Seatoller to Grange - Tuesday 30 January 2024
Route
Seatoller - High Doat - Tongue Gill - Rigghead Quarries - Broadslack Gill - Gowder Dub - Hollows Farm - Grange
Parking
The National Trust Car Park in Seatoller (Free for NT Members, charges for non members) - Grid Reference is NY 245 138. The nearest postcode is CA12 5XN. On arriving in Grange either walk back or catch the bus back to Seatoller.
On this day we parked in Keswick and caught the bus to Seatoller. Arriving in Grange we caught the bus back to Keswick. Buses - use 'em or lose 'em.
Mileage
5 miles
Terrain
Good paths throughout. If crossing upstream of Tongue Gill take care if the gill is in spate. If it is then cross via the footbridge which by the time of your walk will hopefully have been repaired.
Weather
Sunny for the most part with very light breezes.
Time Taken
3hrs 20mins
Total Ascent
1190ft (363m)
Map
OL4 The English Lakes - North Western Area
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge
Seatoller - High Doat - Tongue Gill - Rigghead Quarries - Broadslack Gill - Gowder Dub - Hollows Farm - Grange
Parking
The National Trust Car Park in Seatoller (Free for NT Members, charges for non members) - Grid Reference is NY 245 138. The nearest postcode is CA12 5XN. On arriving in Grange either walk back or catch the bus back to Seatoller.
On this day we parked in Keswick and caught the bus to Seatoller. Arriving in Grange we caught the bus back to Keswick. Buses - use 'em or lose 'em.
Mileage
5 miles
Terrain
Good paths throughout. If crossing upstream of Tongue Gill take care if the gill is in spate. If it is then cross via the footbridge which by the time of your walk will hopefully have been repaired.
Weather
Sunny for the most part with very light breezes.
Time Taken
3hrs 20mins
Total Ascent
1190ft (363m)
Map
OL4 The English Lakes - North Western Area
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge
If the above GPX file fails to download or presents itself as an XML file once downloaded then please feel free to contact me and I will send you the GPX file via e-mail.
Route Map
The exit of the Car Park in Seatoller - the bus from Keswick stops here. From the Car Park we turned right to head in the direction of Honister.
Looking to the road that heads to Rosthwaite from the starting point
From the Car Park the route heads through the hamlet passing Seatoller House
Once through the hamlet a gate on the right joins the Coast to Coast route
We were now heading on the Coast to Coast route towards High Doat
Seatoller Fell stands over Seatoller as we start to climb gently
At the top of the rise the path turns sharp left - we were still on the Coast to Coast path at this point
Soon after the sharp turn to the left we left the Coast to Coast path through a gate at which we turned sharp right to head up to this gate & stile
Looking back to both gates - the one right of centre is the one we turned sharp right at - the Coast to Coast path continues on towards Honister. The gate on the extreme right is the one we passed through in the previous picture.
Looking back towards Seatoller with Thornythwaite Fell to the left, Great End, Seathwaite Fell, Base Brown centre & Seatoller Fell to the right
The path meanders its way gently on towards High Doat
The route passes a small tarn - our path heads over to the left. Fudge waits for the command "In" although his front paws already are!
The summit of High Doat looking to High Scawdel on Dale Head
Angie poses on a rocky outcrop near High Doat with Castle Crag left with King's How & Brund Fell on Grange Fell centre & right
With Fudge on the summit of High Doat
From High Doat the route passes over a stile to descend steeply to meet the valley floor at Scaleclose Gill
Near Scaleclose Gill the route crosses a wall via a ladder stile - Fudge meanwhile waits for me to lift him up
Once over the wall, the route crosses the gill via a footbridge to join the path coming in left from Little Gatesgarthdale
Looking up Scaleclose Gill
Further on along the path another footbridge is crossed
Shortly before Tongue Gill we reached the turn off for Rigghead Quarries and the onward route to High Spy & Dale Head
Castle Crag and our onward route
Oh dear - thankfully an alternative route had been detailed up Tongue Gill then down the other side
The damaged bridge over Tongue Gill - despite the signage on both sides it didn't stop us witnessing some of the usual lazy prats actually crossing it.
The path up the southern bank of Tongue Gill
Looking across to the northern bank of Tongue Gill
Looking back down Tongue Gill
A cascading Tongue Gill plus an inquisitive Cocker Spaniel (Click Play to view)
At Grid Reference NY 23969 15346 a ford is reached which enabled us to cross over to the northern bank of Tongue Gill. The stile on the left leads to the path that carries on up the gill towards the upper Rigghead Quarry.
Our descent down the northern bank of Tongue Gill
From the bottom of Tongue Gill we turned left to rejoin our original route to pass beneath Castle Crag
Below Castle Crag Fudge has an arse about in Broadslack Gill
Oh he loved a good howl did our boy - suitably egged on by me (Click Play to view)
Gowder Dub on the River Derwent
Looking to the north at Gowder Dub - this is a lovely spot and we had it to ourselves today
Passing through Hollows Farm as we approach Grange
King's How on Grange Fell
Near High Close the route drops down to Grange which can just about be seen through the trees
A clearer view of Grange with King's How on Grange Fell providing the backdrop
The carpet fitters are in at the Borrowdale Gates Hotel near Grange
Holy Trinity Church in Grange
Holy Trinity is a small and unigue village church built in the mid 19th century by Miss Margaret Heathcote to save the people of Grange having to go to the parish church up the valley. Rumour has it that she never thought the vicars that the dicoese appointed to the parish were quite good enough for the people of Grange! She managed to go through 7 "curates" in 11 years therefore maybe she was a little hard to please.
Holy Trinity is a small and unigue village church built in the mid 19th century by Miss Margaret Heathcote to save the people of Grange having to go to the parish church up the valley. Rumour has it that she never thought the vicars that the dicoese appointed to the parish were quite good enough for the people of Grange! She managed to go through 7 "curates" in 11 years therefore maybe she was a little hard to please.
The delightful cafe in Grange - sadly it was closed when we passed by
Grange Bridge over the River Derwent