Route: Place Fell
Area: Far Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 27th May 2015
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 7.8 miles
Weather: Mostly overcast with a few brighter spells
I parked by the George Starkey mountaineering hut in Patterdale, which is next to the track across the head of Ullswater leading to Side Farm. I followed this track, and then joined a path slanting up the flanks of Place Fell which I followed as far as Boredale Hause
At the Hause I turned up the nose of Place Fell. The path here has been much improved in recent years and it was a straighforward climb to the top
I descended down Hart Crag and just before High Dodd I took the path which leads down to Scalehow Beck by the shore of Ullswater. In Wainwright’s opinion the lakeside path back to Patterdale ‘is the most beautiful and rewarding walk in Lakeland’. It certainly was a wonderful way to return to Patterdale, even though the weather was rather dull and overcast
The walk took around 4 hours and I enjoyed every minute of it
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)
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I follow the track next to the George Starkey Hut in Patterdale
Heading to Side Farm
Pied wagtail on the bridge over Goldrill Beck
The beck flows into Ullswater, just beyond the trees
I follow the old sign pointing to Boredale Hause
Looking back to Patterdale
Another view back as I start the climb up the flanks of Place Fell
The path to Boredale Hause is set at an easy gradient
Deepdale
A glimpse of Brothers Water in the distance
Looking back to Ullswater and Glenridding
Brothers Water and Deepdale
Middle Dodd beyond Brothers Water
Having reached Boredale Hause, I turn off the path to climb towards the summit of Place Fell
Looking back to the hause - Fix the Fells have been at work on the path here
A short section up a rocky gully - Bonnie reaches the top of it in no time at all
Looking back into Deepdale
Small tarn below the summit of Place Fell
Trig column on the summit of Place Fell looking towards High Street
The foot of Ullswater
Glenridding from the summit cairn - there’s still some snow on the top of Helvellyn in the distance
Descending Hart Crag in the direction of Ullswater
Just beyond this old sheepfold I turn left to follow the path below High Dodd
I pass by an old mining hut
Ullswater comes into view
I cross the bridge over Scalehow Beck
There follows a beautiful section along the shore of Ullswater
Looking back along the path towards Hallin Fell
One of the Ullswater Steamers passes by
Silver Bay and Norfolk Island
Devil’s Chimney on the right
Glenridding landing stages
Devil’s Chimney again
Old barn as I approach the head of Ullswater
Just before Side Farm
Beyond the farm now, and it just remains to follow the track back into Patterdale ahead
Later that day, a red squirrel in the garden…
