Date: 04-May-2010
Map: Landranger 90
Weather: Light rain to start the day, then overcast.
From the NT car park at Aira Force, up to
the falls and turn right to contour around to Yew Crag.
Follow the slope around to Swinburn Woods and on to the road
at Crag House. Walk up the road to the Hause, and nip up
Little Mel Fell. Cut across via farm track and forest path
to Great Meldrum and up to Gowbarrow. Return to the car park
via Aira Beck:
9.7 miles as measured on Satmap.
This was
the day after a soggy walk around the Langdale Pikes, and a
couple more of the Wainwrights ticked off. It was a short
drive down from Stanton Bridge where we were staying at a
friends house, so no rush to get up early for a change. We
had a leisurely drive down along the northern shore of
Ullswater, and were early enough to get a decent parking
spot at the Aira Force car park - £6 for the full day. They
have plenty of facilities here, but the cake in the cafe
wasn't brilliant, but more of that later on. The paths up to
the falls were well maintained and of course provided easy
access for those less mobile. The falls fall beneath a stone
bridge that spans the gorge, and I think this is the biggest
drop down the Aira Beck. Not spectacularly full but would be
a big roar when in spate - there is a big tree stump wedged
at the top of the falls and that will come out eventually
with more than a plop to the pool below. On the bridge we
could have turned left or right to follow a route all the
way around Gowbarrow, but I'd included Little Mell Fell so
chose to veer to the right. This path contoured around the
south west slope of Gowbarrow and at this point it began to
rain quite heavily for a small spell. So it was on and off
with the waterproofs for a while, a sort of hot cold day,
but it cleared soon afterwards for the rest of the day. As
we rounded the corner and came out of the woods Ullswater
came into view as well as the steamers coming and going
along the lake. Beyond Ullswater, Place Fell was prominent
and taunting me - I have three Wainwrights to tick off over
there and they don't lend themselves to being joined up
except in a long day - my fault, as I never set out to walk
them all anyway, but I am now.
Aira Force
gaining height below Bernard Crag, rain across the
water
the view down
Ullswater to Glenridding - Place Fell on the left
the cairn on Yew
Crag
looking across to
Hallin Fell
the path around to
Swinburn's Park
looking back to
Gowbarrow from the start of the woods
beautiful plummage
dismal plantation,
but a good path
looking over to
Hallin Fell, Place Fell, Steel Fell and others
St Sunday Crag in
the distance, Place Fell on the left, Gowbarrow nearest
The path led us gently up
beneath Bernard Pike and we had to don over-trousers as the
bracken was very high here, and very wet - it just shows the
effect of the sun as this stuff was chest high here, yet the
bracken on northern slopes is not much more than knee
height. Across the valley the weather was blowing over my
destination of tomorrow Bonscale Pike - and dumping a lot of
rain, so a good choice for today, but more out of luck than
good judgement. A little further around as we gained height
was the prominent little knoll of Yew Crag, marked by a
cairn and a very good spot to sit and enjoy the views. From
here you can almost see both ends of Ullswater, but I
suppose I'll have to save that delight for Place Fell later
in the year. But the views were very good, and there were
all sorts of finches and songbirds flitting in and out of
the bracken - a good hiding place from any raptors,
and there were a couple of twitchers out and about as well.
The path continued to contour around the hillside with
Gowbarrow up to the left and Ullswater to the right and as
it swung around beneath the steep slopes above it entered
the woods at Swinburn Park - dark and dank in the
plantation, but giving way to some lighter woods a little
further on. We stepped over a shrew who was kipping on the
path - looked pretty deceased to me though. After about a
mile and a bit we stepped out into daylight once more and
the hills beyond Ullswater were now clear of cloud - the
three fells I haven't walked yet didn't look that far apart
from here - The Nab, Steel Fell and Place Fell. I think I'll
make a round of those from Howtown soon. As the path left
the woods it dropped down and lost much of the elevation we
had gained. A nuisance really as what goes down here usually
goes back up - but I knew that from the map anyway.
dropping down
towards the road
steeply up to Little
Mell Fell
the Helvellyn range,
Derwent Fells in the distance, and Blencathra / Skiddaw
plotting the route
to Gowbarrow
looking east from
Little Mell Fell
the view north
the view to the
south
There
wasn't an alternative to a bit of road walking without a big
diversion, so it was a steep little grind up the road
passing Underwood and up to the Hause. Luckily for us there
was an ideally placed stile to sit on and have some snap and
a drink, and even the sun came out briefly. I nipped off up
to the summit of Little Mell Fell here, the path marked by a
finger post - it's getting worn down into step like
footprints now, I think it's a popular little fell used by
the caravan site down the road. I left my bag and was up and
back again in about 20 minutes - it's a short sharp pull to
the top, but as ever with a Wainwright hill the views are
worth it. I wonder if Great Mell Fell will give the same
vista - I'll find out one short walk soon. From the top I
had 360deg views - to the east I could see across to Cross
Fell, down to Pooley Bridge, and beyond to Penrith - to the
north Blencathra, Skiddaw and the northern fells were cloud
free, to the west the Helvellyn range dominates the skyline,
and it always seems to have a cloud cap on - to the south
were Hallin Fell and all it's big brothers behind such as
Place Fell Steel Fell and The Nab. The sun was breaking view
as I stared about me, lighting up very green fields below,
and I could plot the route over to Gowbarrow from here -
very useful as close to the ground it's not always easy to
pick a way through. Again there were no paths marked out on
the map, but a few farm tracks and forestry lines. After
recovering the bag, we walked off across the road and
followed a farm track up through some rough pasture,
following a wall that veered around to the south west and
pointed us directly over to Gowbarrow. It was then a
straight walk alongside the plantation and up through more
rough pasture, following a sheep trod all the way to the
other side of the field, passing to the north of Great
Meldrum. Thankfully it was dry and the cattle were glowering
at us on the other side of the wall. I could see the main
path up to our left and to avoid dropping down into Todgill
Sike we turned 90degrees and headed for the opposite corner
of the field. We made a comedy exit by lifting and limbo-ing
under a five bar gate, and then tiptoeing through a boggy
bit - only to turn around and see a stile about 30yds
further up the field.
back down Little
Mell Fell, Gowbarrow is next up
the view back to
Little Mell Fell
we walked past the
plantation on the right edge
the sheep trod
through the field, Gowbarrow trig point appears
the feint path ahead
up on top of
Gowbarrow Fell - Fairfield and Helvellyn in the distance -
see the pointy Catsty Cam
looking back over to
Little Mell Fell
Great and Little
Mell Fells
The main path turned steeply up the
flanks towards the top of Gowbarrow, and it's undergoing
some repair to the well trodden path that has eroded badly
in places. But it wasn't long before getting out onto the
top and the trig point. Much the same vista could be seen
here as on Little Mell Fell, except we could see back to
Little and Great Mell Fells - these two definitely mark the
edge of the Lake District for me, as I pass them on my way
home from Keswick. The path from the top cuts back through
the heather to follow a wall that drops steeply down off
Airy Crag, towards the wooded valley of Aira Beck. After walking across a couple of fields the path joins the beck and follows the course back down to the main falls at Aira Force. There are a series of smaller falls and a mass of visitors down in the woods - all sorts dipping in and out. I was asked the question of 'how far is it?' by a family. I said it depends, and then this little head popped out behind his mums legs - 'too far for the little one' was the answer - I do wonder sometimes! We soon got back to the car park, dumped the baggage and made a swift beeline for the cafe and facilities. Generally it was a disappointing end, but it didn't take anything away from another great little walk - there's lots of them up here.
big Blencathra with
Great Mell Fell to the right
big and little again
the Helvellyn range
is clearer now
the start of the
drop down to Aira Beck
time for a paddle
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