TRIP 18: THE LOWESWATER FELLS The Lake District? There can’t be any trails-less-trodden there, can there? Well, there are, judging by the footfall on these trails…. For a start, this is the north-west corner of the Lake District, probably the third least visited corner after the far-east (east of Haweswater and Kentmere) and the far-north (north of Skiddaw and Blencathra). Secondly, I followed my nose and found some paths that were definitely less-trodden and some out-of-the-way spots worth telling you about. My trip was over four days in early March, 2018, straight after a cold snap that had covered the country in a blanket of snow and disrupted transport. However, I was able to get through to the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater, for my stay. I can recommend their mid-week Winter Offer when you get Dinner, B&B at a reduced rate and the food is very good. All these trails start and finish there. Here’s a map of the area: Photo 2626: (Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842) 197: Low Fell I chose Low Fell for my first trail because it’s got the reputation of providing one of the best views in the Lake District. Wainwright in ‘The Western Fells’ (Lincoln, first published 1966) recommends going up from the west, either over Darling Fell or up Crabtree Beck. Photo 2621: (Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842) I set off intending to take the Darling Fell route but when I got to the turn for Thackthwaite where the map says ‘141’, I had a strong feeling to turn right and go up from the east. So I did. This choice turned out well for me…. (Photo 2325) Photo 2325: Low Fell from near the Kirkstile Inn, with Darling Fell to the left The view in question is over Crummock Water and into the heart of the Lake District, lying to the south-east. So I took lots of photos in this direction as I went along (Photo 2326). Photo 2326: Crummock Water from the lane to Foulsyke Turning left at Foulsyke, you cross a field and enter a wood (Photo 2330). Photo 2330: helpful sign towards the wood The sun came out for me and I already felt this was the right way to go. It felt like another ‘first day of spring’ (I’d already had one on my previous trip to Orford – see Trail 195). Hopefully, my photos will give you a flavour of this (Photos 2332, 2333, 2334 & 2336). Photo 2332 Photo 2333 Photo 2334: moody shot of Crummock Water Photo 2336: I turned up the hillside here Through the wood, I had a refrain running around my head: “Just like coming home”, from the track ‘Tangent’ on Beth Orton’s 1996 ‘trip-hop’ album ‘Trailer Park’. I always have this feeling when I return to a well-loved place (I get it with the Isles of Scilly, too – see Trip 11). By the way, I found these words on her album sleeve when I looked up the details of ‘Tangent’ (I’m sure she won’t mind me quoting them): “….gender is just an excuse, relationships shouldn’t just be an excuse, love is often an excuse, although sometimes these excuses are all we have to hold onto, death is the reason and living is the celebration.” I’m not sure what it all means (excuses for what?) but it sounds good to me. About 100m after you leave the wood, you can turn left up onto a bank. I left it until a bit later by the tiny waterfall in Photo 2336 where I joined the path up the hillside (Photo 2338). Once over an awkward, badly-maintained stile, you can take a rest (I needed one, anyway) on a mossy fallen tree-trunk (Photo 2347). A little higher up, the view over Crummock Water improves, before the slope of Low Fell gets in the way (Photo 2349). You also get good views down Lorton Vale to the north (Photo 2350) and across to Whiteside and Grasmoor in the east (Photo 2351). Photo 2338: path up the hillside Photo 2347: mossy seat Photo 2349: Crummock Water and Mellbreak Photo 2350: Lorton Vale Photo 2351: Whiteside and Grasmoor Now the going gets steeper for a while as the path winds its way up a ridge of Low Fell. Fortunately, there is a fence which has clearly been used by fell-walkers to haul themselves up this section (much of the fence is falling over as a result). You emerge onto a saddle between the north and south tops of Low Fell. I turned left over a stile for the south top which promised the better views. I liked the view from the lowest point of the saddle (Photo 2355). The view from the first top with the main cairn is not as good as that from: “The Furthest Cairn on the South Top of Low Fell” The view down Crummock Water from here may be the best view in the whole of the Lake District, rivalling that in the opposite direction from Fleetwith Pike and the view from Bowfell (Photo 2357). It extends as far as Haystacks and Great Gable (Photo 2365). To the left, Robinson, Whiteless Pike, Grasmoor and Whiteside line up, while the High Stile Ridge, Mellbreak and the Loweswater Fells are to the right. Turning further to the right, you find Loweswater, with Carling Knott and Burbank Fell behind (Photo 2359); and turning further left, you can see right down Lorton Vale; behind you, to the north, you can only see a small bit of Low Fell top. The only advantage of the middle top of the three that comprise the south top of Low Fell is that you can see more of the rest of Low Fell. I apologise for comprehensively breaking my rule from the Introduction of not showing photos from my Spots for fear of spoiling your pleasure when you arrive but these views are too good to omit. Photo 2357: view from the lowest cairn on the south top of Low Fell Photo 2355: view from the saddle Photo 2365: Haystacks and Great Gable Photo 2359: Loweswater, Carling Knott and Burnbank Fell Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay still here for longer than ten minutes because it was so cold. On the way down towards Darling Fell, I was daunted by the prospect of climbing up another steep slope – for what? The views from Darling Fell wouldn’t be as good and the way down Crabtree Beck looked inviting with a visible path (Photo 2371). Photo 2371: the way down Crabtree Beck Photo 2372: view down Crabtree Beck So I turned left at the beck (Photo 2372), past a sheep-fold on the right bank and followed a clear path round the lower slope of Darling Fell. Further on, this path headed too far right for my liking so, at a junction, I went more or less straight ahead down the slope (Photo 2374). This was now a sheep-track but you can find your way down through gorse and bracken (worse in summer) by using sheep-tracks (there were no boot-prints all the way down from here – only sheep droppings!). As a guide, I recommend sticking to the right side of the wood (Photos 2375, 2376). Photo 2374: junction where I suggest going Photo 2376: sheep on the sheep-track straight downhill Photo 2375: sheep-track going down by the wood, Hen Comb and Black Crag on the skyline At the bottom, you come up against a barbed-wire fence but about 100m along there is a crossable gap in the fence that enables you to enter the wood. It’s easy to find your way down to the road by Loweswater (Photo 2378) – I was lucky enough to hit a gate next to a large sheepfold with a National Trust sign saying “Beware the Pinder”, whoever that is. From the road, there’s a nice view over Loweswater (Photo 2381), as you return downhill to the Kirkstile Inn (Photo 2387). On the way, you might see a red squirrel, if the sign is to be believed (Photo 2382). Photo 2378: the way through the wood Photo 2381: over Loweswater Photo 2387: the Kirk, the Kirkstile Inn and Photo 2382: I didn’t see one Mellbreak – don’t know where the stile is Note that the OS map is completely out of date for this descent – even the 2016 version. The wood is not shown, except at the very bottom. Also, Wainwright’s suggested route from 1966 which goes up over ‘rough ground’ from 200m beyond Crabtree Farm (now called Crabtree Beck) is no longer feasible because it is now blocked by the wood. The nearest approximation would be my route. Before coming on this trip, I didn’t have a favourite fell, even though I’d climbed most of them. Now I do: Low Fell. As its name implies, it’s not huge (about 400m) but size isn’t everything when it comes to trails – and fells for that matter (see my Introduction for more on this). Low Fell has the lot for me: pleasant approach through the wood; taxing climb which you get out of the way at the start; ever-improving views in several directions; a choice of interesting, appealing tops with to-die-for views; and a gentle descent down a scenic valley with a bit of route-finding – and a pub just down the road. Beat that, Scafell Pike.