Lakeland Fellranger Walking the Southern Fells

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Reviews

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11 GREY FRIAR (772m, 2533ft)

The Franciscan Grey Friars, like the famous north Lakes huntsman John Peel, were renowned for their grey attire. Perhaps Grey Friar has some lost connection with itinerant monks because this fell is no more grey than any other Lakeland peak. In fact from a distance it seems to lack any distinction. Even from Hardnott Pass it looks bulky, featureless and none too inviting.

Whatever the long view, as a climb it is pleasurable, especially for its northern outlook, which shows the Scafells in true proportion for once. Another attraction is that, being west of the main Coniston ridge, it does not gather many wandering visitors, but only those who make the extra effort to cross the hause and rest beside either of the twin summit cairns.

The map shows how nature has bequeathed an apparently dour fell a curious long, low toe-hold in verdant Seathwaite and the dramatic Wallowbarrow Gorge. Of the water-courses most closely identified with the fell, that of Tarn Beck needs special mention as it tumbles west from the hanging valley cradling Seathwaite Tarn, bounding excitedly over great boulders. Seathwaite Tarn, an austere reservoir, may lack the more obvious charm of many a Lakeland corrie tarn but the craggy slopes give it a wild dignity.

Despite extensive rocky ground, only Great and Little Blake Riggs have climbing potential. Beneath Great Blake Rigg, a little further up the combe, are ruins and spoil from three small-scale coppermine levels. The head-stream, leading into Calf Cove, has several easily observed waterfalls.

ASCENT from Wrynose Bottom (41) and Cockley Beck Bridge (42)

Via Troughton Beck  520m/1710ft, 2km/1 1⁄4 miles

The open road running down-dale from Wrynose Pass crosses a cattle grid at GR257019. 1 Immediately before this, you can start a direct ascent of Grey Friar. Climb the initially steep grass and boulder slope between Troughton Gill and the fence (no path). Rise to the top of the fenced (broken wall) enclosure on your right.

Via Great Intake  550m/1800ft, 2.5km/1 1⁄2 miles

2 This point may also be reached from Cockley Beck Bridge, where there is better casual car parking available and a cottage tea room. Immediately south of the house find a stile guiding a footpath along the edge of a paddock to a wall-stile. Go right, over damp ground to join a track emerging from behind the farm buildings. Follow this, winding uphill past the remains of an old coppermine (right) to a stile/gate. The track ventures onto the broad marshy shoulder. Bear south-south-east, rising to a stile in the fence to meet the direct ascent.

Go round to the left of the outcrop, following small cairns, and climb quite steeply on a southerly course, dodging intermittent outcrops, to reach the north top on the skyline.

ASCENT from the Duddon VALLEY (44, 45 & 46)

Via Troutal Fell  580m/1910ft, 4.2km/2 3⁄4 miles

Lower down the valley a cluster of attractive approach routes begin, Seathwaite Tarn dam the principal mid-point objective. 3 An efficient path starts from Troutal, following the gated approach track to Browside. Go left from the gate near the isolated house on a track through a further gate soon switching back uphill to a gateway in the top wall. Three paths could be followed from this point, but the best, a nice turf trod, is signposted right. This curves around the right side of an outcrop and comes back left. Watch for waymark posts guiding round marshy ground as you head on towards the dam.

Via Tarn Beck  620m/2040ft, 5.5km/3 1⁄2 miles

4 A superb second option homing in on this tract of fell explores the delights of the Tarn Beck valley either from Seathwaite (road walk via Hollin House to Tongue House) or the common above Fickle Steps. From the common, trace the footpath east down through bracken and woodland behind a barn into pasture at a stile and then either continue to Tongue House or go left by Thrang Cottage and on to a hand-gate to cross a small footbridge over Tarn Beck. A footpath now accompanies the beck upstream, avoiding wet ground as best it can and heading for a wooden footbridge at the bottom of the Tarn Beck cascades. (While walkers will be grateful for the standard footbridge, many may consider the setting deserved a more scenic model.) The footpath continues over a ladder-stile and through a gate to link up with Route 3. (On the way you can visit the top of Troutal Tongue (troutal = ‘trout hall’, tongue = ‘a low jutting ridge’), to your left, over a stile at the ridge-end – a superb viewpoint for Harter Fell.) But the really exciting choice branches off up the rough north bank through the bracken climbing through the breach where the wall meets the falls, scrambling easily up the sequence of great boulder steps beside the amazing fuming falls. Once on the level wet moor bear left from the old sheepfold to join the contouring path (Route 3), or 7 climb straight on up the fellside, aiming for the notch in the skyline, onto Troutal Fell, a narrow path emerging as you reach the ridge. 5 A well-used footpath also winds up the rough pastures from Tongue House to meet the reservoir access track.

Via Calf Cove  660m/2170ft, 9.2km/5 3⁄4 miles

6 For greatest ease, follow the Walna Scar Road up from Seathwaite. There is also the well-marked path through the fields via Turner Hall and High Moss (the Manchester-based Rucksack Club Hut), which takes a significant slice out of road walking. As the road turns into a track at a gate, take the left branch through another gate, this being the access track to the dam. Cross the dam wall footway. 8 From this point a direct ascent heads straight ahead up the obvious rigg slightly east of north onto Troutal Fell, with a clear path underfoot. This is a very pleasant approach. The summit dome seems distant for much of the way. In the closing stages, a brief deviation right will take in the cairn on the prominent pike of Wether How, high above Great Blake Rigg. Returning to the path, the summit plateau is shortly reached at a guide cairn. 9 The path that leads along the northern shore of Seathwaite Tarn is rather more likely to be used as a return leg, but venturing into the headstream via Calf Cove is an interesting expedition. Beyond the reservoir the path passes an area of coppermining activity, crossing a spoil apron – a good pitch for a wild camp. Pass ruined miners’ dens vacated in the early 19th century, on a dwindling path which contours by two further blocked mine levels with associated spoil tongues and ruined stone huts. Follow the western and then the eastern bank of Tarn Head Beck climbing steadily into Calf Cove, passing successive perched erratics, fine subjects for the camera, and climb without a path to Fairfield hause. Go left (west), now with the clear ridge path.

THE SUMMIT

A gentle dome informally interspersed with low outcrops and two parallel ribs, some 40m apart, each surmounted by a cairn, define the highest ground. The summit faces the less flattering aspect of Brim Fell, Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag but the view to the north is excellent. Watching fellow fell-top visitors is an interesting pastime in itself. So often walkers casually miss the best prospects by assuming the summit is the only place to halt. I have been to this spot three times this season and seen walkers ignore the northern cairn on each visit.

SAFE DESCENTS

In mist a plateau top like this can be troublesome, especially with craggy slopes tucked imminently under the broad SE and NW edges, the SE being the more treacherous. Cautious walkers can thread down through the broken north-western slopes en route to Cockley Beck Bridge in low cloud. However, it is far better to take a bearing SW onto Troutal Fell and seek the easier slopes leading to the Seathwaite Tarn dam. Although more long-winded, the slopes leading into Calf Cove from Fairfield hause are also quite benign. Walk ENE to the grassy col and then slip pathless into the hollow keeping with Tarn Head Beck and avoiding the valley marshes by traversing above Seathwaite Tarn. The two routes converge at the dam. You can then either follow the open path to the N of the outflowing beck to reach Troutal via Browside, or, having crossed the dam, join the assured track to the metalled Walna Scar road leading to Seathwaite… and an inn!

RIDGE ROUTES

GREAT CARRS  Ascent 145m/480ft, Descent 130m/425ft, Distance 1.2km/3⁄4 mile

If only all ridge routes were this simple... but guidance may be necessary in mist. From the summit cairn aim NE, pass the Matterhorn Rock (see photograph above) and descend with the ridge path to arrive at a three-way fork on Fairfield hause. Take the middle course ENE, up the largely grassy slope to the summit.