| Walk: | Kentmere, Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick, Mardale Ill Bell, Nan Bield Pass, Harter Fell, Kentmere Pike, Shipman Knotts | ||
| Start Point: | Kentmere Village Hall | Grid Reference: | NY 456 041 |
| Distance: | 12.7 miles | Ascent: | 3,750 feet |
| Time: | 6.25 hours | ||
| Weather: | Overcast with the sun peeping through towards the end of the walk | ||
| Comments: | Perhaps it was the weather forecast that put people off but only one person accompanied me on this walk. Fortunately for us the threatened poor weather didn't arrive and while it was overcast for much of the day we had good views in all directions. The expected parking spot had to be changed as the farmer's field wasn't available. Enquiries revealed that they weren't going to bother opening it for parking as it was going to be a wet day! However an area beside the village hall was free, though upon our return it was packed with cars - pays to arrive early. Keeping up a brisk pace we 'bagged' Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick but decided to give Thornthwaite Beacon a miss and took a shortcut across to Mardale Ill Bell. This provided a good spot for lunch with views over to Haweswater where the sun sparkled on the water. A quick descent to Nan Bield Pass was followed by the last major climb of the day to Harter Fell. From here we circumnavigated the boggy bits to reach the trig point at Kentmere Pike. Shipman Knotts is always a disappointment, being a small rocky lump beside the path. Descending to the Sadgill/Kentmere Pass we found a different route to the one usually taken, a grassy path through bracken. Reaching the road we were surprised to find a number of 4 x 4s parked just through the gate - I expect they had been having a 'rough day out'! We soon left the road to descend to the river and return to the car past the church. | ||
Scroll down to see photos of the walk
Windermere sits below a brooding sky
Our first summit, Yoke . . .
where we have our morning coffee
Kentmere Reservoir below the Nan Bield Pass
Ian checks out the northern cairn and summit of Ill Bell . . .
having passed the other two cairns
Looking over Froswick to Thornthwaite Beacon . . .
and looking back to Ill Bell from the climb to Froswick . . .
and down to Troutbeck Tongue
The trio of Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick from the path to . . .
Mardale Ill Bell, where we stop for lunch . . .
and enjoy the views over Haweswater
Continuing on we can see Small Water which is at a much higher elevation than Haweswater
From the Nan Bield Pass a path snakes down to Kentmere (not for us)
Ian captures an atmospheric sky as Kath heads towards Harter Fell . . .
but looking north-east it is a completely different picture
Kath poses at the trig point on Kentmere Pike
The sun highlights the patchwork of fields in the Kentmere Valley
The 'cairnless' Shipman Knotts
The sun reaches the Longsleddale Valley
Not quite what you expect to find towards the end of a walk!
The head of the Kentmere valley where you can see much of the walk