| A National Trust ‘pay-and-display’
car park is located in Great Wood, a turning off left on the way into
Borrowdale not long after leaving Keswick. (National Trust members park
free if an in-date membership card is displayed in the car.) (Distance 7.8 miles) |
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| Leave the car park at the south end,
following the wide footpath up through the wood to meet a narrow wooden
bridge crossing Cat Gill. (A footpath continues up the woods to southern end of Walla
Crag.) Cross the bridge, turn right down hill for a short distance, then
go left. (photo: Looking up Borrowdale on the way to Ashness Bridge) |
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| The path now tracks below Falcon Crags with splendid views to
the north and east over Derwent water. Keep left where the sign
indicates the way to Ashness Bridge, eventually passing through a gate
and arriving at Ashness bridge. (photo: The jaws of Borrowdale from the path to Ashness Bridge) |
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| Pass over the bridge, then go off left
following the path up the Fell side with a wall to the right. The climb
becomes steeper, though eases for a very short while to pass through a
gate. (photo: Portinscale in the sun on the western side of Derwent Water) |
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| Continue up into the valley below Dodd, where the steep path
levels out to contour around the Fell. Avoid a footpath off right,
continuing to follow the course of Ashness Gill. (photo: Clare and Helen having a boggy time!) |
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| The path to High Seat goes off left, but
again not clear, although there is an ‘unofficial’ small pile of
stones at the turning point. Continue along this vague path as it rises
to the top of High Seat, marked with a large Trig point. Great views all
round on a clear day! (photo: High Seat ahead) |
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| (photo: Looking down to Thirlmere from High Seat) |  |
| (photo: Me ...... with Helvellyn range beyond) |  |
| There is a stile over the fence with a
path following the line of the fence close to Bleaberry Fell.
However, the
path to the west of the fence, through the centre of the ground between
both tops, is more direct. (photo: Lunch in the sun ... L to R, Helen, Keith, Clare and Sandy) |
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| Small gathering on Bleaberry Fell. (photo: And Skiddaw from Bleaberry Fell) |
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From Bleaberry Fell, follow the steep path
down the western side and along the constructed path to Brown Knots,
then turn right onto another wet and boggy path. (photo: Walla Crag with another view of Skiddaw behind) |
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| Continue on this path
to the stone wall giving access to Walla Crag. Just before the
wall, take the path off left following the course of the wall down hill. (photo: Zooming in on the Fells at the head of Borrowdale) |
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| Continue down into Cat Gill, as the path re-enters
Great Wood, eventually reaching the narrow bridge crossed at the
start. Retrace the route through Great Wood back to the car park. (photo: On the path down Cat Gill and back into Great Wood) |
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