Route: Low Fell
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 15th April 2017
Walkers: Andrew, Gilly and James
Distance: 4.5 miles
Weather: Cloudy with sunny spells, windy and cold on top
We only had time for a short walk today and wanted to go somewhere high in beauty but at the same time avoid the Easter bank holiday crowds – Low Fell would fit the bill perfectly. We’ve been up here dozens of times and never tire of it
We started from our usual place, a small layby just outside the village of Thackthwaite. After walking into the village we turned off the lane and followed a stony path, quite overgrown at first but gradually opening out onto fields. We then joined the drove road above the intake wall, which has lovely views towards Crummock Water, but which gradually disappear as the final push to the summit ridge is made. Once on the ridge we soon gained the north top, but it would be a major omission to turn back here.
The views are good from the top, but in order to enjoy the main attraction of the fell it’s necessary to continue further along the ridge to the south top from where, in the words of Alfred Wainwright, ‘the view is of classical beauty, an inspired and inspiring vision of loveliness…a scene of lakes and mountains arranged to perfection’.
AW’s words are no exaggeration and having gained the south top and gazed in awe for a while we retraced our steps back to the start
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden before the start of the walk
Siskin
Yellowhammer
...and our granddaughter Phoebe on an Easter egg hunt
Thackthwaite at the start our walk - the village has a problem with delinquent squirrels
We start the climb up the grassy slopes of the fell
The Low Fell ridge
Approaching the foot of the fellside
Looking across to the High Stile Range in the clouds
...and looking back down our path
Mellbreak
Lorton
Lorton Vale and the foot of Lorton Dodd
Crummock Water comes into view as we gain height
Dodd, with Ladyside Pike behind it, leading up to Hopegill Head
Lorton Vale again
James and Bonnie starting out along the ridge
Whiteside
Crummock Water....
Looking down into Lorton Vale
Crummock Water
Onwards and upwards
View from the north top
Whiteside and Grasmoor
Crummock Water again
The view from the north top is good but it's necessary to continue to the very end of the ridge for the best view
Loweswater from the south top of Low Fell
Mellbreak and Crummock Water
The cairn just below the south top
Panorama of Crummock Water, Loweswater and too many fells to list - click or tap the photo to enlarge
Loweswater
One for the family album - Gilly James and Bonnie
We retrace our steps...
Low Fell walk, Thackthwaite
Later that night it was a thrill to see a hedgehog in the garden
