Rambling Pete on Walking Places

Seatallan, Middle Fell and Buckbarrow

Date: 06-Nov-2011

Map: Landranger 89

Weather: Clear and bright

From the house at Greendale along the road for a mile then up to Buckbarrow, across to Glade How and up to Cats Bield. Turn here and up to Seatallan summit, turning east to drop down a steep slope. Cross some soggy ground and up to Middle Fell, then follow the path down to Greendale Gill and continue down to the start: 8.5 miles as measured on Satmap GPS.

I thought I would easily knock off the remaining Wainwrights this year, but circumstances have dictated differently. Not that I’m bothered anyway as it was always a personal thing, and to be honest if I hadn’t totted up how many I’d already done I might not have completed them. But complete them I will, with a few return visits to those fells where I didn’t have the views from. I hesitate to count how many that is but it’s a good excuse to return. I polished off three Western Fells in Buckbarrow, Seatallan and Middle Fell on a very fine and sunny Sunday. It was an easy relaxing walk and I took my time over the 6 1/2 mile route. These fells aren’t the usual craggy Lakeland fells, and they bore more than a resemblance to the rounded Northern fells. But as usual with walking the Wainwrights the views are there to be admired, absorbed and loved. Individually these hills don’t offer much of a challenge, just a steady plod to the summits and then down and up to the next one. They also offer views distinct from each summit – Buckbarrow gazes down over Nether Wasdale, the River Irt down to the coast and Seascale town and power station towers. Seatallan gazes over to a fine view of Haydock and Red Pike, with Scoat Tarn twinkling in the sunlight, and finally Middle Fell has huge views over to the Scafell Pikes, Great Gable, Kirk Fell , Yewbarrow and of course Wasdale itself.

The only disappointment of the day was losing the lens hood off my camera – bother. It wasn’t a great day for pictures either – too much sunshine, but I’m not complaining about that one. Also you'll have to excuse the eyebrow on the pictures even though I'd cleaned the sensor previously.

I parked up alongside a nice house at Greendale where there is plenty of room and it's free - always a bonus. My initial route took me along the road crossing over Greendale Gill with it's boulder strewn river bed, and along below Buckbarrow. It was tempting to take a short cut up a distinct scree path, but the route I'd plotted was short enough and I didn't fancy any sort of scramble today. Just less than a mile up the road I turned off to walk steadily up through a bracken clad slope, alongside a small beck. There are a number of paths, and sheep trods that clamber up towards Buckbarrow, with the path curving around the back of the crags to come up to the summit of Buckbarrow. On the way up to the top I passed by a lovely smooth stone used by the sheep for a good scratch. It's stained red with the die off their wool. I stopped occasionally for a look down on Tosh Tarn and the wide valley leading down to the coast and Seascale. Across the other side of Wastwater Illgill Head and Whin Rigg keep the lake in deep shadow early in the day. Up on the summit of Buckbarrow the view deserves a little refreshment break to sit on the rocky slabs and enjoy the sunshine. A small cairn marks the summit and from here there is a distinct path that heads over to Glade How and another cairn that leads onto another clearly defined path. Navigation when the air is clear is easy, but maybe not so simple when the cloud comes down, but the cairns are useful markers. From Glade How I continued up a slightly steeper ascent that took me up to another cairn on Cat Bields. At this point it's a turn to the north west and up a long steady incline to the summit of Seatallan. The views as I ascended had me looking over to the Scafells beyond Middle Fell, and Red Pike, Scoat Fell and Haycock beyond Seatallan. Great Gable was looking very shapely as well! Eventually after a little steeper pull just before the top I walked up onto Seatallan with it's wide summit. A nice trig point was good to lean on and take in the views, which were extensive and clear today - over the Pots of Ashness to Haycock, and Scoat and Low Tarns up to Red Pike. I wandered across the wide summit heading east to find a route that drops off towards Middle Tarn. It's very steep going down the grassy slope, so I took my time and lost my camera hood somewhere along the way! Greendale Tarn was a little off to the right and I picked my way across some soggy bog trying to keep dryshod before the ascent of Middle Fell. Across the valley Yewbarrow was looking as sharp as ever, and that fell is a real viewing platform for all the big hills that surround it, as well as having a couple of entertaining scrambles. My attention was drawn to the Scafells and Great Gable, both dominate the surrounds, and begged to be next on my agenda, but they'll have to wait a while yet. It's a short haul up to the top of Middle Fell and once I was up there the whole aspect changes again as I was facing south and looking back towards the coast once more. I loved Middle Fell as you reach the summit and the valley below comes into view. You can see the car parked far below, and it's a steep drop down to get there - I was happy I'd chosen this route clockwise and not the other way around. Whin Rigg and Wasdale was now in sunshine and the fields below were looking quite lush. My path dropped right down beside Greendale Gill for a little while and took me right back to the car, ready for some refreshments.