Place Fell

Sunday 8th April 2012

In wet, misty conditions I left the youth hostel in Glenridding and headed back up the valley even though I actually wanted to go in the opposite direction. I was climbing above the old mine buildings (all of which are now hostels and outdoor pursuits centres) in order to get to an old leat that used to carry water around the lower slopes of Birkhouse Moor. This provides an excellent level route that I’ve taken on many occasions before, and I never tire of the path, I absolutely love it. On the craggy line of the north-eastern ridge of Birkhouse Moor the remains of the water channel has disintegrated, which has made the path treacherous at this point. The Park Authority has put a low wall across the path to deter casual walkers from straying onto the eroded section, but I knew what was coming so confidently walked around the wall and proceeded to clamber over the rocks. The wet conditions made the small scramble a little trickier than normal, but that just added to my fun of this great little path.

Continuing over Mires Beck I climbed onto the lower slopes of the eastern ridge of Birkhouse Moor making my way past birds that were cheerfully singing in the woods that surround Lanty’s Tarn. At the lake I found a way up the small, nearby hill to the viewpoint of Keldas, the terminus of the eastern ridge that starts on Striding Edge and passes over Birkhouse Moor. Keldas is not a Wainwright, there isn’t even a public right-of-way (merely a permitted path to the top), and so I’d never been up it before. There are supposed to be good views from the top across Ullswater but in the damp, misty conditions that I had the view was rather spoilt. Returning back to the main path I passed Lanty’s Tarn and speculated on why the small lake never seems to have much water in it. A dam has been constructed at the southern end of the small natural pond, but these days the water never seems to reach it.

Dropping down into Grisedale I walked along a delightful path that passes through Glenamara Path on its way to Patterdale. This is another path that I have taken many times before while making my way to the Patterdale Youth Hostel. The alternatives are just not worth it. Before reaching the hostel I crossed the valley and took the higher path that traverses the lower slopes of Place Fell and overlooks Ullswater. I’ve only ever taken this highly recommended lakeshore path once before, and that was on my first visit to the Lake District. It was raining all day and since I was still a novice walker, especially in bad weather, I’d taken a walk around the lake. I think I may have taken the lower path on that occasion, but this higher path is much more rugged and interesting with the remains of quarrying giving an added dimension to the walk. Thanks to improving weather I really enjoyed this relaxing walk that eventually brought me to a junction where a less clear path climbs steeply up the side of Place Fell.

This is a fun, but exhausting path, off the tourist route and so much the better for it. After the botanist's dream on the thrilling steep slopes I was disappointed to find a broad grassy plain once the gradient finally eased. Sheep have grazed these tops bare and left little to see except a faint path that I followed across the slopes slowly climbing until eventually I reached the trig point at the top of Place Fell. This is a vast fell where one can easily get away from the crowds that stay on the main paths and quickly lose oneself among the crags. I visited Place Fell a couple of years ago, just after New Year, and I wasn’t impressed. When listing the best fells in the Lakes Wainwright gave Place Fell an honourable mention, and I’ve never been able to see why. The abominable path from Boredale Hause doesn’t help Place Fell’s cause, but the steep western slopes that I’d just climbed gives a hint to its appeal.

Once I reached the summit of Place Fell I turned around and set off to explore the vast fell and learn why Wainwright had so favoured the fell. Turning north, almost following my outward path, I made my way across the fell picking a route that took in all the crags around the western edge, including the Knight before I reached Birk Fell beyond the top of my outward path. Most of the top of Place Fell is just grass, but the north-western corner around Birk Fell is craggier with more interesting terrain underfoot. Taking advantage of this I darted around the various tops including Bleaberry Knott while Ullswater could always be seen at the bottom of the steep slopes of Birkfell Earth far below me. Making my way steeply down to Low Birk Fell, an excellent viewpoint for Ullswater, I took an even steeper and thrilling descent all the way down to the lakeshore path.

After all the fun that I’d had making my own routes around the edge of Place Fell it was shock to find so many people on the shore path so I quickly set off for Sandwick, crossed Boredale Beck, and headed up to Beda Fell. I’d only once previously been up Beda Fell, and that was in very poor weather that quickly improved as I dropped down towards Ullswater. On this occasion I was going in the opposite direction, but I still had rain and strong winds for my ascent as the weather turned more unpleasant. Beda Fell is a lovely ridge that gently undulates as it slowly falls into Martindale. After the rain eased I was able to enjoy my walk over the summit, Beda Head, and on towards the Angletarn Pikes. On my previous visit to Beda Fell I’d climbed along the bridlepath from Boredale Hause so for a change I decided to stay on the ridge as it climbs up to Heckbeck Head.

When I reached Heckbeck Head I had views across Angle Tarn, but with a strong wind I decided that it wasn’t worth visiting the tops that encircle the lake (and also since I’d done them not too long ago in much better weather). It was time to go so I dropped down the broad grassy slopes along a faint path that took me all the way down to Boredale Hause whereupon I picked one of the two paths that drop down into Patterdale. This was a great walk where I was really quite lucky with the weather as it could have been a lot worse. I had originally planned to go up other fells, but I left them out when I realised I had been wildly optimistic. This was a fabulous walk that would have been ruined if I’d pushed myself to climb more fells. It is more important to have an enjoyable walk than to accomplish a punishing schedule.