~High Seat~
2nd July 2015
High Seat Summit
Scroll down for photos and a description of the walk....
Ashness Bridge
Someone once said "You can't win 'em all" and so it is proved to be correct. The overnight storms have left a legacy of low cloud and a certain humidity. This would not be my preferred choice of ascent route up to High Seat, but it suits my available time and it's a new walk for me. Another of the Central Fells on the ridge to the west of Thirlmere.
To Ashness Gill
Parking at a National Trust car park by Ashness Bridge, the walk started at 07:05hrs. The optimist in me and like many other fellwalkers thought that the cloud might lift and it was worth setting off.
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High Seat Ascent
"The falls will not be seen unless the beck is followed closely (and carefully)."AW
Ashness Gill
Followers of the gill meet with this sheep gate. Molly and I lifted the woodwork and made our way up to the waterfall.
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Waterfalls in Ashness Gill
The main waterfall maybe seldom seen, it is also imapssable and we had to scramble up to the right to regain the footpath.
Top of the Waterfall
My optimism was misplaced, indeed the cloud level was falling and walkers were getting a little wet. All one of us. Navigation in mist can be a challenge; the map with compass proved useful when we found a path junction. The other path would have come gone off to Pouterhow Pike, a feature of this fell.
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High Seat Summit 1,995ft asl
In this week of fine weather and long views, this comes as a bit of a disappointment. Not lingering, we head north for Bleaberry Fell. "This is a walk to wish on one's worst enemy..." Well, here we go, the fence acts as a guide.
Tarn
It is remarkably boggy on the way across the fell. I remember doing this a few years ago and saying to myself that I wouldn't bother walking along here again. Ah well...
Bleaberry Fell Summit 1,932ft asl
Falcon Crag Route
We took the path for Walla Crag and turned off onto the Falcon Crag route for a return to Ashness Bridge.
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Ashness Bridge
Walkers: Molly The Dog and Me.
Route: Ashness Bridge, Ashness Gill, waterfalls, path to the summit of High Seat. Bleaberry Fell and back to Ashness Bridge via the top of Falcon Crag.
Time taken: 3hrs over a distance of about 5miles.
Weather: Cloudy and warm with occasional drizzle and stuff.
Later in the day, Karen joined us for a walk down Derwentwater's shore from Ashness Pier to Borrowdale Hotel. They were filming for the latest adaptation of "Swallows And Amazons" at the jettys at the Keswick end of Derwentwater.
Later still, Me n'Molly climbed Great How, close to Thirlmere for the second time this week - the first being last Sunday morning in pouring rain.
Great How 1,093ft asl
The forest clearance revealed the summit and a local walker has assembled some stones to make a summit cairn.
High Rigg from Great How
Looking north to High Rigg in subtle sunshine and Blencathra with a little lid of cloud.
Thirlmere
Looking south, the Kings Head Hotel is on the left next to the A591. Our self-catering unit is behind the Dale Head Hall Hotel, just seen in the trees, closer to the water. Steel Fell is in the sunshine at the far end of the lake (reservoir, actually).
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2015 ©
Take me back to the start ....