Irton Fell & a bit more - Photo Gallery

The rain means that I am not going to do my first choice walk and as I got out of the car, off the road by the entrance to Gill Farm near Nether Wasdale, it was torrential. There is a public bridleway signposted going through the farm and beyond, take the left hand branch where the track splits and follow the wall, the signposts are then to Mill Place and Strands.

Shortly after Mill Place you reach a road junction at a bridge on the outskirts of Nether Wasdale, continue straight ahead and ignore the footpaths until after a couple of large houses on the left there is a signposted bridleway to Eskdale.

The path is obvious until it reaches a big field, head across it towards a stile where just beyond is Fliss Tarn, I bet it doesn't get photographed very often. The path is reasonably obvious, signposted occasionally to Eskdale as you pass through the outskirts of the woods of Latterbarrow. After a rise up a rough path past the conifers you have to cross a wet cattle field and you can see the path climbing towards Irton Fell.

It isn't the biggest fell in the world but it is strenuous enough up a steep wet fellside until you get to a broad ridge. When you reach the wet grassy path turn left and follow it upwards parallel to a wall enclosing a conifer plantation. The path turns right to follow the wall and as you get towards the summit of Irton Fell the path seems to deliberately miss the summit.

You could easily miss the summit but I was looking for it and I headed up to higher ground on the left over pathless grass and found the the small cairn marking the highest point of the fell. There was a view of Irton Pike to the south and Whin Rigg was obvious ahead simply because it was completely hidden by the mist that looked as though it was in a rush to get somewhere else.

I headed towards the mist walking over grass and I eventually rejoined the faint path shortly before reaching the top of Greathall Gill, an interesting steep sided canyon going straight down to the valley. The way ahead is fairly obvious, a reasonably easy climb up grass, as I got higher the mist started to close in until there was hardly any visibility.

As I got towards the summit I was aware of higher ground all around but I kept to the path and arrived at a shelter cairn, not that it kept much of the wind off me, that I assumed was the top of Whin Rigg. I knew that if I kept to the edge of the crags and didn't fall off I would eventually get to Illgill Head but I was concerned enough about the conditions to get my compass out and take a bearing.

In the mist and strong wind I decided not to stay too near the edge of the crags above The Screes, this is a wide flat plateau with no distinguishing marks. There is a faint path but paths can take you anywhere if you let them so I kept making sure I was heading in a north easterly direction.

I eventually reached a substantial cairn, the first landmark since leaving the summit of Whin Rigg, I had not seen any other walkers in the four hours it had taken me to get here. There are a couple of paths marked on the map for the descent towards Wasdale Head but they are not obvious so I was navigating by compass bearing again.

The slope isn't too steep and I knew if I drifted too far north I would get to a wall, too far south and I would reach Burnmoor Tarn but I still felt slightly disoriented in this unfamiliar place. I felt reassured when I passed the twelve strong party of walkers who had stopped for lunch and shortly afterwards I got below cloud level and the way to Wasdale was obvious.

I was beginning to think my planned route was a bit too ambitious, there was still quite a way to go to get to the valley. I joined the main Eskdale to Wasdale Head path for an easy walk in sunny conditions, my wet jacket got stuffed into my rucksack as it became quite warm. There is a curious little double bridge crossing Groove Gill and Hollow Gill, I haven't noticed that double hump back before.

Back at ground level I passed by the car park at Brackenclose and reached the tarmac road and turned left. I had intended to climb Middle Fell but having had time to study it as I was walking along the road to Netherbeck Bridge it was obvious that the way up was not obvious. I decided to save the interesting looking ascent as the first climb on another day, I didn't want to get into anything awkward after five hours already and with at least another three hours to go.

The worst thing about a route not working out is the long walk back to the car usually on tarmac, oh well at least it isn't raining.

Andy Wallace 3rd July 2004