A walk up Place Fell from Patterdale

Place Fell is one of Lakeland’s iconic and best known mountains. The walk up it from Patterdale, one of it’s prettiest villages is a Goldilocks walk, not too long, nor too steep, but just right. It attracts children and grandmothers alike, neither of whom would be inclined to tackle other tops and the view from its small but perfectly formed summit is also one of Lakeland’s finest.

I’ve been up it before, as I have many of the tops on my book by book journey through the Wainwright’s. It was 2010, just after the World Cup final (Spain 1 Netherlands 0) and that evening we happened to sit next to a Dutch couple in the White Lion. Every Dutch person I have ever met has always spoken far better English than me and over several increasingly blurry rounds of drinks we all agreed that Holland was robbed of the trophy and that they really are, truly and most definitely the finest team never to have won the World Cup. I don’t remember going to bed that night.

It’s a dry sunny day, early summer, and as I cross the bridge over Goldrill Beck I am surrounded by abundant life. A cluster of little lambs are gambolling in the field and the trees lining the lane are full to bursting with verdant green leaves. There is one lone interloper however. By a cottage called Cherry How stands a tree with deep red leaves. It may be that it is a cherry tree but that may be to simplistic and I really have no idea what it is having forgotten to take a picture of its leaves as I usually do if I’m curious.

The lane bends left and then passes through a gate heading upwards onto the open fell. It’s a good path, paved and stepped in places which no doubt reflects the usage it gets. Patterdale valley opens up and Ullswater, a lake I have seen on almost every walk on my Far Eastern Fells journey once again appears like an old friend.

It’s a steady, I would say effortless climb except it takes a little effort, to reach Boredale Hause, the nearest thing to a spaghetti junction seen in Lakeland. Boredale Hause (Wainwright prefers Boardale) is the meeting place of a number of paths going to or from the surrounding high ground that converge on this ancient pass.

I was particularly interested to see ‘Chapel in the Hause’ as it is marked on the Ordnance Survey map. I looked online to see if there was anything about it but much of it seemed to be self enforcing information with little corroboration. Wainwright says that in his time there were still a few carved stones lying around although, as he wrote this chapter in the 1950’s I was not holding out any hope of seeing any. And so it was, a little ruin with almost nothing known about who built it or why and sadly no carved stones. It would have had a lovely view out of its window though.

Conveniently the ruin sits at the start of the long path that works it’s way up to the summit. It’s a good one, easy going gravel for the most part with just one difficult area passing through a notch of crag which requires some exertion and maybe the use of hands.

At the top of this crag is a cairn which marks the summit of Round How and from here Place Fell is seen across a flattish, occasionally boggy area of ground.

It’s only a short walk across this plateau and soon I am standing at the foot of the Trig Point that marks the summit of Place Fell. It’s a wonderful Trig Point, built right on the top of a small, pointy rocky platform that gives it a feeling of elevation above the surrounding ground. The views from the top are also far better than you would expect from its modest height. Glenridding and the mighty tops of the Helvellyn range dominate the view across Ullswater, to the left the Patterdale valley leads the eye along its floor to the rise of Kirkstone pass, Red Screes and the Dodds flanking it and behind are the gentler slopes of the Far Eastern Fells.

The weather is mighty fine and I find a nice grassy spot, away from the summit and overlooking the lake to sit and enjoy the views and a bite to eat. Place Fell is a singular hill, with no ridges connecting it to other high ground and the routes off it are limited. You can retrace your steps, take a scrambly path down Grey Crag or, my choice, head north to join the Lakeshore path at Scalehow Wood.

Just after leaving the summit a small unnamed tarn is passed and then the path heads downwards through the rocks of Hart Crag before levelling off and reaching a junction of paths at Low Moss Sheepfold. The sheepfold, appropriately named, sits in a hollow at the low point between Place Fell and High Dodd. There is a newish looking sign explaining that in recognition of the Lakes becoming a World Heritage Site, in part because of its pastoral and farming heritage the sheepfold was restored by Dalemain Estates. And it certainly looks very complete and solid.

From the sheepfold the path skirts the foot of High Dodd, passes some old quarry buildings and drops down onto the Lakeshore path, which now has the honour of a name: ‘The Ullswater Way’.

Now I am not against naming paths, I have walked a fair few of them in my time. But it does seem once you give a name to something it automatically attracts more visitors. And so it is with the Ullswater Way. I walked this path in 2010 and could certainly agree with Wainwright who said: “It is the author’s opinion that the lakeside path from Scalehow Beck, near Sandwick, to Patterdale (in that direction) is the most beautiful and rewarding walk in Lakeland”.

That was written in the 1950’s and even in 2010 it was a pleasant, occasionally grassed path, good underfoot and easy to walk along. Today however, and I suspect the popularity of ‘The Ullswater Way’ may have something to do with it there were several sections that were pretty worn out and in need of some attention.

The views don’t change however and there are good views of Ullswater, glimpsed through full leafed trees, white sailed sailboats speckling its pale blue waters. And the view from Silver Crag is indeed still ‘beautiful and rewarding’, just as it was for Wainwright and just as it has been for millennia.

Almost imperceptibly the lake shore is left behind and the view becomes fields, the path becomes a track and after passing a modern slate built structure called ‘Artist’s Seat’ I arrive at Side Farm. From here its a short walk across the flood fields, over Goldrill Beck again and back to Patterdale.

Route Map, Walk Stats, Geolocated Picture Gallery and 3D Flyover Video Below.

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