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A Perfect Day in the Far East

A Perfect Day in the Far East


Postby johnkaysleftleg » Wed Sep 20, 2017 2:03 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Arthur's Pike, Bonscale Pike, Hallin Fell, Loadpot Hill, Steel Knotts, Wether Hill

Hewitts included on this walk: Loadpot Hill

Date walked: 08/07/2017

Time taken: 6

Distance: 18.5 km

Ascent: 1120m

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It had been about three weeks since my last day out in the hills so they were calling once more. With my last visit to the lakes being seemingly ages ago I decided that this one man and his dog expedition would revisit a few Far Eastern Fells and take in a Birkett or three to add some new ground to proceedings.

A fairly early start saw me make my way up the mini Honister pass to the parking area just outside Martindale New Church well before it had filled up. It had been a good while since I'd walked up Hallin Fell and Steel Knotts so this seemed as good a place to start as any. Leaving my pack in the boot Hughie and I set off up the inoffensive grassy slopes on a wonderful lakeland morning, the type where the fells seem to glow with life and vitality. One the way up I passed a family with a really young child who was making a great fist of getting up this mini mountain without any help from mum and dad. It made me think of the early days in the hills with Grace, I hope this family has as many brilliant days out over the next few years as we did.

The summit with it's fine obelisk and even finer views was soon reached but I didn't linger long and headed back to the car to pick up my pack and head towards the next target of the day. Quite a bit of height is lost to reach the North ridge of Steel Knotts but it's worth it.

ImageBeda Fell from the start of the walk by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Image
On the way up Hallin Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageTowards Rampsgill Head by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageUllswater from Hallin Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageHallin Fell Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageObelisk on Hallin Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageNorthen Ullswater from Hallin Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr

This is a fine little ascent as the path winds it's way up through crags with the odd mini scramble before the pleasant ridge is attained and you can stroll easily along to the wonderfully named summit tor, Pikeawassa. I had a bit of a sit on Lakeland's sharpest summit and read about the remarkable third All Blacks/Lions test before continuing along the increasingly broad ridge towards the main bulk of the High Street ridge.

ImageStarting up Steel Knotts by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageLooking down Fusedale by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageMartindale New Church by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageCairn on the North end of the ridge by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageLooking back along the ridge by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImagePikeawassa by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageLooking towards the Nab by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Image
Hughie taking a breather by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Image
Looking down Fusedale by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageAnother of Pikeawassa by Anthony Young, on Flickr

We continued along the increasingly broad and ill defined ridge taking in the undistinguished Birkett tops of Brownthwaite Crag and Gowk Hill before dropping down to the slightly moist head of Fusedale.I considered my options; one to make a bee line up open fellside towards Wether Hill or two, take the longer route up the obvious diagonal path. The fact it was really quite warm made my mind up so I took the easier option of the path.

ImageLooking down to Martindale by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageLooking back to Steel Knotts by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageSteel Knotts and Martindale by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageOn top of Brownthwaite Crag by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageLooking acorss to Helvellyn et al by Anthony Young, on Flickr (click on pic for big version)

ImageA glimpse of Ullswater with Blencathra Behind by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageFive minutes Dad by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageOn Gowk Hill by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageLooking to the Nab and beyond by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Once the ridge was attained it seemed rude not to continue onto Red Crag, a Birkett top, before Wether Hill. I don't know who decided this lump should be called Red Crag for as far as I can see it has no crags at all let alone red ones :? I tromped around it's unimpressive top a bit and headed back north up the ridge.

ImageHelvellyn from Red Crag by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageRed Crag summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageHeading back towards Wether Hill by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Wether Hill came and went, scarcely more impressive than Red Crag to be honest, before I used the stones around the remnants of Loadpot Hall to have lunch. A nice repast in the sunshine later we climbed the few remaining meters to Loadpot Hill. This is another less than impressive top but it does have a little more sense of occasion than the previous four Birkett/Wainwright tops I'd covered. It's a strange oddity that the fells on the walk so far made worse view points the higher you go :?

ImageWeather Hill Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Image
Mono Bog by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageLoadpot Hall by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageLoadpot Hill Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

The walking to the next top couldn't have been easier, following a good path down hill just about all the way to the sizable cairn that marks Arthur's Pike. I Had a sit before meeting a very friendly collie dog and saying hello to her owner, I set off before Hughie got too jealous for the final Wainwright top of the day. With the loss of height the best views had returned so I sat and consumed the remainder of my rations sat next to Bonscale Tower looking down on the deep blue waters of Ullswater which looked far more exotic than usual in the stunning weather, somewhere in Northern Italy springs to mind. I had I little check on my phone app so see if there where any more Birketts close by and discovered the most thorough Mr Birkett had endowed Swarth Fell with individual status so a small grassy climb later so the tenth top of the day was bagged, most satisfactory :D

ImageUllswater with the Northern Fells in the distance by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageArthur's Pike by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageBonscale Pike Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageCairns on Bonscale Pike by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageBonscale Tower by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageOn the way to Swarth Fell by Anthony Young, on Flickr

It's often the case with fell walks that the unpleasant bits tend to get put to the back of your mind, this had been the case with the descent down to Howtown last undertaken around seven years ago. Presence of a walking poll to ease the stress on my left knee which has been Gypping me of late had no effect and I have seldom felt more relived at concluding a descent than I did when I reached the level path past Mellguards. It was now a nice simple walk back to the car as the knee throbbing faded away.

ImageKnee crushing descent by Anthony Young, on Flickr

ImageMellgaurds by Anthony Young, on Flickr

This was a most enjoyable walk on a simply perfect day for hill walking, not to warm and with superb visibility and almost totally dry underfoot given the recent dry weather.


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

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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: A Perfect Day in the Far East

Postby poppiesrara » Wed Sep 20, 2017 8:11 pm

Great photos once more, JK :clap: I was struggling a bit with the amount of bracken until I saw we were remembering the height of summer! Definitely agree that the lower fells around there are the better ones, until you get up to and past High Street.

Are you going for the full Birkett list now, or a bit early to think that?
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poppiesrara
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Posts: 1539
Munros:4   Corbetts:2
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Location: Leicestershire

Re: A Perfect Day in the Far East

Postby johnkaysleftleg » Wed Sep 20, 2017 8:25 pm

poppiesrara wrote:Great photos once more, JK :clap: I was struggling a bit with the amount of bracken until I saw we were remembering the height of summer! Definitely agree that the lower fells around there are the better ones, until you get up to and past High Street.

Are you going for the full Birkett list now, or a bit early to think that?


Cheers Poppie, I'm well behind on my reports so welcome memories of summer it is for now. As for the Birketts I'm hovering them up when close and have currently reached 314 so still way short of 541. Perhaps if I end up close I'll try to finish them.
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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: A Perfect Day in the Far East

Postby trailmasher » Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:49 pm

Oh what a good walk with plenty of sunshine, great little hills and some superb photos :clap: I often wondered what the old building just before the climb up the graded path was used for :? as it looks like it could have been a dwelling for a smallholder in its day :?
I see that you are picking off the Birkett's on your second round of the Wainwright's so well done you. :clap: If you continue to do them I can assure you of some really good walks and views from some of these lesser fells :)

Great photos as usual :clap:
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trailmasher
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Posts: 1302
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Re: A Perfect Day in the Far East

Postby Alteknacker » Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:11 am

The usual stunning photos :clap: :clap: :clap: . I think you'd make practically anywhere look good! I really need to look a bit more closely at the photography lark, rather than just pointing and clicking.... :?
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Alteknacker
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Posts: 3473
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Location: Effete South (of WIgan, anyway)

Re: A Perfect Day in the Far East

Postby johnkaysleftleg » Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:17 pm

trailmasher wrote:Oh what a good walk with plenty of sunshine, great little hills and some superb photos :clap: I often wondered what the old building just before the climb up the graded path was used for :? as it looks like it could have been a dwelling for a smallholder in its day :?
I see that you are picking off the Birkett's on your second round of the Wainwright's so well done you. :clap: If you continue to do them I can assure you of some really good walks and views from some of these lesser fells :)

Great photos as usual :clap:


Cheers TM, Loadpot Hall was a hunting lodge unsurprisingly. The full chimney was still present in AWs time but has long since collapsed. I suppose the test when it comes to the Birketts will be once I tidy up the ones in the main areas of the fells. Time will then tell if I have the motivation to tick off the others.

Edit: Not sure if you were taking about Loadpot hall or not now I've re-read you comment, so ignore if I'm telling granny how to suck eggs :wink:

Alteknacker wrote:The usual stunning photos :clap: :clap: :clap: . I think you'd make practically anywhere look good! I really need to look a bit more closely at the photography lark, rather than just pointing and clicking.... :?


Thanking you kindly :D Not really that hard on such a stunning day in a beautiful place.
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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

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