1. The EASTERN FELLS
2. The FAR EASTERN
    FELLS
3. The CENTRAL FELLS
4. The SOUTHERN FELLS
5. The NORTHERN FELLS
6. The NORTH WESTERN
    FELLS
7. The WESTERN FELLS

The Far Eastern Fells • 3

THE FELLS IN THIS AREA: ANGLETARN PIKES • ARTHUR'S PIKE • BEDA FELL •  BONSCALE PIKE • BRANSTREE • BROCK CRAGS • CAUDALE MOOR • FROSWICK • GRAY CRAG • GREY CRAG • HALLIN FELL • HARTER FELL • HARTSOP DODD • HIGH RAISE • HIGH STREET • ILL BELL • KENTMERE PIKE • KIDSTY PIKE • The KNOTT • LOADPOT HILL • MARDALE ILL BELL • The NAB • PLACE FELL • RAMPSGILL HEAD • REST DODD • SALLOWS • SELSIDE PIKE • SHIPMAN KNOTTS • SOUR HOWES • STEEL KNOTTS • TARN CRAG • THORNTHWAITE CRAG • The TONGUE  • WANSFELL • WETHER HILL • YOKE

HIGH STREET
Height: 2718', (828m)
Grid Ref: NY 441111

High Street, the highest of the Far Eastern Fells, takes its name from the Roman road which ran across its summit, linking the fort of Galava (modern Ambleside) with Carlisle. The fell itself takes the shape of a long whale back ridge, with a summit plateau so flat that a couple of centuries ago the local dalesfolk raced horses here as part of their summer fairs. In fact, the fell is still marked Racecourse Hill on some maps, and it is not uncommon to find fell ponies grazing on its summit.

A wall runs the length of the ridge and in bad weather this will unerringly guide one to the trig pillar and the small ineffective shelter which mark the summit. Running parallel with the wall, and a few feet lower, is the Roman road itself. Unfortunately, it does not survive in its original form, but the path which runs along the summit ridge follows its original course. It may seem odd to build a road over mountain summits and ridges rather than valleys and passes, but at that time the valleys were covered in dense forests and were very marshy. The ridges offered firmer ground and were less vulnerable to ambush.

Following the Roman road over the fells is one of the finest walks in the district, though it is rarely undertaken as it is not a circular route. Starting from Yoke in the south, and ending up on Loadpot Hill in the north, the ridge can be walked in a day, though I prefer to camp somewhere along the route. Nine fells are traversed (ten with a short detour to Kidsty Pike), though it should be borne in mind that peakbagging was not a Roman occupation so the road usually skirts the actual highest point of each fell.

Another fine approach to High Street is from Mardale in the east. This route follows a narrow rocky ridge which rises as straight as an arrow from the Rigg, the wooded promontory near the head of Haweswater. The ridge has a minor summit, Rough Crag, which drops to the col of Caspel Gate, which contains a small tarn. The southern flank of the ridge drops sharply into Blea Water, a corrie tarn of classic proportions, and the deepest in the Lake District.

ILL BELL
Height: 2483', (757m)
Grid Ref: NY 437077

KENTMERE PIKE
Height: 2396', (730m)
Grid Ref: NY 466078

KIDSTY PIKE
Height: 2560', (780m)
Grid reference: NY 448126

Kidsty Pike is a little more than a protruberence on the broad plateau of Rampsgill Head, but it gives a good example of how the the same mountain can sometimes be perceived and thus named as two fells. Rampsgill Head was obviously named by dalesmen observing it from the north, whereas Kidsty Pike would seem quite a prominent summit when viewed from the eastern valleys, (in fact, it is probably the most distinctive landmark on the Eastern Fells, it's sharp wedge shape being easily recognisable from the M6 or on a northbound train).

It was misty on my first visit, but on a later trip I stopped here for lunch and though I didn't see any of the famous Riggindale eagles that are supposed to nest here, I could see quite a few red deer in the valley below. The summit of Kidsty Pike is the highest point on the Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk, (although he gives optional routes that crosses Helvellyn).

TOP

THE KNOTT
Height: 2423', (739m)
Grid reference: NY 437127

The Knott rises little more than sixty feet from the col that links it with Rampsgill Head, an ascent which can be made in a minute or so by anyone follwing the High Street - Patterdale path. From here a wall rises east to the summit cairn. The wall then angles north west and descends back to the path, making it a useful 'handrail' feature in mist.

On my first visit to the summit of this fell, a lone foxhound appeared out of the mist. I presumed it had become separated from a hunt. It was quite bedraggled and looked a little hungry, but as I was rummaging around in my rucksack for something to feed it, it ran off downhill.

Note: there is also a hill called Knott (no 'the') in the Northern Fells.

TOP

LOADPOT HILL
Height: 2201', (671m)
Grid Ref: NY 457181

Visitors approaching the summit and expecting to see the stone chimney stack which Wainwright depicts in his Loadpot Hill chapter will be disappointed as it collapsed in 1973, and is now quite unrecognisable. However, the foundations of the old shooting lodge and stables can still be clearly seen. The highest point of the fell is a little to the north and is marked by a cairn built around an old boundary post, and a trig pillar, (Wainwright makes no mention of this - presumably it's a relatively recent addition). The course of the Roman Road which links it to the other fells of the High Street range passes the summit a little to the west.

TOP

MARDALE ILL BELL
Height: 2496', (761m)
Grid Ref: NY 448101

THE NAB
Height: 1890', (576m)
Grid reference: NY 434152

Wainwright points out that the Nab is out of bounds, being part of the private Martindale Deer Forest. He admits that he researched the fell without permission. I'm not sure what the position is now. Certainly anyone reaching the summit from the ridge which links it to Rest Dodd would be unaware that they'd passed onto private land as the wall is broken down to the right and there are no signs to be seen at all. Of the more recent guide books, the Fell &Rock Climbing Club's Lakeland Fells advises that permission should be sought, whereas Bill Birkett's Complete Lakeland Fells makes no mention of it being private land whatsoever.

I'd tend to follow Wainwright's suggestion and gain the summit from the Rest Dodd ridge, which is a bit marshy in places. I've done it twice and on both occasions saw many deer (very far off) but no people. I could argue that the deer would rather have the odd illicit peakbagger walking past than some bloke legitimately creeping up on them with a shotgun.

TOP

PLACE FELL
Height: 2154', (657m)
Grid Ref: NY 406170

RAMPSGILL HEAD
Height: 2598', (792m)
Grid Ref: NY 443128

Next Page
Previous Page

Back to the Top

1. The EASTERN FELLS
2. The FAR EASTERN
    FELLS
3. The CENTRAL FELLS
4. The SOUTHERN FELLS
5. The NORTHERN FELLS
6. The NORTH WESTERN
    FELLS
7. The WESTERN FELLS

HOME PAGE
WILD CAMPING
LAKE DISTRICT FELLS
TRIP REPORTS
PHOTO INDEX
LINKS