Time for one last walk on the penultimate day, the weather all week had been getting better and better with lots of sunshine. We’d only had one patch of rain/drizzle, which happened to be from midnight until about 8am on the Monday. It had been a good weather week and it had been too good not to have a 3rd good fell walk. I decided to pick off one of my solo fells, one that I’d left alone having completed all the fells around it. Seat Sandal is an easy journey from Keswick, with good parking at the top of Dunmail Raise so this seemed like a good option. I’d already walked the path up alongside Raise Beck to Dollywaggon Pike with the boys a few years ago, so knew it well and had seen where you turn off up to Seat Sandal. Parking at Dunmail Raise gave me an elevated start, the route up Raise Beck is easy to follow and its always nice to walk alongside running water. Turning right as I saw Grisedale Tarn to follow the wall up to Seat Sandal, the climb reminded me of that up Dollywaggon, short but very steep with an improving view. The summit was reached about 90 minutes after leaving the car, nothing too quick but there wasn’t a rush to make the summit. After a long break at the summit enjoying the views down to Grasmere, I decided to return the same way rather than heading down the Great Tongue path, although if you do have plenty of time the views from Great Tongue are really good. So at the end of the week I’d bagged 9 Wainwrights and pushed my total up to 185 completed, which I’m really pleased with. Just 29 left but 17 walks to complete them, I’m looking forward to our week in the summer already.
Some nice blue skies above the odd bit of thin white cloud and quite warm at this level. This level being Dunmail Raise and a good parking spot to get up Raise Beck which is behind meEntering the bottom of Raise Beck, with Helm Crag the dark fell over there the slope of Steel Fell rising up to the rightThe Raise Beck route, nothing too tricky in the dry but some rocky steps to negotiate at the waterfall sections, other wise its a path that just keeps on rising.Looking back down Raise Beck with Steel Fell on the other side of the A591 which looks a way away alreadyThe first waterfall, as you can see the path gets a bit rocky here, and steps upwards more steeply. There’s a fair bit of height still to gain from here to get to the flatter part.Popping out the top the ground evens out a bit and the path becomes easier to walk if muddy in places. Ullscarf (where I was two days before) this is on the right over thereIts at this point that you stop, firstly to enjoy the fantastic view of Grisedale Tarn backed by Fairfield right and St Sunday Crag left. And secondly to turn right and ascend very steeply up the grassy slope to Seat SandalStarting out up the slope, the North Western fells start to come into view at the back, with Great Gable putting in an appearance back left, peeking up over Ullscarf. The section of dark trees surround Harrop Tarn.Arriving at the top I’ve lost the view of Grisedale Tarn but St Sunday Crag looks superb from here, with a titchy part of Ullswater away in the distanceLoads of fells in view to the west from the summit of Seat SandalSkiddaw is to the north, the valley flanked by trees holds ThirlmereFrom the summit cairn looking down to Grasmere, Coniston Old Man over there to the rightFrom left to right along the back is Coniston Old Man and surrounding fells, Crinkle Crag in the centre and then pointy Bowfell and the Scafells, Great End and on the right Great GableHaving descended back down to the iron posts, the view ahead is of Dollywaggon Pike. Turn left here to descend back down Raise BeckThe flatter section before the path drops more steeply. The magnificent Fix the Fells were here, repairing the path. I dropped the change in my pocket in their bucket, and walked the new part they had fixed.
The higher up waterfalls, it was tempting to have a splash in the beck but I’d not really earned it on such a short walk
Raise Beck cascades down
And out at the bottom again, the sky is still very blue with white wispy clouds as it was earlier, its warm still and I’ve enjoyed every step of this walk. A perfect half day walk, I parked at 10.30am so not early and there was another space or two still free, plus plenty further down if you wanted to head up the Great Tongue route. Park here around 9.30am and do this one and you could be in a Grasmere pub with a pint by midday. I drove back to Keswick and had one there, a perfect walking end to a lovely holiday.
Superb day out on an often overlooked hill, sitting as it does tucked between the Helvellyn and Fairfield ranges. Like you I love walking alongside a stream, always seems to help the climb sail by
A steep little pull up Seat Sandel from the tarn but worth it for the views. When I’ve been up (a couple of times) I’ve enjoyed the route down back along the ridge down into Grasmere but for you that would have involved walking back along the road to your car.
Yeah you’re right about the return journey and the reason I didn’t head that way. To be fair I have very few fells left to do which aren’t an easy up and down walk so this was one were I took the opportunity
You’re absolutely right about the Great Tongue route – it’s perfect in descent because the views are great. I was thinking I could combine Seat Sandal with Stone Arthur and a bit of repetition on Great Rigg and Fairfield. We’ll see I suppose.
There are some fells that are best done and saved as a single one, being where they are both Seat Sandal and Stone Arthur might be good for those days when time is an issue
treksandtors 
An old favourite of mine.
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Superb day out on an often overlooked hill, sitting as it does tucked between the Helvellyn and Fairfield ranges. Like you I love walking alongside a stream, always seems to help the climb sail by
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Just a shame the pools aren’t very deep along this part of Raise Beck, no dip possible!!
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A steep little pull up Seat Sandel from the tarn but worth it for the views. When I’ve been up (a couple of times) I’ve enjoyed the route down back along the ridge down into Grasmere but for you that would have involved walking back along the road to your car.
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Yeah you’re right about the return journey and the reason I didn’t head that way. To be fair I have very few fells left to do which aren’t an easy up and down walk so this was one were I took the opportunity
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You’re absolutely right about the Great Tongue route – it’s perfect in descent because the views are great. I was thinking I could combine Seat Sandal with Stone Arthur and a bit of repetition on Great Rigg and Fairfield. We’ll see I suppose.
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There are some fells that are best done and saved as a single one, being where they are both Seat Sandal and Stone Arthur might be good for those days when time is an issue
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Yes – very good point. Also, if I ever get out of an evening again, they are both ideal.
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