nor Trudie nor Emily had been on the Ill Bell range before, so this would also be a great introduction to a fine ridge for them. Pam drove us all up from West Yorkshire on Saturday morning, and parked in a lay-by near (the southern) Troutbeck. We set off walking, and before long we were on Ing Lane.

P7180004.JPG
Emily on Ing Lane, the Ill Bell range on the right.


Then we moved to pass Troutbeck Tongue on the eastern side.

P7180005.JPG
Trudie, Emily and Pam, soon after crossing Hagg Bridge


The path towards Scot Rake began climbing on easy gradients.

P7180009.JPG
Ascending towards Scot Rake, looking back to Hagg Gill, Troutbeck Tongue and Wansfell


Although the path wasn't steep, Trudie was starting to move slowly, and we had to wait for her to catch up.

P7180012.JPG
Hagg Gill, Troutbeck Tongue and Windermere from near Scot Rake


At a cairn indicating the junction for Froswick from the High Street path, Emily, Pam and I again had to wait for Trudie. She was having trouble with her knee, which was swelling up. We had a short rest, Trudie rubbed some pain reliever into her knee, and Emily gave her some ibuprofen tablets. Then we moved on again, and reached the ridge. It was quite windy, but not too bad.

P7180013.JPG
Ready to move onto Froswick


Pam and Emily went on ahead towards Froswick. Trudie and I followed more slowly, so I could watch to see that she was OK. She seemed to struggle a little, but we made it to the summit. I suggested that Pam and Emily shouldn't miss out on Ill Bell and the rest of the ridge, but offered to walk back down to Troutbeck with Trudie if need be; I'd done the other hills more than once before. After a rest, Trudie decided to carry on.

P7180014.JPG
Ill Bell from Froswick


This time Pam hung back with Trudie, as Emily and I went on ahead to Ill Bell. On arrival at the summit, I wandered east a little to look down the NE ridge, a route by which I'd ascended the year before in mist.

P7180017.JPG
Looking down Ill Bell's NE ridge to Kentmere Reservoir


Trudie had managed to reach the summit, and was starting to feel a bit better. I rejoined the ladies at the cairn.

P7180018.JPG
On Ill Bell, Windermere in the background


The view to the west showed that we'd come to the right part of the district to get views on this day.

P7180021.JPG
On Ill Bell, looking west


Next we headed for Yoke.

P7180022.JPG
Leaving Ill Bell, heading for Yoke


The day's third summit was reached...

P7180025.JPG
Ill Bell and High Street from Yoke


...and then we moved on to Garburn Pass. The basic plan from here had been to take the Garburn Road back down to Troutbeck. But Pam, Emily and Trudie had not been on Sallows or Sour Hows before, so I asked if they'd like to bag them. Wainwright once described the addition of these hills to an Ill Bell round as a time consuming detour, but since then these two fells have become more walker friendly. So we chose to climb them. It didn't take long to get to Sallows.

P7180027.JPG
The view SE from Sallows


P7180030.JPG
Sour Hows from Sallows


Then we moved round onto Sour Hows.

P7180031.JPG
Windermere from Sour Hows


Adding these last two hills was a pleasant little detour which didn't need too much time. Cloud was now lowering onto Ill Bell, as we looked back.

P7180033.JPG
Ill Bell range from Sour Hows


Then we started the descent by the east ridge back towards Troutbeck.

P7180034.JPG
Trudie descending from Sour Hows


As we came to the last stages of the walk and looked north, we could see the ridge we'd been on was again clear.

P7180040.JPG
Caudale Moor, Thornthwaite Crag and the Ill Bell range from the path above Limefitt House


We all agreed it had been a really nice walk. The weather had caused no problems or discomfort - some wind but not too much, little rain, and where we were, high cloud with some sunny breaks. Pam drove us back south, and after a stop at Lancaster Services, it was back home to Yorkshire.
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simon-b
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2347
Munros:282   Corbetts:30
Fionas:7   Donalds:12
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:155
Wainwrights:214   Islands:4
Joined: Jan 2, 2012
Location: Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Re: Ill Bell plus four, by four

Postby mamoset » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:52 pm

Good route that simon, did a similar one earlier this year. Shame about the weather, especially in July!!! :shock: :(
mamoset
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1674
Munros:256   Corbetts:6
Donalds:1
Hewitts:115
Wainwrights:214   Islands:5
Joined: Feb 12, 2011

Re: Ill Bell plus four, by four

Postby simon-b » Wed Jul 22, 2015 7:19 pm

mamoset wrote:Good route that simon, did a similar one earlier this year. Shame about the weather, especially in July!!! :shock: :(

Thanks, mamoset. It is a nice route, and although repeating myself somewhat, it is worth including Sallows and Sour Hows nowadays, despite what AW may have written in the past. The weather was actually pleasant enough despite the clouds in the photos. Just the views of the higher summits in the Southern and Western Fells were missing.
User avatar
simon-b
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2347
Munros:282   Corbetts:30
Fionas:7   Donalds:12
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:155
Wainwrights:214   Islands:4
Joined: Jan 2, 2012
Location: Wakefield, West Yorkshire

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