Tetley came rushing into the room,
and breathlessly called out, "I've just heard Dad talking to
Uncle Eric. We are going walking tomorrow starting from Cleator
Moor, so we will be getting some of those long outstanding
Wainwright Outlying Fells done at last".
"Magic, replied Shaun. "Dad
you and I will only have two left to complete that challenge".
The Walk
FLAT FELL &
DENT
Dad drove to Uncle Eric's, who then
kindly drove us via the M6, A66 and A5086 to Cleator Moor,
parking by Wath Bridge, under which runs the River Ehen.
Crossing this and walking ahead for
about 180 yards, we turned right up the interestingly named
Nannycatch Road. At its end and through a gate, it becomes a
track. We walked on until the wall on the left turned up the fell,
at which point we made a diagonal ascent up the slopes of Flat
Fell to its cairned summit. The hill in the background is Dent,
our next objective.
Leaving the summit we descended, a
narrow track eventually materialising and winding steeply down
through bracken to Nannycatch Gate, seen here below with Raven
Crag dominating over it.
Passing through the gate we were in
the heart of the beautiful Nannycatch Valley, which you can see
is idyllic with its green brackened slopes either side and forest
above. Strolled right along the valley, to take the narrow path
on the right climbing steeply, eventually reaching an enormous
ladder stile giving access to a forest road. Here Uncle Eric
climbs the stile. It is so tall, that we wondered if in these
days of Health and Safety, one needs to have taken some course or
other before climbing over!
Now that the trees here have been
felled the signpost directing walkers doing the long distance
Coast to Coast path stands out. This route was devised by Alfred
Wainwright and crosses England west to east from St Bees Head to
Robin Hoods Bay.
Taking the path as directed we now
climbed towards the the summit of Dent marked with a small cairn.
As we scrambled out, Tetley called
out, "come on Dad take our photo especially as it is the 100th
Outlying Fell summit for Shaun, you and I!"
We marvelled at the view - all the
along the Solway Firth with many Scottish Hills beyond, the Isle
of Man across the Irish Sea, and of course extensive views of our
beloved Lakeland Fells - wonderful. We were particularly pleased
to be able to see the Isle of Man, as in all his years this was
the first time that Uncle Eric had seen it from Cumbria. In the wonderful prospect below, the nearest fell is Mellbreak. Behind is the bull of mighty Grasmoor with behind and left the pointed top of Hopegill Head.
Now followed an easy descent over
fell and through forest to the road at Black How, where turning
right it was about a mile to the start at Wath Bridge.
COLD FELL from COLDFELL GATE
Well that was two done. All that
remained today was to ascend Cold Fell. This is some miles away
and involved driving to what Wainwright described as Coldfell
Gate. Yes, once there was a gate across the road but it has long
been replaced by a cattle grid. As we started off a farmer in his
tractor stopped to talk. He explained that in fact he owned the
very fell we were to climb having been bought by his grandfather
in 1957. It was then part of a large estate, and was being sold
to pay death duties. He actually told us that it is of no value,
just ownership on a Deed of Title. At the time he was grazing his
cows with calves and sheep on it . We took a line to avoid
disturbing the cows and calves. It was about a 0.6m of steady
climb to the flat top with a tiny two stone cairn - recently put
there according to the farmer, who had said that suddenly there
seems to be a lot more walkers climbing it. Here we are by the
cairn.
The top has little to recommend it
other than the view! . Returned to the car by the same route.