Tag: 10km – 20km

Route Introduction

Hampsfell and Humphrey Head are the most southerly of Alfred Wainwright’s Outlying Fells of Lakeland. Only Hampsfell falls within the Lake District National Park but both are beautiful fells. This route card suggests a fantastic route for someone peak bagging the Outlying Fells of Lakeland.

Adventurer Nic walked this route on Monday 7th December 2020. These were Outlier numbers 97 and 98 of 116 for Nic. Here, she explains how you can bag these outlying fells too.

Hampsfell and Humphrey Head Route Stats

Fells: Hampsfell (220m) and Humphrey Head (53m)

Total Distance: 16.5km / 10.3miles

Total Ascent: 310m / 1,000ft

Approx Walk Time: 5 hours

Grid Reference Start: SD 390741

Hampsfell and Humphrey Head Route Report

The Lead Up

The previous day I’d hiked Dunmallard Hill and Heughscar Hill and I decided to seize upon the stable, crisp winter weather window and head down south to Grange-over-Sands to continue my peak bagging quest to hike all of the Outlying Fells of Lakeland.

The Approach to Allithwaite

From Holy Well Lane car park, I walked north over the cattle grid and headed down Holy Well Lane. After 700 metres I turned right onto the bridleway to head east.

At the end of bridleway, I passed through a gate and turned left to walk alongside the wall. The trail was grassy and muddy in places.

I passed over a stone stile on my left and proceeded immediately through a small gate.

This led across a field of sheep before leading to a passage under the railway line.

After exiting the tunnel I continued straight on, hugging the right hand side of the field. I crossed a tarmac track and continued walking north through a gap in the wall, following a fingerpost for the Cumbria Coastal Way.

I walked through another field to a gate in the top right hand corner. This led into another field and to another gate, which led onto a short boardwalk and over a stile. This field had farm buildings over to the right which I walked alongside, heading to a ladder stile.

I passed over this into the next field and went through a gate which led on to exit the field through a gate leading onto a lane. Here, I turned left and walked north along the lane before turning left again at the T-junction for Jack Hill. I then took the first right, around the front of the Pheasant Inn pub to walk uphill on Church Road through Allithwaite.

Allithwaite to Fell End

When the road forked I took the left hand fork which led onto a residential side street.

At the next junction I followed the sign for Cartmel and continued uphill passing Saint Mary’s Church and Allithwaite Primary School on my left.

I took the next right as the gradient began to flatten out onto Wart Barrow Lane. It was along this road that I saw a bench and sat and ate my lunch there.

Setting back off I soon saw the stile in the wall on the right.

I used this and walked along the field which cut the corner of the country road.

From here I was treated to lovely views over to the distant snow-capped Coniston fells.

It was only two days earlier that I was right opposite the Old Man of Coniston on Top O Selside.

I merged back onto the road over another stone stile next to a large metal gate and continued to the next T junction. Here I turned left followed by an immediate right, beside the cemetery to walk up Grange Fell Road.

I passed the golf club and continued uphill.

I took my next left onto Spring Bank Road to head north, but soon followed a finger post for Cartmel over a stone stile.

This led onto the open fellside. I headed north and decided to veer north west to the summit of Fell End.

Fell End to Hampsfell Hospice

Behind me was a beautiful view across Morecambe Bay which was glistening in the sunlight.

I left the summit to the north following a grassy trail that led to a large gate. I used the stile to the left of the gate and then ascended once again to the north.

The boxy Hampsfell Hospice soon came into view in the distance and the trail ahead led to it, passing over one more stone stile along the way.

The Summit – Hampsfell

At the summit I explored the Hampsfell Hospice site which was built in 1846.

You can peer inside and read poetry mounted on plaques.

You can also ascend the stone steps on the outside of Hampsfell Hospice to walk on the roof.

There you will find a list of fells and towns visible from Hampsfell plus the corresponding bearing for each. The list includes some familiar Outlying Fells of Lakeland like Black Combe, Caw and Walna Scar.

On a good day you can see as far as Blackpool, the Howgill fells and Ingleborough.

The viewfinder is looking a little worse for wear these days but it is very charming.

On the top there was also a stone which read ‘One day you will look back and realise the little things are the BIG things’ which for me sums up the joy of the smaller Outlying Fells of Lakeland.

The Descent – Hampsfell

As I left Hampsfell Hospice I followed one of the many trails which headed south east through the patchy sections of limestone pavement.

There was one slightly awkward section of limestone pavement at the bottom which would be slippery in the wet, but I got down with no worries and immediately went over the ladder stile.

The trail led downhill to a stone stile. I went over this and continued walking beside a fence along a grassy path.

I went through a gate at the bottom and turned left to head down the lane.

Following a public footpath sign on the left, I entered woodland through a metal gate. There are a few options for exiting the woodland, but my GPX trace will show that I exited using the right of way behind a large building and down multiple flights of steps through Lieutenant Colonel Austin Townsend Porritt’s Garden before reaching Main Street.

Grange-over-Sands to Humphrey Head

Here I turned right and crossed the road to head down into a large car park to gain access to the Promenade.

Behind the Commodore Inn there is a tunnel under the railway line which I passed through. At the other side I turned right onto the promenade.

I walked right to the end of the promenade and turned right under the railway. I walked along Carter Fold which led to Cart Lane. There I kept walking south past houses that must have wonderful views across the bay until the lane became a thin path.

This path led to a staircase. I turned left at the top of the staircase to walk along Kentsford Road. I soon reached Kents Bank railway station.

Here I showed caution crossing the railway and exited through the gate on the other side.

I passed through a gap in the wall to walk along the thin promenade in the direction of Humphrey Head which was now looming in front of me in the fading light.

It was here that I wondered if I’d make it before the sunset, so I increased my pace. The thin promenade didn’t last forever and soon I was following a mushy trail but I could now see the path that I started on, on the other side of the bay. I re-joined the path and turned right back onto the bridleway.

At the end of the bridleway I turned left, but instead of following the lane back to the car I took the next left through a gate.

The Summit – Humphrey Head

I peeled off the lane and followed the spine of Humphrey Head along the grassy trail, passing through one more gate along the way.

The true summit of this tiny fell is actually 150m before trig pillar so I took a few photos here before walking on to the trig.

I continued to walk part way down the nose of the limestone peninsula towards the vast expanse of Morecambe Bay.

For a moment I considered returning to the car off Humphrey Head point via the saltmarsh but I didn’t fancy crossing the soft sediment alone after sunset as the channels are often deep and impassable.

I therefore retraced my steps and paused at the gate by the trig pillar for a while, enjoying the sunset.

Today – 7th December 2020 – marked 10 years since one of the worst days of my life, a bereavement that will never leave me.

I couldn’t think of a better way to mark the day than with a glorious pink sunset in a stunning Cumbrian location.

The Descent – Humphrey Head

I considered a route off the side of the crag directly down to the car but I was told this is a very steep and slippery descent on limestone and mud so it’s not one I’d recommend alone in the dark either. I therefore retraced my steps back to Holy Well Lane and to my car.

Wrapping Up

Up next would be Newton Fell (North Top).

About the Author

Top O Selside and Carron Crag Route Introduction

Top O Selside and Carron Crag are two routes featured in Alfred Wainwright’s book – The Outlying Fells of Lakeland. The original routes take in 5 tops in the south of the Lake District National Park. This route card mashes the two routes together into one longer route and is a fantastic option for someone peak bagging the Outlying Fells of Lakeland.

Adventurer Nic walked this route on Saturday 5th December 2020. These were Outlier numbers 90 to 94 of 116 for Nic. Here, she explains how you can bag these outlying fells too.

Top O Selside and Carron Crag Route Stats

Fells: Carron Crag (314m), High Light Haw (263m), Low Light Haw (250m) and Brock Barrow (221m).

Total Distance: 18.2km / 11.3miles

Total Ascent: 470m / 1,550ft

Approx Walk Time: 6 hours

Grid Reference Start: SD 336942

Top O Selside and Carron Crag Route Report

The Lead Up

It had been a couple of months since my last Outlying Fells of Lakeland walk which was Great Worm Crag, The Pike and Hesk Fell back in September. It was now early December and the Lake District had experienced it’s first snowfall of the winter season.

My boyfriend James and I decided to hike Carron Crag and the Top O Selside fells on this sunny Saturday from Grizedale main car park.

The Ascent

We left the car park and headed west down the side road following a sign to Grizedale Forest Office. Crossing over the bridge and passing a farm, we peeled off the track to head uphill on a bridleway.

We found ourselves following a moss covered dry stone wall. Part way along the wall we were very surprised to see some graffiti art. These painted bricks featured the logos of common outdoors brands.

We kept to the left until the bridleway joined a much wider track, we turned right onto this and walked for around 200m before taking the first left uphill.

On this route, we passed one of Grizedale forest’s many sculptures entitled RUUP – from ‘ruupor’ which translates to ‘megaphone’ in Estonian.

The three sculptures were designed by Birgit Õigus and placed on the Carron Crag trail through the forest. As the artist’s aim was to encourage folk to stop and listen to the woodland sounds, we did just that.

After our spot of forest bathing we continued on the trail before turning right at the cross roads at the top onto a tarmac track. We then took the second left onto a stony path.

We followed the trail all the way to another sculpture of Grizedale forest.

This time it was a 1997 sculpture by Linda Watson entitled 17 Degrees South.

We continued uphill until we reached the short scramble onto the summit of Carron Crag.

The Summit – Carron Crag

Here we enjoyed views over the forest to the Coniston fells which looked like they’d received a nice sprinkling of snow.

We also noticed Helvellyn to the north was completely white!

The Descent – Carron Crag

My technique of choice coming off Carron Crag was the trusty bum shuffle! With my feet firmly back on the ground we continued in a northerly direction on a stony path which led us downhill.

This merged onto a wider track where we turned left to continue heading north through the forest. After 1km we turned left again onto another wide forestry track which led south west.

Continuing on the main track, we walked until Coniston Water appeared to our right with the fells rising up behind. It was a gorgeous view.

Following a fingerpost signed to ‘Parkamoor’, we turned right off the main track and into dense woodland. Despite the closing in of the trees, the trail was firm and obvious and I actually really enjoyed this section of the route. I love the smell of woodland and it was super strong here.

Approaching the Top O Selside Fells

We passed through a gate which led out of the woodland and onto open terrain.

The views to the Coniston fells were now completely unimpeded by the forest as we stood and admired the view from Park Crags.

We continued straight ahead, all the while our eyes were drawn to Top O Selside in front of us. Passing through another gate, we continued over the grassy trail which led to Parkamoor House ‘the cottage in the clouds’ which is a beautiful ‘off grid’ cottage which appears available to rent.

We passed through another gate and followed the trail to the right as it skirted around the base of Top O Selside along it’s western flank.

We looked behind us to appreciate the beauty of the cottage from the opposite side, together with the trail that had led us to this point.

A post in the ground marked the left turn required for us to start heading towards High Light Haw.

A grassy path led uphill and then forked right to head south. At this point in the walk the trail becomes rather boggy and indistinct in parts as it undulates towards the higher ground.

We stopped for a cheese and pickle sandwich on a couple of rocks beside the trail here.

After lunch we kept following the trail south, ultimately peeling off the path when we had High Light Haw in our sights.

The Summit – High Light Haw

The summit of High Light Haw was simply beautiful.

The views were stunning. Not only did the Coniston Fells look fantastic, but the triangular summit of Harter Fell looked charming.

Black Combe rose to mark the most southerly point of Copeland.

I could also see all the fells around Beacon Tarn and down to Blawith Knott and Burney which was one of my favourite Outlying Fells walks of 2020.

We passed a cairn on the way towards Low Light Haw and followed the trail down to the col between the two outlying fells.

There were plenty of faint paths to follow but we mainly judged it by eye and weaved our way through the bracken and heather to reach the summit of Low Light Haw.

The Summit – Low Light Haw

The summit of Low Light Haw was marked by a cairn and the view was very similar to that of High Light Haw as the tops are a mere stones throw away from each other.

It was here that we observed a pack of hounds participating in a nearby hunt.

We descended down to the south west in the direction of Brock Barrow. The summit of Brock Barrow is enclosed by a circular stone wall.

There are many gaps in the wall. We simply picked a gap, stepped through and made our way to the summit.

The Summit – Brock Barrow

Many people bagging the Outlying Fells of Lakeland seek out Wainwright’s tops, others are happy with the true summits of each fell (the highest point). In this case we bagged the highest point but the Wainwright summit can be seen in the photo below.

We headed down from the summit in a southerly direction in order to pick up a path which led through a substantial gap in the wall.

We then followed the trail down through bracken to a crossing point of Caws Beck.

We picked up the trail on the other side and hiked alongside a wall.

Even from here, the Consiton fells commanded our attention. The scene was very autumnal in the foreground and wintery in the background as we looked across at Low Light Haw.

At the wall corner, the trail continued to head north towards Top O Selside.

We followed a variety of sheep trods which varied in quality as we continued north over undulating terrain until we reached the cairned summit of Top of Selside.

The Summit – Top O Selside

The last fell of the day always feels super special to me as the sunlight tends to be low and really magical. I had a real moment as I sat on the edge of the summit cairn.

I breathed in deeply with the winter sun kissing my cheeks and really felt happy to be outdoors in my beloved Lake District.

Top O Selside Descent

For the descent of Top O Selside, we headed off piste through tufty grass aiming for the path crossroads around three quarters of a kilometre away to the north.

At the cross roads we went straight on towards the woodland in a north easterly direction. It was very wet underfoot here but we just about kept our feet dry hopping over the deeper sections of bog and puddles.

We passed through a gate and continued walking through the woodland to the north east.

At the next trail junction we turned left and then went straight on at the next crossroad which was almost immediate.

At the next T junction we turned right and then immediately forked left onto a small path through the woodland.

At the next two crossroads we went straight on and then retraced our steps back to the car from here.

Wrapping Up

What next? Heughscar Hill and Dunmallard Hill beckoned. These would be my next two Outlying Fells.

About the Author

Route Introduction

Latterbarrow and Claife Heights are two of Alfred Wainwright’s Outlying Fells of Lakeland. They’re situated in the south of the Lake District National Park. This route card suggests a fantastic route for someone peak bagging the Outlying Fells of Lakeland.

Adventurer Nic walked this route on Wednesday 29th July 2020. These were Outlier numbers 70 and 71 of 116 for Nic. Here, she explains how you can bag these outlying fells too.

Latterbarrow and Claife Heights Route Stats

Fells: Latterbarrow (244m) and Claife Heights (270m)

Total Distance: 12km / 7.48miles

Total Ascent: 304m / 1,000ft

Approx Walk Time: 4 hours

Grid Reference Start: SD 379954

Latterbarrow and Claife Heights Route Report

The Lead Up

I’d walked all of my previous Outlying Fells of Lakeland with either my boyfriend James or with friends so it was refreshing to hike these two outliers alone. The previous week I’d hiked the Naddle Horseshoe in the far east of the Lake District National Park.

Starting the Hike

I parked in the car park at Braithwaite Hall and paid by donation in the box by the entrance. Heading left out of the car park I walked past the Cuckoo Brow Inn and then turned right to walk steeply uphill on a tarmac road.

It would be five and half kilometres of walking before I reached the summit of my first Outlying Fell – Latterbarrow.

The view over the dry stone wall was beautiful, overlooking rolling fields of green. I walked over the cattle grid and then followed a finger post onto a track, which led to a foot bridge over the Wilfin Beck.

Crossing the bridge, I picked up the rocky footpath on the other side which led to a gate. I then went through another gate before turning right onto a wider track which continued north with walls on either side.

After passing through another gate, I hopped over the Wilfin Beck yet again, this time on stepping stones.

The path then led up until Moss Eccles Tarn came into view on my left.

I carried on, following the finger posts, as the path wound through fields of calm cattle, until I reached another gate.

Beyond this gate was a wow moment. A simply stunning view of the higher Lakeland fells opened up in front of me over the top of Wise Een Tarn.

The Langdale Pikes looked sharp and jagged on the right of the skyline and the Scafell range loomed in the centre with Wetherlam off to the left. I was in awe!

Continuing the Ascent

After passing the Scale Tarn on my right, the path became grassier underfoot. I followed the path which soon ran alongside a wall on my left and then continued up and into the woodland through a gate.

I really enjoyed the woodland trails of this walk, they were so full of bird chatter, it was much cooler thanks to the shade of the tall tress and I found the earthy woodland scent to be so calming.

350m after passing through the gate into the woods I followed a finger post which branched off the main path to the left. This led to a crossroads at the bottom, where I turned left to follow a wider track.

At the next major crossroad I turned left again, and followed the path for another 200m before turning right, avoiding passing through the gap in the wall ahead and instead following the path north.

This part of the route was narrow and muddy at times.

I followed the trail downhill before it rose up again up some steps.

It weaved, twisted and turned for a while before I turned left at the next t-junction, surrounded by Christmas trees. I followed the trail over a large gap in a wall before it led to a stile. Over the stile, I turned right to start the final ascent of Latterbarrow.

The Summit – Latterbarrow

The summit of Latterbarrow is not the huge monument (that you’d probably expect it to be), it is in fact a small rock 3 metres away. But there’s no doubt about it, the tower on the summit of Latterbarrow is what draws the eye, both when you’re nearing the summit and from afar.

The obelisk is many metres tall and stands proud atop the 244m fell.

The walk from Colthouse is a popular one and I saw multiple families all arrive at the summit and sit down in their small groups to enjoy lunch on the summit of Latterbarrow. It was a glorious day to enjoy the views across the Lake District. As good as the views were towards the nearer fells like Wansfell Pike to the north east, I couldn’t take my eyes of the Langdale Pikes to the north west over the top of Black Fell.

Linking Latterbarrow and Claife Heights

I left the summit of Latterbarrow with a full stomach and retraced my steps.

I enjoyed a lovely view of Hawkshead as I returned to the stile at the bottom of the hill and continued back along the same path I’d taken earlier. When I came to the second of the two main crossroads I’d encountered earlier, this time I continued straight on.

As the main track bent around to the right, I took the footpath which led straight on following a finger post.

230m later the path forked again, and I turned right to head uphill on a forest path.

As I glanced to the right through the trees I caught a glimpse of Lake Windermere and the Fairfield fells beyond.

This section of the route was by far the quietest of the day. I didn’t see many people at all between here and the Claife Heights (High Blind How) trig pillar.

The path led me through the woodland, over a foot bridge, before leading me down onto another wide track.

I turned right onto this track for only a short distance before following another finger post marked ‘Far Sawrey 2 Miles’.

This section of the walk was really pretty, with established woodland and beautiful fox gloves popping up all over.

I forked right before the path started to dip downhill to continue uphill towards the summit.

At the next fork in the path, I turned left which led through bracken to the Claife Heights trig pillar (High Blind How).

The Summit – Claife Heights

Alfred Wainwright wrote in his book – the Outlying Fells of Lakeland – that this trig pillar was now lost in conifers and inaccessible, but it is possible now, you just have to follow the trail, weaving through a sea of shoulder-height bracken to get there!

I paused for quite some time on the summit rocks. It was so peaceful. There was nobody else around and it was so quiet. I just sat alone and listened to the breeze pass through the trees for what felt like ages.

The Descent

When it came time to leave, I continued along the bracken-filled path to rejoin the woodland path which was covered in pine needles and soft underfoot.

I reached the valley bottom and crossed a foot bridge over a stream which fed Three Dubs Tarn over to the west.

I picked up the path on the other side of the foot bridge and walked up past a finger post signed to ‘Sawrey Ferry’.

The trail led up and over lumpy terrain to reach a view point of Windermere lake and weaved around some large crags.

I continued along the trail, following the finger posts which were now very regular. At one point I stopped to give directions to Three Dubs Tarn to a Scottish couple who were away on holiday.

At a t-junction in the path I turned right, again signposted for ‘Far Sawrey’. Along this path I went through a gate and continued south, keeping the wall on my left.

At this point the track twisted and undulated beside some impressive dry stone walls and later, there were walls running either side of the trail.

At the next path junction I turned right to join the bridleway.

Keeping the wall on my right, I followed the bridleway down to meet the track at the bottom. Passing through the gate a beautiful view opened up on my right.

The path brought me out right opposite my car.

Wrapping Up

Next on the list was Orrest Head, School Knott and Brant Fell, a walk where the phrase ‘break a leg‘ was taken quite literally!

About the Author