Black Fell,Grey Nab and Melmerby Fell

[PauloUK77]

This walk begins on the A686 on the high pass just east of the Hartside Cafe.I did this walk as a double out and back from where I parked the car.First I entered open country through the kissing gate at the little car park and took a heading for Black Fell.A boundary fence is soon reached and you follow this all the way to Black Fells summit.
From here follow another boundary fence to Tom Smiths stone,this part was tough going having to negotiate bogs and peat hags.From Tom Smiths stone another fence takes you towards Grey Nags summit.

From here I retraced my route back to where my car was parked and headed in the direction of Melmerby Fell.A footpath sign and a gate lead the way into open country and my first objective this time was Fiends Fell.
After Fiends Fell is reached the going is reasonably easy all the way to Melmerby Fell although the weather had closed in by this time limiting visibility down to a few metres.Again I retraced my steps to take me back to the A686 and where my car was parked.

Overall I really enjoyed this walk as you get a feel of total isolation.I didn't see any other walkers whilst on these fells.The fells themselves are undistinguished but this is why you can have these to yourself.

Small car park with the Hartside Cafe in the distance.

The kissing gate with Black Fell beyond.

View over the Eden Valley to Blencathra.

Black Fell

Black Fells summit trig in sight.

Black fells trig looking towards the Lake District.

Black fells trig looking towards the next objective (Grey Nag).

Its tough going between Black Fell and Grey Nag.

Looking towards Grey Nags summit.

Tom Smiths stone.

Grey Nag summit.

Looking back to Black Fell.

Melmerby's was covered in cloud.

Footpath sign from the A686 towards Melmerby Fell.

Cairn on Fiends Fell looking back towards the A686 pass and Black Fell.

Tower on Fiends Fell with the Eden valley beyond.

Fiends Fell summit looking towards Melmerby Fell.

Melmerby Fell summit in cloud.

Melmerby Fells summit.

[fedupofuserids]

The fells themselves are undistinguished but this is why you can have these to yourself.

Thats the problem with hill-lists sometimes the hills missed off are far better whilst those included are complete dogs!

Again some I hope to do later this year, although judging by the peat hags may be best done when the ground is frozen.

[tango]

Hello I covered that ground & a little more back in September...there was 1 hell of a wind up there then ,it made for hard work!!!! & those bogs are nice too "not" i went up to my thighs in 1 that lovely wet cold feeling you get!!! ..but saying that the cafe was spot on after i finished my walk..i drove past to go to the Lakes & stopped off some food,excellent scoff (food)..i even went to buy 2 pasties for the dogs & because it was late in the day they gave them to me free which was nice & not something you see much of now days!! so if im up that way again ill be popping in again "not for free pasties" a cup of tea etc...

[PauloUK77]

Your right about those bogs tango,the only reason I got off scot free was because the ground hadn't thawed out completely.Having said that there were a couple of occasions when my leg just disappeared into the ground.Then paranoia set in and I had little confidence in making my next move.
I wonder how bad it can really get up there in warmer wetter months?

[colgregg]

That's the Pennines for you. Tread very carefully unless you are on a track in these remote areas. Even the paths can be a joke!! It's a similar situation in the Dales. I've always thought Widdale Fell (Hawes) looked an interesting hill until last Wednesday when I spent what seemed a lifetime tiptoeing through bogs and peat hags on the summit before managing to find solid ground. Never again.

[PauloUK77]

I will be heading your way in late Feb Colgregg for some more bogtrotting.This time it will be Rogans seat,Great Shunner Fell and Lovely seat.

[colgregg]

Don't know about Lovely seat but Great Shunner ought to be o.k. I'm sure theres been a lot of anti erosion work done on the path with it being on the pennine way. Rogan's seat has a landy track to it's summit with it being on a popular grouse moor.
A great day would be to park at Gunnerside do Gunnerside gill then head west towards Swinner Gill, detouring to bag Rogans seat before dropping down to Swinner then follow the swale back to Gunnerside. I've done both Gill's but not at the same time so I'm due a revisit shortly myself. It's a fascinating walk steeped in mining history AND you wont even touch a bog Some nice waterfalls in swinner too. As I once said elsewhere the area is Swaledale's Hadrians Wall, I just hope they preserve what they can in memory of the 100's who toiled there in days gone by.

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Swinner Gill

River Swale

Top of Gunnerside Gill

[PauloUK77]

Looks fantastic that was more or less the route I had in mind.Nice to know the ground will be easier going.These will be my first Yorkshire Dales walks.

[colgregg]

Yep it's a good dry route. If you are merely wanting to "bag" lovely Seat its a 20 minute yomp from the Buttertubs Pass road between Hawes and Thwaite. let me know if there is any local info you require and i'll be glad to help.

[john923]

Thanks for the report Paulo - it's helpful stuff to see what the going is like underfoot. Had my eye on Melmerby Fell last Easter and came up for a recce but the fog was so dense we didn't bother to get out of the car. Still my wife thought the bakery cafe in Melmerby was a very acceptable substitute! Maybe have another try this year.

[PauloUK77]

Melmerby was under cloud the whole day I was there,the next day I did Cold Fell before heading back towards the A66 and again Melmerby was in the clouds.
This Hewitt dosn't like revealing itself.

[tango]

I did Great Shunner Fell & more in 2009,you have to watch out for the bogs there too, i was on a path heading back to the car...& what i thought was some fence posts in a semi small puddle turned out to be a waist deep bog, my son found it entertaining... myself had a sense of humour failure so when i finished decorating the mountainside with my colourful langauge....... i was soaked waist downwards.. so if you go up there keep your eyes peeled for potential ambush sites!!!! ever that or walk naked!!! save on washing...... ..

[PauloUK77]

I will be prepared for them bogs this time,those Pennines are like giant sponges the water they hold must be immense.Maybe snow shoes would be a good idea to combat the bog situation the only thing is that would look odd with no snow around.

[colgregg]

The summit of Widdale Fell near Hawes. Hell on earth!!! Paulo I'm assuming you are doing the Hewitts, Great Knoutberry hill is South of this. Fortunately there are easier ways to bag it than venturing to where I was.

[PauloUK77]

That looks tough going,I bet you were sinking left,right and centre.I have a lot of Hewitts in my sights for this year I have knocked going abroad on the head for more trips around the U.K.