Sour Howes and Sallow

Tuesday 30th December 2025

After fulfilling my family obligations over Christmas I was keen to get back to the Lake District so I caught a train and was at Windermere station before noon. If it had been my intention to get away from everyone and unwind from the acquired stresses over Christmas, then climbing Orrest Head was not the way to do it as this small hill is a popular place with families that provides them with a great viewpoint after minimal effort close to a town. So, after initially following the crowds through the woodland below Orrest Head I branched off to cross the western slopes while still enjoying some of the views across the northern part of Windermere as those at the crowded summit. The fells above Langdale were shrouded in mist while clouds covered most of the sky overhead so the views were mixed, but it was still wonderful to be back in the Lake District. Firm paths that were enjoyable to walk upon took me across sheep fields to a road and after passing Near Orrest Farm I turned left onto a path that I remember losing my way on in 2021, so this time I took extra care to follow the correct, though not clear route which brought me to Moorhowe Road and from there onto Dubbs Road. Apart from bypassing the top of Orrest Head I was still following my route of 2021, and, from much further back, in 2006 when I eventually turned right at a stile onto Applethwaite Common, unlike in 2021, and now I did so again.

A clear path weaved a course past a line of rocky outcrops, but I ignored this to walk on top of the rocks which made this an enjoyable route up for me, so I was disappointed that there is not a more prominent ridgeline. I had great views across the Troutbeck Valley, up the valley towards the cloud-covered fells and down the length of Windermere, which was looking particularly good on the rare occasions when the sun came out. When the rocks began to disappear I retreated to the path and continued the ascent all the way up to the summit of Sour Howes which could be in several different places, though none of them are really note-worthy and all are a significant distance beyond the point where the gradient eased. The Ordnance Survey marks a 483 metre point as the highest but a more pronounced top further away is likely to be where Wainwright considered as the summit. Turning north I headed along a broad ridge following a clear path around Moor Head on an enjoyable walk with little wind and gradual descent to the col before a gentle ascent led me to the summit of Sallows. I have climbed these two fells just twice before, firstly from Windermere station in 2006 and then on my way to the station in 2015, but Wainwright also described routes of ascent from the south east, from a bridlepath that crosses the eastern slopes from Ing to Kentmere and perhaps I should explore that in future. 

A steep descent brought me to the Garburn Pass where I turned left to descend the stony track with views up the Troutbeck Valley to my right and ahead of me down the valley towards Windermere. Before reaching the junction with Dubbs Road I turned off the Garburn Road onto a path that dropped steeply down past young trees. I would not have thought of going this way as there is not a right-of-way, but the O.S. Map app suggested this route and who was I to argue with my A.I. lord and master? This brought me into Limefitt Holiday Park and now I followed my route of 2022 across the valley, into the village of Troutbeck and around the western slopes of Wansfell finally reaching the Ambleside Youth Hostel as the light was failing. I had no real plans for my second week in the Lake District, over the New Year, unlike the week before when I had a clear objective to climb fells I had not visited in a long time. That just left me able to have an enjoyable and relaxing holiday in the Lake District with no pressures to achieve anything and if the weather was good enough to allow me to visit the tops of some fells then good. On this walk I visited two fells that I had previously visited just twice before and I had an enjoyable walk. What more do you need?