Howgill Fells & Westmorland Walks

Harter Fell & Wandale Hill

Date: 13th March 2010
Distance: 7.1 miles
Ascent: 1644 feet
Time: 3 hours 10 mins
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: SD711979

Walk Summary:
A most enjoyable trip into the eastern Howgills to bag two of its lesser heights.

Route Summary: Rawthey Bridge - Murthwaite - Harter Fell - Adamthwaite - Wandale Hill - Narthwaite - Rawthey Bridge

Photos: Click on the photos below to enlarge.

Walk Detail: An early highlight of the walk was the sighting of a herd of at least 20 wild ponies on Murthwaite Rigg. The climb up Harter Fell was accomplished by a nicely slanting path that made the climb fairly easy. The summit was marked by a surprisingly substantial cairn in an area where summits are usually marked a two or three stones at the most.

Harter Fell is one of the more detached Howgill summits so it also provided an excellent view of the eastern aspect of the group from Cautley Crags north to Green Bell. After a mainly pathless descent I followed the small road towards the isolated hill farm of Adamthwaite before following the sometimes muddy bridleway skirting Adamthwaite Syke and back on to open fell.

A pathless ascent on to Wandale Hill was easily accomplished to another fine view point. This time the summit cairn was up to the usual minimalist Howgill standard. The descent provided some excellent views of Kensgriff and in particular the steep eastern face of Yarlside which from this angle looked very much the mountain it is.

This was another hugely enjoyable outing into the Howgills made all the more pleasurable by the fantastic weather.

comments powered by Disqus