Low Fell

Low Fell

Route: Low Fell 

Area: Western Lake District 

Date of walk:  16th November 2018

Walkers: Andrew

Distance: 4.5 miles

Ascent: 1,500 feet

Weather: Sunny 

The weather was dull and dreary in the morning, but as forecast the clouds broke up and disappeared by early afternoon, which left just enough time for a short fell walk. I could think of no better destination than Low Fell, one of my favourite places and the fell which I chose for my 1,000th Wainwright ascent last May.

I parked as usual in one of the few roadside spaces outside the little village of Thackthwaite on the west side of Lorton Vale. I walked into the village and turned right at a signpost between the houses, following a rocky lane uphill. The leads out onto the fields and from here I followed a line of old oak trees up to the intake wall. There are lovely retrospective views from here.

On reaching the intake wall I turned right to follow a grassy path which curves around the fellside into a small raised valley, where the views are lost – this is a rather dreary section in truth, but it’s soon over and before long I was on the ridge line, heading south into a blinding low sun (which explains the lack of photos in my direction of travel).

The views from the ridge get better and better, and anyone visiting Low Fell for the first time should not stop at the north top, but should continue to the very end of the ridge where there is a cairn just below the south top. From here, in the words of Alfred Wainwright, ‘the view is of classical beauty, an inspired and inspiring vision of loveliness…a scene of lakes and mountains arranged to perfection’. The conditions were rather hazy today and the view was not seen at its magnificent best, but I had no complaints, it was still a wonderful sight.

With more daylight available I’d normally make a circuit of the route by walking over Darling Fell and returning via Loweswater and the Thackthwaite Lane. It is possible to descend from the top directly into Lorton Vale but it’s a horribly steep route and not to be recommended, and so I simply retraced my steps back to the start

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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