Middle Fell, Seatallan & Buckbarrow - Tuesday 31 December 2019
Route
Greendale - Middle Fell - Pots of Ashness - Seatallan - Cat Bields - Glade How - Buckbarrow - Joss Naylor's Cairn - Greendale Gill - Greendale
Parking
Verge parking at Greendale (Free) - Grid Ref NY144056 (Nearest Postcode is CA20 1EU)
Mileage
7.2 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths both stony and grass however in poor visibility care needs to be taken from the 465 spot height between Middle Fell & Seatallan as near here the path becomes intermittent. There is also an intermittent path over to Naylor's Cairn and from there to Greendale Gill.
Weather
Cold yet gloriously sunny with excellent visibility.
Time Taken
6hrs
Total Ascent
2421ft (738m)
Wainwrights
3
Map
OL6 The English Lakes (South Western Area)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge with Deborah, Colin, Cornelius & Phineas
Greendale - Middle Fell - Pots of Ashness - Seatallan - Cat Bields - Glade How - Buckbarrow - Joss Naylor's Cairn - Greendale Gill - Greendale
Parking
Verge parking at Greendale (Free) - Grid Ref NY144056 (Nearest Postcode is CA20 1EU)
Mileage
7.2 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths both stony and grass however in poor visibility care needs to be taken from the 465 spot height between Middle Fell & Seatallan as near here the path becomes intermittent. There is also an intermittent path over to Naylor's Cairn and from there to Greendale Gill.
Weather
Cold yet gloriously sunny with excellent visibility.
Time Taken
6hrs
Total Ascent
2421ft (738m)
Wainwrights
3
Map
OL6 The English Lakes (South Western Area)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge with Deborah, Colin, Cornelius & Phineas
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GPX File
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Route Map
The wide grass verge parking area at Greendale where there is room for quite a few cars if people park sensibly
Early morning on New Years Eve looking to Long Crag on Middle Fell in shadow
The ascent of the south ridge is gradual - Greendale Gill is to the left and the path heads up the east side of the gill before sweeping to the right
The ascent of the south ridge is gradual - Greendale Gill is to the left and the path heads up the east side of the gill before sweeping to the right
Buckbarrow which would be our final Wainwright of 2019
Another view of Buckbarrow, this time from further up the climb of the south ridge
The sun appears over Wastwater, Illgill Head & Whin Rigg
My walking companions on this fantastic New Years Eve - Angie, Fudge, Colin, Deborah, Phineas & Cornelius
The view from Middle Fell's summit is one of the best in the Lake District in my humble opinion. From left to right we have the slopes of Red Pike, Dale Head, Dore Head, Kirk Fell, Strirrup Crag, Yewbarrow, Great Gable, Glaramara, Lingmell, Scafell Pike, Mickledore, Scafell & Slight Side
The view from Middle Fell's summit is one of the best in the Lake District in my humble opinion. From left to right we have the slopes of Red Pike, Dale Head, Dore Head, Kirk Fell, Strirrup Crag, Yewbarrow, Great Gable, Glaramara, Lingmell, Scafell Pike, Mickledore, Scafell & Slight Side
With Fudge on the summit of Middle Fell - the cairn sits atop a rock platform
Seatallan from Middle Fell
Seatallan from the lower slopes of Middle Fell
There are two options from here - you can either go straight up the steep face via the left hand path or continue around to the right to an area called the Pots of Ashness and climb up via the gentler slopes of the north ridge. We had been up the steep face several times therefore today we headed around to the right to the Pots of Ashness - this is the route you would take if you wanted to add in Haycock to your day out.
There are two options from here - you can either go straight up the steep face via the left hand path or continue around to the right to an area called the Pots of Ashness and climb up via the gentler slopes of the north ridge. We had been up the steep face several times therefore today we headed around to the right to the Pots of Ashness - this is the route you would take if you wanted to add in Haycock to your day out.
Red Pike, Kirk Fell & Great Gable
A wider panorama of Haycock, Scoat Fell & Red Pike
Haycock & the Pots of Ashness from the ascent of Seatallan
The path we took from Middle Fell is coming in from the right hand side of shot and continues on up to Haycock.
The path we took from Middle Fell is coming in from the right hand side of shot and continues on up to Haycock.
The bulk of Caw Fell with Lank Rigg to the rear
Approaching the summit of Seatallan - what a view that is
The summit plateau of Seatallan
The summit Trig Point on Seatallan looking to The Scafells with Great Gable to the left
These three had lots of fun today
Heading off Seatallan towards Cat Bields with Black Combe is in the far left distance
The cairn on Cat Bields - turn left here for Buckbarrow
The summit of Glade How looking to Cat Bields
Glade How sometimes catches out Wainwright Baggers who mistake this large cairn as the summit of Buckbarrow. Buckbarrow's summit is still a 1/4 of a mile to the south over a grassy col.
Glade How sometimes catches out Wainwright Baggers who mistake this large cairn as the summit of Buckbarrow. Buckbarrow's summit is still a 1/4 of a mile to the south over a grassy col.
The summit of Glade How looking to Seatallan
The summit of Buckbarrow looking to Middle Fell, The Scafells and Illgill Head
Middle Fell & The Scafells over Wastwater
It is worth exploring the craggy edges of Buckbarrow - or you would miss this superb view over Wastwater to the Screes
What a cracking day out this was today
Transiting between the 3 craggy tops on Buckbarrow
Looking back to Buckbarrow's summit
Looking to Bull Crag & Wastwater from Pike Crag
It is worth making a slight detour from the return route to visit Joss Naylor's Cairn - the cairn is at Grid Reference NY 13864 06559
Naylor's Cairn looking to Middle Fell & The Scafells
Descending back to the start alongside Greendale Gill
Middle Fell across Greendale Gill. The path transiting the lower slopes leads to Greendale Tarn.
Nearing the end of the walk we pass a unique shaped sheepfold which has recently been rebuilt
Greendale Bridge...................
.......... built in 1900 by William Dixon
(picture courtesy of Deborah Howard)
(picture courtesy of Deborah Howard)