Summer walks – Bleaberry Fell Cumbria
From the little cairn on Bleaberry Fell (590m) enjoy the stunning views and the sweet smelling heather.
Once walkers on the way to the little summit had to plough a path through seriously extensive bog. Now, following £10,000 from an anonymous donor, Fix The Fells and others have used an ancient method of repair and the route is a delight.
1] From the small parking area just above Ashness Bridge, turn left to cross it. A few steps on, take, on the right, a narrow path leading away from the road. Follow this steadily uphill to pass through a gate. Ahead are three paths. Here you need to turn acute right to take an easy-to-miss path up through the bracken (alas, lots here) and climb steadily to a gate onto a wide track. Bear left and carry on ascending the grassy, stony way from where there are magnificent views of Derwent Water and Bassenthwaite Lake. Across the lake, look for Catbells, Causey Pike and more.
2] Continue on the path as it winds away from the lake below Falcon Crag. From here you have a dramatic view into Cat Gill and Lady’s Rake. Legend, or perhaps truth, tells us that the lady was the young Countess of Derwentwater fleeing up the Rake from her island home with the family’s jewels, after her husband was captured for his part in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. The continuing path drops a little and then rises and as it starts to cross the open fell towards woodland. Be alert here for, right, the new path. Look up and back towards Bleaberry Fell, behind you at this point, and you will see the pleasing path zigzagging up the slopes, with High Seat towering above it to its south.
3] After a short stretch of grass you step onto the path and take every step with pleasure. Acres of heather stretch away across the lovely slope to your left, with further magic views beyond. The path ends suddenly and a grassy way continues, with Bleaberry Fell directly ahead. The path/track is stony and grassy in parts. Follow it as it winds to the left of the rounded, pudding-like fell and then you reach an old gathering pen for sheep. Just before it a narrow grassy path, right, climbs easily and then bears right and leads directly to the little cairn. The view is spectacular.
4] Some walkers will want to go on to climb High Seat but this walk returns by descending to the old pen and then following the path, left, downhill. Just before you join the new path, you might wish to take a narrow grassy path, left. It is marked by a large stone with two smaller ones on it. The path leads you across the grassy slope and joins your earlier outward track close to where you had a good view of Lady’s Rake.
5] Turn left and continue on the lovely high level way, with fine views of the lush pastures of Borrowdale guarded by the Jaws. On reaching a gate ahead, next to the one taken earlier onto the track, go ahead through it to descend towards Barrow Beck. Just before the latter, wind right to pass through a metal gate and continue down over grass and rocks to Ashness Bridge. Turn left to reach the car park on the right.
INFORMATION
Distance: 4 miles/6km
Time: 3-4 hours
Height gain: 1,650ft/500m
Terrain: Paths and tracks and the excellent new path
Public Transport: Traveline 0300 123 4050
Park: Fee-paying car park above Ashness Bridge (grid ref NY270196). Approach this by B5289 for 5 miles south from Keswick toward Borrowdale, where the left turn for the bridge is well signposted
Public toilets: None on route
Refreshments and facilities: Spoilt for choice in Keswick
Map: OS Explorer OL4/ Landranger 90.
By Mary Welsh. The full version of this article was originally published in Big Issue North, available from vendors across the North West and Yorkshire and Humber (£2.50).
