Rannerdale - a carpet of bluebells

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

Rannerdale Knotts and Rannerdale valley are another of my favourite walks.

I'd heard about the bluebells that flower from mid-April to mid-May and on my first visit I climbed the Knotts, coming from Buttermere village, and completely missed them! That day, and a lot of days through the summer, Buttermere is busy and its difficult to get a parking space from that side.

This walk, however, is from a little rough parking area on the side of Crummock and on the Buttermere to Lorton road. There are actually 2-3 such parking areas but the one I choose is in the shadow of Grasmoor and has small mound around it.  I've been a number of times, even Bank Holidays, and always got a parking space - can't promise though!

From the parking area, then get your bearings first and the walk will become straight forward.  Crummock is on your right and as you look ahead of you there is a large triangular fell and to its left is a valley working up to ridge at the top of it - This is Rannerdale valley.

Head on the footpath towards the valley, over the stream and veering away from the road, which winds its way towards Buttermere, and towards Rannerdale valley.

In that mid-April to mid-May period then the bluebells start to come into view and as you walk nearer the carpet of purple/blue, it takes you into another world. The carpet of colour and little rolling mounds make you feel like you've been transported into Teletubbyland.

The fenced off footpath winds through the bluebells and comes to a narrow footbridge over the beck. Cross the bridge, through the gate at the far side and turn left and take the long winding walk up the valley. Be sure to keep stopping and glancing back to get a different view of the bluebells and Crummock beyond, especially as you go higher.

As you climb the valley, the footing becomes rougher in places before becoming grassier near the top. The top of the valley is characterised by a junction of meting footpaths. This route meets the paths up from Buttermere in front of you, the path up to Whiteless Pike on your left and our turn to the right. Turn right and you are quickly on the ridge which climbs up to Rannerdale Knotts.

From this ridge, Buttermere comes into view and soon Crummock does too. The ridge walk climbs steadily towards a summit but this isn't Rannerdale Knotts summit. Its a little tricky to navigate around the rocky summit so choose your footing carefully. Once past this false summit then the real summit comes into view.

Beyond the Knotts summit then the footing is tricky. The little gully looks to be taking you right but at the bottom you're looking to take a left down a steeper path which eventually becomes steep steps. Nothing to worry about but take it steady and check out the beautiful Crummock.

The steep steps give way to a few grassy paths again and there's an opportunity to stop and have a drink with the gorgeous view of Crummock water. The path you need is turning towards Crummock and winding, sometimes steep and rocky, back to the road.

Once back on the road, then you quickly come to another little car park on your right. Turn into it, past the cars and through a gate at the back. You're back on a footpath heading through the bluebells again.

Following the contours of the foot of the fell bearing right, then you're soon back at the footbridge you crossed earlier. Cross it again and turn left back through the fenced off path through the carpet of purple/blue.

Follow the path back to the car park.
A great walk, thoroughly recommended.

Sale Fell - a Sunday morning walk

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

Sale Fell is lovely little fell at the northern most tip of Bassenthwaite Lake. Its a great Sunday morning walk and very popular locally. Our walk's starting point is outside The Pheasant Inn which is situated on a little loop road off the A66 and is well signposted.

An alternative to this walk would be to park near Brumston Bridge (via Wythop Mill) and climb from the other side. Ling Fell is a similar fell and so you could encompass both Wainwrights in the same day from that side of the hill.

From The Pheasant Inn then take the small road to the right of the pub signposted for Wythop Mill. Following the road from about 1Km past the wood on the right and the road starts to climb gradually until there's an obvious track branching off to the left with a 5 bar gate set back. This is the entrance to Sale Fell.

Going through the gate then the paths branch left and right, continue on the same line effectively bearing right and follow the fell path around until you reach a wall.The path ahead is the path up from Brumston Bridge (mentioned earlier) so bear left to start the climb to the summit. 

There a various sub routes and its not really important which to take as long as you're climbing up the grassy fell's ridge.It isn;t really very clear at first which of the peaks at the top is the actual summit as there's no trig point and several ridges but once at the top then it becomes clearer.

Carry on past the summit and follow the path down to a gateway. At the gateway there is an option of a shortcut turning left, before or after the gateway. If you turn left then you can follow the wall down to where this walk will eventually come out.

We will go through the gateway and follow the path ahead of us.  You'll notice a curved ridge in front of you, Lothwaite, bearing round to the left following the path just below the ridge. At the far end is a seat with great views over Bassenthwaite.

Follow the natural curve of the ridge and turn down to your left heading back down the fell towards a stream. Cross the stream and through a gate, then you are now following the path down the Fell side towards fork in the paths which marked the entrance to Sale Fell.
When you come to that fork turn right,back through the gate and back onto the road heading back to The Pheasant Inn and a welcome drink.