Start point: Birker Fell road (SD 171 977)
Birker Fell Road – Rough Crag (Birker Moor) (OF) – Water Crag (OF) – White Pike on Birkby Fell (OF) – Yoadcastle (OF)– Woodend Height (OF) – Seat How (Birker Moor) (OF) – Birker Fell Road
Distance: 5.4 miles Total Ascent: 686 metres Time Taken: 2 hours
Weather: Freezing temperatures, clear sunny spells and snow showers.
Devoke Water lies between Eskdale and the Duddon Valley and is hidden just off the Birker Fell road. The Circuit of Devoke Water gives fine views of the fells at the head of Wasdale, Eskdale and out to the Irish Sea. There was a cold, cold wind blowing from the high fells today bringing with it snow flurries, but when the clouds cleared there were some great views.
This round is described in Wainwright’s The Circuit of Devoke Water chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 144.
Elevation profile of the route.
3D image of the walk route.
Scafell and Slight Side from Rough Crag. The flat fell in the centre is Eskdale Fell. The tip of Scafell Pike can just be seen in the cloud to the right of Scafell summit.
Crook Crag and Green Crag with Harter Fell behind from the summit of Rough Crag.
Sellafield over Muncaster Fell and the west coast of Cumbria from Water Crag.
Linbeck Gill.
The Ravenglass Estuary from White Pike. Muncaster Castle is visible in the centre.
Whitfell and Stainton Pike from Yoadcastle.
Harter Fell over a frozen tarn between Yoadcastle and Woodend Height.
Looking north to the Pillar group of fells from Woodend Height. See below for an annotated version of this photo.
The summit of Woodend Height looking over Devoke Water to the high Western Fells.
Devoke Water.
The clouds cleared over Esk Pike and Bow Fell towards the end of the walk. See below for an annotated version of this photo.
