This walk wasn’t on the plan for this holiday, I’d originally wanted to do Yolk, Ill Bell, Froswick and Troutbeck Tongue, however the long drive put me off, so I changed to this one. Talk of a horseshoe walk in the Lake District and you will get quite far down the list before someone mentions this one. Not that it isn’t a good walk, far from it, just that Fairfield, Coledale and Kentmere jump to mind first. I had already climbed all the fells around Fusedale and Bannerdale as well as lots from Hartsop, however these three had eluded me. However they make for an excellent round and the ridge from Beda Fell to Angletarn Pikes is superb, gently undulating, just how I like it. The star of this walk is Angle Tarn and its peak, such a fantastic place, I can see why so many people wild camp there. Place Fell is a lumpy fell and much larger than you think, there are plenty of subsidiary summits, one or two which you wonder why Mr Wainwright didn’t include them. As with the rest of our holiday the weather was pretty hazy, however by this stage of the week running up to Easter, it was getting warmer, I was in a T shirt for most of the walk and the day after temperatures were at 25 degrees. This walk takes me to 144 Wainwrights, so just 70 to do, over 2/3rds now, most of which are Southern, Western or Eastern Fells. Next visit is in August with the boys, so can’t wait for that.
Start – St Martin’s Church, Martindale |
Route – Winter Crag – Beda Fell – Bedafell Knott – Angletarn Pikes South – Angletarn Pikes North – Boredale Hause – Place Fell – Boredale valley – Winter Crag – St Martin’s Church |
Distance – 7.5 miles Start time – 9am Time taken – 6hrs Highest Point – Place Fell 657 metres |
Weather – Dry, no wind, hazy, warm |
© Crown copyright 2019 Ordnance Survey FL 2019 SF
St Martin’s Church in Martindale. A church has been here since the 1200s and the bell above the door is 500 years old so this place has seen a few winters.
The door is always open and I can image its a welcome place in a storm
Bannerdale, with The Nab poking out from behind the Beda Fell ridge. I’m heading out of photo up to the right
I reach the top of the ridge just under Winter Crag, looking into Boredale with Place Fell over the other side.
Seat with a view to Ullswater and Gowbarrow Fell
Heading past Winter Crag and Beda Fell comes into view. Already at 9.30am the haze was very thick
Winter Crag looks superb from the ridge climb to Beda Fell with Hallin Fell behind
Steel Knotts from the summit of Beda Fell. The ridge at the back is Loadpot Hill as it runs down to Bonscale Pike
When climbing up this ridge you will hit another false summit, just over there, make sure you go past that one to main summit to bag the fell.
Told you this was a good ridge, Looking to Angletarn Pikes as I set off from Beda Fell. Boredale Hause is the dip to the right
The head of Bannerdale, with The Nab left, then Rest Dodd on the right is Heck Crag
Looking out of Boredale with Beda Fell up on the right
There are two tops for AngleTarn Pikes, the northern top is the Wainwright, but this one, the south top gives great views to Angle Tarn itself. Brock Crags is beyond the tarn
The ridge to St Sunday Crag from Angletarn Pikes South
On the north top now and you get great views down to Brothers Water. Time for some lunch.
This is the path to Boredale Hause, which is behind me. I’m looking along the valley to Brothers Water backed by Red Screes and many others
Boredale Hause is down there and you can see the wiggly path up to Place Fell ahead
Boredale Head summit cairn and looking out along Boredale.
It was a stiff climb to Place Fell and I arrived at the same time as 6 or 7 others. I took myself off for a brew out of the breeze and waited for them to clear before taking my photos of the trig point, here with views to Rampsgill Head and High Street
From my brew spot I had a fine view down to Glenridding and across to Helvellyn. In more clear weather this would be a great spot.
St Sunday Crag is next to the trig point in the distance.
The way I’m going
Heading down from Place Fell towards Martindale you go past this fell, High Dodd. Looks prime for a Wainwright really, considering it looks the same as The Nab or Rest Dodd.
Hallin Fell is at the end of Boredale as I descend to the valley floor
I’m climbing to Winter Crag again for the second time, this time from the Boredale side
The church can be seen below, just follow the path down into Bannerdale. The Steel Knotts ridge above the church. The end of another fantastic Lakes walk, Angle Tarn and the surrounding area was superb and the ridge to it from Beda Fell one of the most enjoyable I’ve walked. Roll on August when I am back in Cumbria.
Been ages since I walked in the East Lakes. Been up to Angle Tarn many times and Place Fell is one of my favorite summits but never done the round from that side. Cracking walk.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely recommend the walk, excellent round and you could easily add on Brock Crags if you want to go a bit further and do a loop around Angle tarn itself. Such an underated part of the Lakes with people heading for Helvellyn from Patterdale/Glenridding when you could easily come here and not queue to climb a fell
LikeLiked by 1 person