Walk 54 - Whinlatter - 2nd May 2021
 

Wainwright's Walking Guide to the Lake District Fells - Book 6 The North Western Fells
 

#128 Barf 1535 ft
#129 Lord's Seat 1811 ft
#130 Broom Fell 1677 ft
#131 Graystones 1496 ft
#132 Whinlatter Top 1722 ft
Distance
9.8 miles
Time
8 hrs
Lowest Point
319 ft
Highest Point
1811 ft
Total Ascent
3746 ft
 
Walk Rating - tough
 

Mini Route Map
(larger map at the bottom)

Go to start on OS map

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  11.46 Walking up through the woods near the car park at Powter Howe.  
 
 
  11.48 Looking up the steep scree "The Bishop" is just visible.  
 
 
  11.50 The bridge across Beckside Gill. The steep path is up to the right from here. Its not recommended by Mountain Rescue who are often called out to it when people become cragfast. Our easier path is just visible to the left in the trees.  
 
 
  11.53 On the first part of the path up.  
 
 
  12.02 Among the trees the views across the valley are a little difficult.  
 
 
  12.17 Looking across to the difficult path on the screes.  
   
  12.43 Panorama 507 There is a pleasant flat area just before the final summit to Barf.  
 
 
  12.49 Nearly at the top, a view towards Derwent Water with Helvellyn on the horizon.  
   
  13.02 Panorama 508 Barf summit has excellent views of Bassenthwaite and Skiddaw.  
 
 
  13.02 Barf summit with Lord's Seat in the background.  
 
 
  13.08 Barf has spectacular views of the lakes and Skiddaw group.  
 
 
  13.15 Looking back at Barf from the walk to Lord's Seat.  
   
  13.39 Panorama 509 There were actually several people on the summit of Lord's Seat but none of them were terribly photogenic so I managed to avoid them when taking the panorama. Very windy on the top but very still about 20 feet below the summit.  
   
  13.59 Panorama 510 . Half way across to Broom Fell.  
   
  14.32 Panorama 511 Broom Fell summit and time for lunch. We were feeling confident and the weather was good so this is the point where we decided to push on to Graystones and commit to returning via Whinlatter Top.  
   
  15.17 Panorama 512 From just west of the actual summit of Graystones.  
   
  15.28 From the actual summit of Graystones.  
 
 
  15.56 Dropping down off Graystones we walked through an area of felled trees to find the main forest road.  
 
 
  16.04 On the forest road.  
 
 
  16.26 Turning east on the level part of the walk across to Whinlatter Fell.  
 
 
  16.37 We have just walked up from the junction opposite. We should have gone up the road to the left (would have been a right turn for us) but on the advice of a passing walker we carried on straight. This was a mistake. The route on the left would have been easier and would have taken us over Brown How.  
 
 
  16.39 Broom Fell on the right.  
 
 
  17.12 Near the start of the haul up the side of Whinlatter.  
 
 
  17.23 Further up and Lord's Seat comes into view again. Nick must have stopped for a sit because there is no way I'm this far ahead of him if we are both walking.  
   
  17.45 Panorama 513 From Whinlatter Top. It has taken us more than two hours to get across from Graystones  
 
 
  17.46 Time for a snack before we begin the walk home through the forest.  
 
 
  18.00 View across to Grisedale Pike.  
 
 
 

18.25 Its a steep drop down to the main path for a short distance before we meet the forest paths.

  
 
 
 

18.26 Grisedale Pike on the other side of the valley.

 
 
 
  18.37 Happy to come across the famous Whinlatter Gruffalo . . . . .  
 
 
  18.37 . . . . . . and his friend?  
 
 
  19.26 After a long walk around the side of the hill through the forest we are nearly back at the top of the path that drop down the side of Beckside Gill. A final view of Skiddaw across the valley in the evening light. The bottom of Bassenthwaite is already in the shadow of the hill.  

 
   
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