Route: Low Fell and Darling Fell
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 31st January 2019
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 7.1 miles
Ascent: 1,900 feet
Weather: Sunny, snow on the tops
For the second day running we awoke to sun and blue skies, with plenty of snow showing the fells at their best. It didn’t take us long to agree on Low Fell for today’s walk. This is one of my favourite places and the fell which I chose for my 1,000th Wainwright ascent last May.
We parked as usual in one of the few roadside spaces outside the little village of Thackthwaite. We walked into the village and turned right at a signpost between the houses, following the rocky lane uphill. The leads out onto the fields and from here we followed a line of old oak trees up to the intake wall. There are lovely retrospective views from here.
On reaching the intake wall we turned right to follow a grassy path which curves around the fellside into a small raised valley, where the views and the winter sunlight are lost – this is a rather dreary section in truth, but it’s soon over and before long we were on the ridge line, heading south
The views from the ridge get better and better, and anyone visiting Low Fell for the first time should not stop at the north top, but should continue to the very end of the ridge where there is a cairn just below the south top. From here, 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’. These words described the scene perfectly today
From here we retraced our steps for a short distance, and then turned left to follow the line of a fence descending quite steeply and then re-ascending to Darling Fell. This is not a Wainwright, although the views from the summit are almost as good as those from Low Fell. Next we headed down in the direction of Askill Knott and on reaching the fence descended to the old Mosser Road. The remainder of the walk was mostly along tarmac but it wasn’t an issue as these are quiet country lanes with lovely views all around. We hardly saw any traffic, and in the course of 7 miles only saw three other walkers. It was a wonderful walk, and one which we could never tire of
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
View across Lorton Vale from our parking space near Thackthwaite
We walk through the small village, keeping a sharp lookout for speeding squirrels
Watching Crag ahead as we climb above Thackthwaite
We follow this line of old oak trees
Looking across to Watching Crag and the ridge to Low Fell
Lorton Vale, with Whiteside on the right
Lorton Vale again
At the gate ahead, we turn right to follow the dry stone wall
Hatteringill
Fellbarrow is to our right, but we trend around the fellside to the left
Looking back down our path
We pass by a herd of highland cattle, the first time I've seen them up here - these are gentle creatures so we have no concerns
We enter into a small and rather desolate valley with no views and follow a zigzag path to the left
On the ridge now, and heading up to Watching Crag
Whiteside and its cub, Lorton Dodd, on the far side of Lorton Vale
A heavenly section as we walk along the snow clad ridge
Whiteside and Grasmoor
North top of Low Fell, looking towards the Loweswater Fells
We continue along the ridge
A down and an up on the way to the south top
South top of Low Fell, with the Irish Sea and Scotland in the distance
Gilly looks across Lorton Vale
We continue a little further to a cairn below the south top, which boasts the best views...
...Crummock Water, a glimpse of Buttermere, and too many fells to list. We've spent many a happy hour up here and have some treasured memories of this place
Looking down to Scale Hill
Gavel Fell, Blake Fell and Burnbank Fell beyond Loweswater
Having savoured the views, there follows a steepish down and up to Darling Fell - this is looking back to Low Fell
Summit of Darling Fell ahead
Crummock Water and Buttermere...
...and again from the summit, with the south top of Low Fell above the cairn
We continue to head west, with the Irish Sea in the distance
Looking back
The Solway Firth and the hills of Scotland
Loweswater below and a distant view of the sea
Askill Knott ahead, but Just below the snow line we'll turn left to head towards Loweswater...
Burnbank Fell
We join the old Mosser Road (unfit for cars) and follow it down to the Loweswater road
We join a path by the shore of Loweswater, but only for a short distance
Burnbank Fell
The remainder of the walk is along the road...
We turn left at the junction to Thackthwaite
The wonderful view from Foulsyke towards Crummock Water
There But Not There
Whiteside and Grasmoor beyond a stand of old pine trees
Scale Hill and the foot of Grasmoor
A last look across to Low Fell as we approach Thackthwaite and the end of the walk
Later that day, a skyful of stars over Lorton Vale...
