Endings and Beginnings are, as Mufasa might say all part of the great circle of life. My journey through Book One, The Eastern Fells is over, a great experience with memories to last a lifetime and today, I begin my journey through Book Two, The Far Eastern fells. I’ve been looking forward to walking these hills, tucked away on the edge of Lakeland, far away from the honey pots that attract many visitors. Quiet, peaceful, with unfrequented and unworn paths, maybe even grass to walk on and a deer to see. I have thirty six hills to enjoy and I am looking forward to it.
I’ve found a great spot for the van, far down the road from the main car park at the head of Haweswater, which on my arrival looks incredibly busy, almost full for some reason. It’s also a good spot for my intended walk as it cuts a bit of road walking at the start. Today I’m walking up Selside Pike and Branstree from the shores of Haweswater. The weather is good, clear skies and no rain forecast and it’s warming up as I walk along the road, The blue expanse of Haweswater shimmering in the morning sun.
At Mardale Common I leave the tarmac behind and join the footpath, The Old Corpse road from Mardale to Swindale as it heads up the hill. The last body to be carried to Shap by this corpse road was that of John Holme on 17 June, 1736 and I am glad I am not carrying any coffins today as the walking is pretty steep at first.
It’s a good path though and height is quickly gained. With each step up the views over Hawswater expand and the mountains across the lake begin to unveil themselves. The long ridge of Riggindale snaking down from the whaleback of High Street, it’s tail end, called the Rigg clothed in pine trees and reaching out into the lake. The pike of Kidsty Pike can be seen jutting out on the skyline a bit like pride rock. (the second reference to the lion king in this post!)
The path heads up the fell to the left of Rowantreethwaite Beck, although this is not seen. What is seen is a rather lovely waterfall, not named on the map tumbling down the steep sides of Hopgill Beck across the valley. Once at the top of the steep notch of Low Loupe the gradient eases noticeably at some ruined stone cottages. The view of Haweswater and across to High Street from here is quite superb.
The intermittently boggy path skirts around the high point of Rowantreethwaite Cairn and after maybe eight hundred metres a feint path across the grass is picked up on the right which follows the ridge line up to the summit of Selside Pike.
The summit is marked by a substantial stone shelter, with a young couple already in residence. We pass mountain pleasantries and I settle down outside of the shelter working on the principal that two’s company but three’s a crowd. After about five minutes however the couple are on their way and I have the summit to myself. The soft breeze and a skylark, heard but not seen in the grassy tufts are my only company,
The cloud cover has increased, meaning the sun is now only making guest appearances but the tops are clear and I sit for a while looking over to Cross Fell and the Northern Pennines. From this outpost of Lakeland the Pennines are seen much better than the Lakes, the bulk of High Street blocking much of the view West.
The path to Branstree lies across the hollow of Captain Whelter Bog, which lives up to its name. A wire fence is followed down to the low point, the boggy ground that is the source of Captain Whelter Beck. A bit of bog hopping has to be done but once the ground starts to rise again the going becomes firm.
The fence leads all the way to the summit of Branstree but a couple of diversions are worth making. Not far from the path there is a tower which Wainwright helpfully tells us is a survey post built by Manchester Corporation when constructing the Haweswater Aqueduct, a tunnel which is remarkably carrying water from Haweswater through the mountain far below your feet and taking it all the way to Manchester seventy two miles away.
Artlecrag Pike with its two attractive cairn pillars is reached soon after and arguably is far more interesting than the actual summit which lies two hundred metres further on. The top of Branstree is a wide grassy plateau marked by a small concrete circle with a metal centre which would seem to have a function but I’m not sure in what that is. Wainwright doesn’t mention it so I assume it wasn’t there when he passed by.
There is a good view over Gatescarth to Harter Fell but like Selside Pike the best view is over towards the Pennines. It’s nice to be walking on grass and the skylark, or one of its cousins has kept me company all the way from Selside.
From Branstree height is lost rapidly as the grassy path heads in a beeline all the way to the Gatescarth pass path, the first rocky path of the day. Walking back to Haweswater there is a procession of people heading up the pass, far more than normal. It turns out its a training day for the Lakes 50 fell race and the penny drops as to why the car park was full last night.
Penrith Mountain Rescue Team have a gazebo set up in the car park and I can’t resist a flapjack before heading back to the van for an afternoon of sitting in the sun, gazing out over Haweswater.
Later that evening I watch the sun go down over Kidsty Pike and all is silent and still in Mardale, its long drowned village resting in its watery grave. Just before I turn in, an owl twit twoo’s in the pines across the lake.
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