Total Ascent: 1,134ft
I am now rapidly starting to tick off the Western Fells as many of them are easily accessible from my house. So much so that I managed to bag these two despite not leaving the house until 6pm. I beat sunset by a good 45 minutes too.
This was an excuse to get my puppy on the fells for the 1st time. She is only 3 months old but I felt she could manage the 4.5 mile route easily. She did quite well in the end.
The route it took started at Fangs Brow after Lamplugh and before the turn down into the Loweswater Valley. This area is marked as Open Access land at the gate which is always good to see.
The route follows a stony path of the 1st mile or so pass through several gates. It the turns almost 90 degrees unto the fell instead of following the terrace path above Loweswater. After a very short walk, you turn 90 degrees to starting climbing the fell head on.
There is a rough but easily followed path right up the face of Burnbank Fell. For such an assuming and somewhat boring fell the ascent is remarkably steep, so much so that the majority of the days ascent is achieved in just 0.4 miles. I didn't like it much it was really tough in places and and a real plod. The dog liked it even less than me and kept looking back to the car.
Eventually the torture ends and the land levels out to an almost imperceptible climb. The dog got its 2nd wind and started running about like a lunatic in the marsh grass. We attained the summit quite quickly once the climb was easier.
The summit is pretty rubbish. A rather meagre pile of stones and rickety fence mark the highest point on Burnbank Fell. I would have marched on but with my not having any dinner I thought it best to stop. I hooked the dog lead over a fence post, poured her some water and took on refreshments and surveyed the next summit.
Blake Fell is a magnificent looking fell. It rises quite sharply from the col between itself Burnbank Fell and Carling Knott. Certainly not as sharply as Burnbank did from the lower ground but it still looked fairly formidable.
The weather, which was pleasant when I started off was showing signs of turning. Dark clouds were skirting by with a cloud deck that didn't seem much higher than Blake Fell's 1,880ft. But confident that if the clouds dropped I could easily navigate via the fence and a clear path on Burnbank Fell I carried on anyway.
It had been my intention to descend via Carling Knott onto the terrace path, but with the potential for rain I decided I would reach Blake Fell and retrace my steps to the car.
Blake Fell is lovely climb. Despite the formidable appearance, the ascent is not too challenging. The views both north east towards Grassmoor and south west towards Knock Murton and Dent are very good.
The summit was attained fairly quickly and is a small summit with a small wind shelter. Views are extensive with the nearby Gavel Fell, Hen Comb and Mellbreak easily visible with the High Stile range dominating the more distant views. Grassmoor was also visible with cloud just caressing its summit (as it always seems to be).
The cloud deck was just above my head by a few feet and lower than the summit in parts. I finished my packed lunch and headed back to the car. The monotony of Burnbank Fell was certainly worth it when presented with views from Blake Fell
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