27th May 2024 - Lord's Seat to Graystones
Walk Details
Distance walked: 10.7 miles
Total ascent: 3101 ft
OS map used: OL4 - The English Lakes, Northwestern area
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Spout Force car park-Aiken Plantation-Comb Plantation-Seat How-Beckstones Planation-Barf-Lord's Seat-Broom Fell-Widow Hause-Graystones-Darling How Plantation-Spout Force-Spout Force car park
I'm on holiday in the Lake District this week to resume bagging Wainwrights for a second round. For a change I'm staying in a shepherd's hut on a farm just off the A591 near Thirlmere, rather than in a guest house or B & B. I did this kind of self catering option for the first time when I went to the Isle of Skye last September, and I preferred it to the types of accommodation that I've used before. I've usually been pretty lucky with the weather during my stays in the Lake District, but with the forecast for this week best described as changeable, I've not made any definite plans about the routes I'd like to do, or the summits I'd like to visit, leaving the decision on where to go to the evening before or even that morning. Today's forecast is for improving weather to arrive from the west, so that's the direction I went in, to do a walk on the Whinatter fells, in the northwestern fells. It's the best part of fifteen years since I last walked on these fells, so all four of the Wainwrights that I visited counted towards my second round. I set off from the Spout Force car park that's next to the B5292 with grey, overcast skies and the cloud sitting low on the hills, but the weather improved as forecast with the sun breaking through the clouds and them lifting off the fells by lunchtime. The best conditions of the day were while I was on Graystones, as the strong breeze that picked up blew the clouds away to give sunny spells.
From the Spout Force car park next to the B5292 I set off by walking along the track north and east up the valley of Aiken Beck and through Aiken Plantation, and then south to arrive at Horsebox Crossroads in Comb Plantation. I retraced my steps from here up to a junction of tracks and took the one signposted "Seat How Summit Trail". This track and then path took me north to Seat How, and then down to a track in Beckstones Plantation. I followed this north and at a junction of tracks I took the right hand one, which met up with the public footpath up by Beckstones Gill for a crossing of the beck and the short climb to the summit of Barf, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I took the path to Lord's Seat, and from there followed the moorland ridge west to Broom Fell and across Widow Hause to Graystones. Once I'd taken in the view from the several tops I made my way down off the fell by the wall that runs south by Darling How Plantation until I reached a track on the left not far from the bottom of the fell. I took this and followed it through Darling How Plantation to reach the track back to the car park. On the way there I took the public footpath to visit the waterfall of Spout Force.
Total ascent: 3101 ft
OS map used: OL4 - The English Lakes, Northwestern area
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Spout Force car park-Aiken Plantation-Comb Plantation-Seat How-Beckstones Planation-Barf-Lord's Seat-Broom Fell-Widow Hause-Graystones-Darling How Plantation-Spout Force-Spout Force car park
I'm on holiday in the Lake District this week to resume bagging Wainwrights for a second round. For a change I'm staying in a shepherd's hut on a farm just off the A591 near Thirlmere, rather than in a guest house or B & B. I did this kind of self catering option for the first time when I went to the Isle of Skye last September, and I preferred it to the types of accommodation that I've used before. I've usually been pretty lucky with the weather during my stays in the Lake District, but with the forecast for this week best described as changeable, I've not made any definite plans about the routes I'd like to do, or the summits I'd like to visit, leaving the decision on where to go to the evening before or even that morning. Today's forecast is for improving weather to arrive from the west, so that's the direction I went in, to do a walk on the Whinatter fells, in the northwestern fells. It's the best part of fifteen years since I last walked on these fells, so all four of the Wainwrights that I visited counted towards my second round. I set off from the Spout Force car park that's next to the B5292 with grey, overcast skies and the cloud sitting low on the hills, but the weather improved as forecast with the sun breaking through the clouds and them lifting off the fells by lunchtime. The best conditions of the day were while I was on Graystones, as the strong breeze that picked up blew the clouds away to give sunny spells.
From the Spout Force car park next to the B5292 I set off by walking along the track north and east up the valley of Aiken Beck and through Aiken Plantation, and then south to arrive at Horsebox Crossroads in Comb Plantation. I retraced my steps from here up to a junction of tracks and took the one signposted "Seat How Summit Trail". This track and then path took me north to Seat How, and then down to a track in Beckstones Plantation. I followed this north and at a junction of tracks I took the right hand one, which met up with the public footpath up by Beckstones Gill for a crossing of the beck and the short climb to the summit of Barf, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I took the path to Lord's Seat, and from there followed the moorland ridge west to Broom Fell and across Widow Hause to Graystones. Once I'd taken in the view from the several tops I made my way down off the fell by the wall that runs south by Darling How Plantation until I reached a track on the left not far from the bottom of the fell. I took this and followed it through Darling How Plantation to reach the track back to the car park. On the way there I took the public footpath to visit the waterfall of Spout Force.
Route map
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Setting off from the Spout Force car park I follow the track up the valley of Aiken Beck..
At Horsebox Crossroads, where I get a view east towards Keswick. The forest has been cleared so that there is one. It was here that I decided not to visit Whinlatter Top but retrace my steps and head for Barf via Seat How.
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I've retraced my steps to a junction of tracks, and I'm going to take the path signposted "Seat How Summit Trail".
A gap in the forest lets me see west to what I hope is an improvement in the weather
Taking in the view from Seat How. Looking east and southeast across Keswick and Derwent Water, and to the fells around the Newlands Valley..
Grisedale Pike under cloud to the south
From Seat How I make my way north down to a track, which I follow northwest through Beckstones Plantation until the fell of Barf appears ahead..
Crossing Beckstones Gill
On the summit of Barf, and after a break for lunch it's time to take in the view. Looking north down Bassenthwaite Lake to Binsey.
The top of Skiddaw is still in cloud
Keswick and Derwent Water to the southeast
Next stop Lord's Seat
Looking back to Barf as I reach Lord's Seat
The view from Lord's Seat. Starting with cloud clearing from the top of Grisedale Pike to the south.
Looking down the valley of Aiken Beck with Whinlatter on the left and Graystones on the right
The ridge to Broom Fell
Finally, looking across the top of the valley of Wythop Beck to Sale Fell and Binsey
Heading for Broom Fell
At the large cairn on the summit of Broom Fell. The next stop, Graystones, is to its right.
Sale Fell and Wythop Woods below
Skiddaw under cloud on the left, and Lord's Seat on the right
Looking back to Broom Fell..
..as I head for Widow Hause and Graystones. It looks like the weather is getting better at last.
About an hour after the previous photo I'm taking in the view from a cairn at the top of the southern slopes of Kirk Fell, which is just to the west of Graystones. I've got a great view across Lorton Vale to Mellbreak, Gavel Fell, Blake Fell, and Burnbank Fell..
..and west to the coast
Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, and Whiteside to the south
The undulating top of Graystones to the east. One of those knolls is the highest point, and I need to bag it.
Looking north across Wythop Moss to Ling Fell, Sale Fell, and Binsey
On top of one of those knolls, which has some exposed rock to make a bit of a crag. Skiddaw to the east beyond the ridge to Broom Fell and Lord's Seat.
Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, and Whiteside to the south. I'll be following that wall down off the fell, but not before I visit the top to its left.
Looking across Lorton Vale to the Loweswater fells
On the other top to the east of the wall. Skiddaw in the distance behind Broom Fell and Lord's Seat.
Spring sunshine on Graystones. It's turned into a lovely second half to the afternoon..
Lorton Vale below
At the top of the wall I'm going to follow down and I've got a great view across the western end of the Whinlatter Pass to Grisedale Pike and Hopegill Head. Time to give my knees a workout..
I bale out of following the wall all the way down to the public footpath from Scawgill Bridge, and take a track through Darling How Plantation back to the Spout Force car park..
Before I reach it I take the footpath by Aiken Beck to Spout Force
Spout Force from the viewing platform
Following the footpath back to the Spout Force car park