Hallin Fell - Big views, small effort

Time taken approximately 1.5 hours
Difficulty of walk (1-10)  2

If you're short of walking  time and near to Penrith, then Hallin Fell is a good quick walk. It will take you a bit of time to drive down the narrow roads on the  Howtown side of Ullswater though, but well worth the time.

You can make the walk longer by starting down at Howtown but this one is the easier version starting at Martindale Church which can be found by driving up the zig-zags from Howtown.
The church is at the top of the zig-zags, set back in the trees. There's a number of parking spaces dotted around and it isn't too busy there so you can normally get a space. Parking is free.

Coming up the road, Hallin Fell is on your right.  After parking at the church, then look for a wide, almost bowling green cut strip up from the car park and set off up there.

The route is largely dead straight upwards, quite steep and certainly gets the heart pumping but its a relatively small walk in all honesty.

As you get near the top then the route provides you with the option of veering right or left, turning right you'll soon see the marker at the top of Hallin Fell.
A very proud and prominent marker post it is too.
Soak in the gorgeous views over Ullswater and Penrith in the distance, while watching the world go about its business below you on the Pooley Bridge to Patterdale lake side road.

After spending some time up there, and I'd love to do a wild camp up there at some point soon, then head past he marker post in the general direction of the lake in front of you and then pick your way right picking up the path around the fell and eventually bringing you back to the car park you started at.

Away from the peak and overlooking Howtown steamer pier then take some time to soak in the views especially on a hot day. If you're lucky then a steamer may come in to moor up at the pier before moving on to Glenridding. Its quite a sight to see the steamer manoevre itself from such an elevated view,especially on a still day with the blue sky reflecting.

On the way home then take in the views from the car as you go back down the zigzags.
This is a fell which affords some memorable set of views with a relatively small amount of effort.

Angle tarn and Hayeswater

Time taken approximately 3.5 hours
Difficulty of walk (1-10)  5

Angle Tarn is personal favourite walk of mine, mainly as I have some great memories of that area from past workdays.

Any walking companion going on this walk with me is likely to be bored senseless with my water based stories from yesteryear

Basically the walk is in 3 sections.

• The first is a long climb, steep at times, from Hartsop sheep pens up to the old reservoir and then up onto the fells below the The Knotts but at this point then you've basically cracked the climb, except the odd little hill.
• The second is a rolling walk along the fell top, down towards Angle Tarn, up and over towards Boredale Hause
• The third is a long walk down the old pipe track from Boredale Hause back to Hartsop sheep pens.

So first things first. Parking is at the Hartsop sheep pens which you can find by following the small, narrow road through Hartsop village, not turning off until you feel you're about to drive onto the fell. The car park opens up, its a voluntary donation car park and pretty small so make sure you get their in good time and don't take a caravan.

From the car park then walk through the gate onto the fell road. About half a mile on, then turn down towards the new National Trust Hydro electric station with the man made water discharge at the front.  Follow the relatively new track up the fell.
This is quite a lung buster so depending on your fitness, take it easy, its not a race, check the views a few times to get your breath back.

After the gate then look across the valley.
The building sitting alone was the old filter works fro Penrith's water supply, closed in 2006. Carry on up the track and you eventually come to a narrow V sided footbridge. Head through this and follow the path onto the fell.

Hayeswater will come into view. This used to be a reservoir until the weir was dismantled and returned to nature, a very beautiful lake and I have great memories of both the reservoir and the works.

From here, there's a section of the walk where navigation is slightly tricky as there's very little path. Basically make for directly up the fell, its quite grassy, often spongy.You'll notice to your left there is a junction of walls and you need to be well above that junction.
You eventually meet the path which crosses your line of climbing, this is the main path to turn left onto. The path immediately goes through a hole in the wall and is well worn.

Your main climb is now over and you can follow the line of this worn path as it twists and turns on a consistent north west direction, keep to the right of the wall and when you come up against a rocky outcrop then pick your way in the same general direction.

Angle Tarn comes into view down to your left. The path will twist and turn, separate and join back again on it way towards the north eastern corner of the tarn. Just above the tarn is a great place for lunch, it can get a little chilly if you get nearer to the water in the colder months.


Angle Tarn Pikes are in front of you as you approach the tarn and your line for climbing back out of the little valley is to take the path skirting the left hand edge of the pikes. This is a smaller climb, nothing like earlier.  Climbing out with Angle Tarn pikes to your right and the tarn behind you, thee path will eventually get narrower.

There is a steep drop to your left which is dramatic but don't worry its not something to be scared of. That said, maybe best to put the dog on the lead just in case it decides on a shortcut.

The path begins to fall towards Boredale  Hause and become rockier.
At the hause then there is a junction of paths, one towards Place Fell (in front of you), one to the right down to Boredale and two to the left - one to Patterdale, and ours back to Hartsop.

From Boredale Hause the path back to Hartsop (the left of the two) drops quite quickly on loose rock.
This is the pipe track, so called as it took water to Penrith for about 100 years and now takes some the other direction! I've spent many a door walking this section of water mains searching for leaks, some pretty dramatic ones too.

The path back to Hartsop is now straight forward, with views of Patterdale/Ullswater and Brothers water.

As it flattens, it widens until you come to Angle Tarn Beck and a series of mini waterfalls. The main path continues on the same line but take the left folk over a little footbridge by the falls and through a gate. The path is sometimes indeterminable but continues the same line until it comes out to a concrete sectioned road going past a few isolated houses and steads.

One last little climb up the concrete road and then down into Hartsop, through an iron gate, cut through a shortcut looking footpath and onto the road, turning left to the car park.

This is a bit longer walk than the ones, I've recounted so far but once the first part id conquered then the views really are fantastic and very different in summer and winter as I hope the pictures convey.

Alcock Tarn - views of Grasmere

Time taken approx. 1.5-2 hrs
Difficulty of the walk  3-4

Hopefully if you've done a handful of easier walks and your fitness is growing slowly then you might fancy something just a little step up.


This walk is beautiful. The Grasmere are is full of medium sized 'nobbly' hills, if I can describe them as that. Lots of character and the light shines off them in an interesting way. Every turn makes you feel you're on a slightly different walk.

To start this walk then I normally choose the large layby off the main A591 road between the two main village road entrances, just north of the southern entrance.
You can  park here for free but need to be there in good time to get a place, otherwise the large Stock Lane car park near the sports field is your other option but I think that car park is quite expensive.

The first part of this walk is on the path by the main road. From the layby, walk south, down to the mini-roundabout which is the southern entrance to Grasmere. From the main car park, you're heading to the main road, meeting the same roundabout.

At the roundabout, take the back lane behind the main road past Wordsworth's Dove Cottage, carry along the lane until it turns to the left and gets steeper. Near the top of this section of lane then there's an opening to the left with a seat to have a few minutes if need be.

Walking along the path and through a couple of gates, the lonning then turns to rise up the fell. At the top then there's the option to turn left towards Grasmere or turn right to Alcock Tarn. Turn right.

I love this next part as the path twists and turns between the trees and little rocky nobbles, and past an old banked up water source shown in the picture to the left.

Each turn gives another angle to the valley, the fell and the village as path winds upwards.

Pause part way up on a small seat to look across towards the Langdale peaks and some of the Western Fells. In the foreground is Silver How and the distinctive Helm Crag (the Lion and the Lamb) slightly more to the north.

Following this path, the path starts to get rockier and steeper.

This part is probably why I'd say its a little step up from some of the earlier ones.
For me, although still roughly the same distance as the others which I'd done to that point, I felt it was physically more taxing and a real step up for my fitness at that time.

At a later date I chose Alcock Tarn for a debut wild camp, and carrying my camping kit up there really was a lungbuster!
Mainly because I'd taken enough camping equipment for a Everest base camp bid!

Finally you walk through the gateway and onto the tarn. The views down Windermere from here are stunning and on a clear day you can have a good look around neighbouring peaks to see what's what.

An extension to this walk is to clamber over a dodgy stile on the top side of Alcock Tarn and walk up to Nab Scar, down towards Rydal, have a cup of coffee at the coffee house and then return to Grasmere via the old Coffin Trail, coming out at the top of the lane you set off from.


As mentioned earlier I spent my first wild camp at Alcock Tarn having been inspired by several posts about wild camping and liking the idea of the solitude.
It was such a brilliant experience in the heat of June. I walked back down at 4-5am, with the sunrise bouncing along the far fells and creeping ever nearer as time wore on.
Its hard to imagine such a peaceful time, so good for the soul, watching the world wake up from above - so refreshing and relaxing - and I can't wait to repeat that somewhere this year.


Walking alongside Alcock Tarn and out the back the path becomes rockier and steeper on the way down.  The path winds downhill and there's a new bridge at the bottom to cross the stream before going through the gate at the bottom and onto the tarmac again. Even then the locals have ensured there's normally a great bloom whatever the season.

The last part of the walk finishes similar to the start unfortunately, walking along the path to the side of the main road back to the layby but a great walk where you've plenty of time to take it slow or a good test of fitness if you want to attack it.

Walla Crag - the best views

Time taken approximately 2 hours
Difficulty of walk (1-10) 3

One of my most favourite views in the Lakes has to be the view from Walla Crag near Keswick.

The views from the top look over Keswick, Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwentwater, but also gives a fantastic view of the Skiddaw hills to the north and the North Western Wainwrights to the west.

This walk can be a relatively short walk or a longer walk depending on your route of choice.

Having now done this walk several times, the starting point I always use is Great Wood car park just off the Keswick to Borrowdale road. This is a National Trust car park and if I remember the fee if you're not a member is around £5.

Whichever way you decide to go then leave the car park from the path at the southern end (to the right as you face the crags). Walk out on that path

If you're looking for a relatively short walk with a view then turn left at the first signposted junction of paths you meet. You'll immediately start walking uphill, walking through the woods up towards Castlerigg Farm. When you meet the road then turn right until you come to a narrow raised footbridge and then onto Walla Crag from there, returning the same way.

But if you've a bit more time then continue on at the first signposted junction, walking south along the line of the fell (and adjacent to Derwentwater) on narrow winding path to Ashness Bridge - as shown. This path can be a little rocky and uneven in places and possibly a little wet so pick your steps.

At Ashness Bridge, then turn briefly directly up the fell before turning back north up the fell (again roughly adjacent to the lake) through a wicket gate and onwards towards Walla Crag. This is a gentler climb along a longer walk but gives great views of Derwentwater and the iconic Ashness Bridge. 　

There are a few options to take this walk even further if you want.
You can continue from Ashness Bridge to Surprise View and on to Watendlath Tarn and the café there, but I'll cover this in another walk at a later date.
The photos below are from Surprise View.

The photo below is the beautifully remote looking Watendlath valley.

An alternative option to extend the walk, could be to take in Castlerigg stone circle after the Walla Crag summit.

The rise up to Walla Crag hides the view you are about to experience, its always fun to see the faces of walking companions on their first visit there, as the view comes into sight. It's a great place to have lunch on a warm day and look around the other fells wondering what's next on your agenda to tackle.

Personally, like most views in the Lakes, I think they look best on a sharp sunny day. The lakes look bluer and more vivid, the sun reflects all sorts of colours off the fells too.
A little tip for the new walker, over my brief time walking I've learnt to really watch the weather forecast and choose clear sunny days, preferably with a clear day either side, for the best walking experiences.  However everyone is different and I know walkers who prefer tough conditions, so its very much a personal thing.

Coming off Walla Crag, take a north east direction, over a stile and back onto the main fell. The ground starts to fall away in stages on a well worn path, next to the wall. Eventually you come off the fell, through a wicket gate and down to the narrow raised bridge (mentioned above) beside the farm.
Turn left and follow the road. It isn't long down this road that you come to another wicket on your left where the path turns back on you and over a little footbridge. If you get to the campsite, you've gone too far.

Follow the path by the stream down until it comes out of the trees and there's a path signposted to your left and back into the woods. Follow that path bearing right in the trees at a junction and follow down to the car park again.

A beautiful circular walk, with great views. Both the crags (Walla Crag) and Derwentwater are your markers for maintaining your sense of direction on this walk.


　

Dodd Wood - My first walk

My walking adventures started on an August Bank Holiday Monday in 2016.

After a conversation, with a friend, about going for a walk up Skiddaw Dodd, I suddenly realised I had no idea about the things I needed to know about walking/hiking up fells so decided the night before I’d better have a practise run.

I googled a map and plotted what I thought the walk would be.

The next day I found myself getting out of bed, packing my son’s rucksack, and still hadn’t talked myself out of it! Oh my God, I’m really doing this aren’t I?

So many questions...

What do you wear up the fells? It’s a hot day but it might be blizzard conditions up there. Thoughts of Everest. I’ll take a few layers then.

How long will it take, it says 2 hours on the internet but I’ve no idea, might take me 4. Best take a load of food and drink in case I’m stranded up there and need rescued.

Will it rain? Forecast is dry as a bone, there’s been no rain for a week nor any forecast for next week either. Best pack a waterproof then!

It says the paths are well signposted. So best take a compass I don’t know how to work, a OS map where the actual walk is about an inch square, a torch in case I get lost (on the brightest day of the year, on a 2hr walk).

And off I go.....

I get there, in the car park, self conscious as hell. Everyone I view must be experienced mountaineers,  they must be, they certainly look like they are, they all have the gear and look the part.

In contrast, I’ve a tee shirt, pair of cargo trousers and a backpack Chris Bonnington would be proud of. I'm kitted up to spend days in this jungle of trees in front of me if necessary.

I’m on my way, walking quite a pace. It's my normal walking pace for going to the pub after all so it must be right.  My legs are quickly sore, this is hard work, oh my God what have I done. I can’t turn back now I’m only about 400yds from the car park. Better slow down.

Dodd Wood (Skiddaw Dodd) is a woodland walk and I’m looking at the hills around for a guide to how far I have to go.I finally come above the treeline and I’m shattered. I could easy turn back but walk around a corner and suddenly I can see the summit, not far away.  The view has opened up.
Wow!

I can pick out places from above. I’m actually going to finish it.  The path twists and turns, torturing me on every turn but I finally make it and the views are gorgeous.

It feels so good to have conquered 'the impossible' and to achieved something completely different.



Of course I'd made mistakes. I've since realised everyone starts somewhere, and you don't know what you don't know until you know it!!

I’d only worn thin socks so couldn’t walk for a week with blisters.

I''d realised that with experience, you pack for the occasion and not necessarily take your own weight in kit.

I had been faced with the choice of quitting something but kept on plodding, and was rewarded with a fantastic view, a real sense of accomplishment and a love of walking.

In the hours and days afterwards, I noticed a few more things. I felt fitter within myself and was mentally refreshed with doing that walk - and every walk since.

That day in Dodd Wood had changed me. I’ve been back several times since that day and its one of my favourites. The map enclosed is the route I took that day. IN hindsight there are shortcuts all over the place but I chose the clockwise route.