Height: 515 metres / 1690 feet Grid reference: NY 28922 16512 Category: The Central Fells
High Seat, Blencathra and Clough Head from High Tove
Lingmell and Great Gable from High Tove
High Tove
High Seat
Start point: Surprise View (NY 268 189)
Surprise View – High Strutta – Bleaberry Fell – High Seat – High Tove – Watendlath – Surprise View
Distance: 6.8 miles Total Ascent: 550 metres Time Taken: 3 hours Start Time: 09:15
Weather: Overcast but clear. 10oC
It seemed brighter in the south of the lakes this morning but it was remarkably still throughout the lakes. Windermere was mirror finished, quite an unusual occurrence for such a large body of water, so of course I had to stop for a photo or two on the way past. The trudge along the central ridge that I walked today was the usual, predictably squelchy affair despite the dry weather of late.
On the way past Windermere this morning…
The Coniston fells reflected.
Windermere jetty.
It was perfectly calm this morning.
Heaven.
Beautiful. On with the walk...
Surprise view, Bassenthwaite Lake in view (but Skiddaw not).
Catbells across Derwent Water.
There is a great view of Derwent Water from High Strutta (what a great name as well, especially if you like having a bit of a strut!).
Sheep spotters on the climb.
he sheepdog ready to round any up that he can (if given the chance, which he isn't).
Crossing Ashness Gill.
Looking across Ashness Gill to the more usual path to High Seat. I took the more natural line up to Bleaberry Fell and think I found an old path - whatever, it was an 'interesting' route which led directly to the summit of Bleaberry Fell.
Skiddaw is under there somewhere from the summit of Bleaberry Fell.
High Seat is a boggy walk away from Bleaberry Fell.
It is unattractive and wet across here.
High Seat.
It was an even boggier walk to get to High Tove which is in the left centre of this photo. Beyond it are Ullscarf and High Raise and to the right of High Raise is the small pimple of Pike o' Stickle and Eagle Crag.
The cloud is starting to lift from Clough Head and the Dodds, looking from High Tove summit.
High Seat from High Tove.
The cloud is also starting to lift from the higher fells to the west, pointed Bowfell prominent on the left skyline.
Heading down to Watendlath and Watendlath Tarn, Great Gable just coming out of cloud to the left.
On the way down. All these views will be obliterated by trees soon enough.
Watendlath Beck. There was a major fire on Sunday at Vinegar Jones Fish & Chip shop in Bowness which happens to be close to our Love the Lakes shop...
Their roof has gone and the street below is littered with debris.
From the front, you can see right through the roof.
High Tove
Start point: Armboth (NY 305 170)
Armboth – Fisher Crag – Armboth Fell – High Tove – Raven Crag – Armboth
Distance: 5.9 miles Total Ascent: 489 metres Time Taken: 2 hours 30 minutes
Weather: Sunny with cloud coming from the south west later. 16C.
This was another place I haven’t been to for a while, up to the much derided Armboth Fell and then along the central ridge before descending to Raven Crag. Armboth Fell is not a summit as such, being no more than a rock plinth on a hummock in a particularly boggy area. I must say on a day such as this though, the going was easy and the views all round were superb and it turned out to be a pleasant early summer walk.
High Tove route map.
Cascades on Fisher Gill. (f/22, 1 sec, 25mm)
The Dodds across Thirlmere, climbing above the trees alongside Fisher Gill.
Blencathra from Fisher Crag.
Helvellyn across Thirlmere.
The view along Thirlmere makes Fisher Crag well worth a visit.
Heading for Armboth Fell, the highest point on the ridge ahead.
Casper finds a rocky outcrop to rest on - but that's not the summit of Armboth Fell.
Ullscarf.
High Tove from Armboth Fell.
A great view to the Scafells, Great Gable and Pillar from Armboth Fell today.
Looking to Blencathra from the summit plinth of Armboth Fell. Raven Crag is the highest point of the forested area in the foreground of Blencathra.
High Tove and High Seat ahead from the boggy wasteland on the climb to the central ridge.
High Seat, Blencathra and Clough Head from High Tove.
Great Gable and Pillar in the distance across Brandreth from the western side of High Tove.
The north western fells including Grasmoor to the left and Grisedale Pike to the right.
Looking back to a decidedly pleasant looking High Tove from the descent.
A great view of the northern end of the Helvellyn ridge from the descent to Thirlmere Forest.
Helvellyn on the left, Fisher Crag on the right.
Crossing Middlesteads Gill.
Following the Thirlmere Forest track towards Castle Crag alongside Shoulthwaite Gill.
The summit of Raven Crag.
Casper on Raven Crag.
It was very windy up here and the cloud was thickening from the south west now. Casper does 'a Wainwright' on Raven Crag...
...the aerial prospect of the dam directly below.
High Rigg and Blencathra from Raven Crag.
A great view of Skiddaw and Blencathra from the northern edge of Raven Crag.
Raven Crag from below.
High Seat
Start point: Surprise View (NY 268 189)
Surprise View – Ashness Bridge – Walla Crag – Bleaberry Fell – High Seat – High Tove – Watendlath – Surprise View
Distance: 8 miles Total Ascent: 621 metres Time Taken: 3 hours
Weather: Fine and sunny, not a breath of wind. 21oC.
More almost perfect conditions again today. The walk started with a few camera maladies – try as I might, I could not get my ‘best’ camera to work so I had to revert to number 2. I spent an annoying 20 minutes or so messing around with it before I admitted defeat, it would have to wait until I got home to consult the user guide. That apart, it was a lovely walk – superb conditions, no wind with only the haze coming down to spoil that a little bit. Just me and Casper again today, I don’t think Angus can handle this heat, haircut or no haircut.
Derwent Water and Skiddaw from Surprise View.
Looking across Derwent Water to Cat Bells.
Swiftly past Ashness Bridge where the crowds were gathering and up on the path which contours the lower slopes of Bleaberry Fell, here looking to Derwent Water and Skiddaw.
Looking back to Cat Bell and Maiden Moor.
Looking along the Cat Gill ravine to Derwent Water and Keswick.
Skiddaw and Keswick from Walla Crag.
The Coledale fells across Derwent Water.
Casper at the summit of Walla Crag.
Hot!
The Coledale fells from the climb to Bleaberry Fell.
Blencathra from the summit.
Even hotter on the summit of High Seat.
The view to the south from High Seat, looking towards Bow Fell, Esk Pike, the Scafells, Lingmell, Great Gable and Kirk Fell.
High Seat from Eddy Grave Stake.
Lingmell and Great Gable.
Watendlath Farm and Tarn.
Packhorse Bridge at Watendlath.
A lovely place to cool off.
The valley walk back was lovely on a day like this. If the water was a bit deeper, I would have been in myself.
Got it whilst no-one was there! Ashness Bridge.
High Tove
Start point: Armboth (NY 306 172)
Armboth – High Tove – Middle Crag (465) – Shivery Knott (466) – Watendlath Fell (467) – Armboth Fell – Fisher Crag (468) – Armboth
Distance: 6 miles Total Ascent: 704 metres Time Taken: 2 hours 50 minutes
Weather: Rain. 8oC
The snow has virtually disappeared and the blue skies of last week have gone again. The warm front brought with it rain and general dreariness – not wonderful conditions for a walk, but at least we got some fresh air for our walk up to the central band of fells along the High Tove – Ullscarf ridge. These fells are renowned for their wetness and general bogginess at the best of times, so you can imagine what conditions were like today!
Great Dodd, Watson's Dodd and Stybarrow Dodd across Thirlmere from the climb up to High Tove.
Great Dodd.
It may be raining, but it's still icy cold up here.
Looking back to the Dodds again from further up the climb.
Browncove Crags on the side of Helvellyn shows above the low lying clouds.
A damp Angus has a lie down on High Tove.
High Seat from High Tove.
A distant Causey Pike appears from the mist with Catbells right of centre.
Looking into Langstrath.
High Seat and High Tove from Middle Crag. I managed to walk past this first time and had to double back!
It's a bit damp on Shivery Knott now Angus!
Still on Shivery Knott, looking north east at the clouds advancing on us. It was heavy rain from now on.
Fisher Crag.
An all too brief glimpse of Thirlmere looking to Great How from Fisher Crag.
A ghostly reflection of Deergarth How island on Thirlmere.
Great How.
Fisher Gill.
High Seat
Start point: Armboth car park (NY 306 172)
Armboth – Armboth Fell (155) – High Tove (156) – High Seat (157) – Bleaberry Fell (158) – The Benn (159) – Castle Crag (Shoulthwaite) (160) – Raven Crag (161) – Armboth
Weather: Rain with hailstone showers and the odd sunny spell.
Today’s walk felt like it marked the end of summer, I am sad to report. It was a bitterly cold wind blowing on the tops with heavy hailstone showers. The central fells along the High Seat ridge are renowned for being boggy and today was no exception…
Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Pillar from Armboth Fell.
High Seat from the summit of High Tove.
The Coledale Fells from the boggy ascent of High Seat. Grasmoor is in the background sun to the left, Grisedale Pike to the extreme right.
The summit of High Seat - looking towards the sunlit fells from a fierce hailstone shower.
Skiddaw in the sunshine from the summit of Bleaberry Fell.
Two views of Shoulthwaite Gill.
A rainbow appears in front of Blencathra from The Benn summit.
Skiddaw, Lonscale Pike and Blencathra along Shoulthwaite from the summit of Castle Crag, an ancient British Hill Fort.
Watson's Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd and Raise from the summit of Raven Crag.
Thirlmere from Raven Crag.
High Seat
Armboth – Armboth Fell (122) – High Tove (123) – High Seat (124) – Bleaberry Fell (125) – Shoulthwaite – Raven Crag (126) – Castle Crag (Shoulthwaite) – Thirlmere Dam – Armboth
Thirlmere from the ascent of Armboth Fell.
Wainwrights " A balanced boulder, 12 feet high, alongside the footpath from Armboth ".
High Tove from Armboth Fell's summit in the first snow flurry of the winter!
High Seat from High Tove summit cairn.
Looking along the fence from High Seat to High Tove
Robinson shrouded in the mist from High Seat summit.
Bassenthwaite Lake from Bleaberry Fell summit. Broom Fell is to the left and Skiddaw is in the mist with Dodd visible.
Cat Bells across Derwent Water from Bleaberry Fell.
Clough Head, Calfhow Pike and Great Dodd from the descent of Bleaberry Fell.
Raven Crag summit cairn.
A half empty Thirlmere from Raven Crag.
Thirlmere dam from Raven Crag.
Raven Crag from Thirlmere.
Thirlmere from the dam.
View across Thirlmere dam.