The title Lord’s Seat sounds far greater than it actually is, the fact is that the area around Whinlatter and Lord’s Seat is a grassy, lumpy and sometimes boggy area of land in the North Western Fells. Now as a walker of The Wainwrights we know that at times he takes us to parts that otherwise we wouldn’t necessarily visit. However he does this for a reason, it might be a view, a scramble or an airy path. In the case of these North Western fells it might have been to make up the numbers however the view from Barf along to Keswick is brilliant and only surpassed by that of Bassenthwaite Lake which only reveals itself when on Barf. As always on these occasions Alfred was right.
| Start – Darling How |
| Route – Graystones – Widow Hause – Broom Fell – Barf – Lord’s Seat – Aiken Plantation – Darling How |
| Distance – 5 1/4 miles Start time – 12.45pm Time taken – 4 hrs Highest Point – Lord’s Seat 552m |
| Weather – Some sun and some cloud |
© Crown copyright 2014 Ordnance Survey FL 2014 SF
Wednesday brought rain and low cloud, however……
..it also brought this at the end of the day. The forecast for Thursday was better after lunch so an afternoon walk was planned.
The area around Whinlatter was the destination. First was Graystones which is off camera to the left, ahead is Broom Fell which is number 2 on the list
Looking back as I head up to Graystones, lovely autumn colours.
Grisedale Pike and Hopegill Head are the two high points to the South West
Although I’m walking away from them both Broom Fell left and Lord’s Seat right are on the itinerary
Lorton Vale
Graystones summit with Broom Fell and Lord’s Seat in view. The climb up here is very steep, you will notice I haven’t come up direct from the bottom, instead heading through the forest to gain height gradually first, before a shorter steep climb up.
Great views to Grisedale Pike from Graystones
I head left and round the trees, then up to Broom Fell, along to the nobble that is Lord’s Seat, before returning to the car through the trees below Lord’s Seat.
Broom Fell ahead
The distinctive cairn on Broom Fell, Lord’s Seat behind
Broom Fell to Grisedale Pike
And looking back to Graystones
Clouds skimming the summit of Skiddaw
The path to Lord’s Seat
First though I skirted past Lord’s Seat and headed down to Barf
A mirror finish in Bassenthwaite Lake (the only lake in the Lake District, the rest are waters and meres)
Great view of Skiddaw from Barf
The Vale of Keswick, with Keswick the town in the middle
Another view of Keswick on the walk back to Lord’s Seat
Lord’s Seat summit looking to Grisedale Pike and Hopegill Head
Lord’s Seat summit and Skiddaw
And again, this time looking to Broom Fell and Graystones
On the way down, I’m heading for the line through the trees to the bottom right
Looking back up to Lord’s Seat
Autumn in Whinlatter
Broom Fell left and Lord’s Seat to the right of the tree as I look back again
Sunset between the Whinlatter trees as I approach Darling How at the end of a good walk
treksandtors 