Parked at Armboth car park down by Thirlmere and took the path over the road, through an unusual sliding (rather than hinged) gate, passed the obvious "12' balanced boulder" sketched in Wainwright's book and up the wide gully between the trees heading for High Tove. The weather was fine and bright although and icy cold wind blew from the north. On reaching the open fell, a little way above the top corner of the trees on our left, we left the main path and crossed the stream heading for Armboth Fell. Soon we were tramping through boggy ground, any hint of a path soon disappearing, so we made a beeline for the summit which despite the undulating nature of the fell was easily found, marked by a small cairn. Sheltering from the wind, just south of the top, we sat for lunch accompanied by flurries of snow admirng views to the west across to Gable and Pillar.
We had been warned not to head directly for High Tove because of marshy ground but to traverse the moorland to the west to reach the middle ridge and the turn north by the fence. I don't think our route gained any advantage as the ground was saturated, a good test for our boots which remarkably kept our feet dry. From High Tove the weather all around seemed to be closing in so we took the direct descent down to Armboth (needless to say, across the bog) and retraced our steps between the trees passed the balancing boulder.
Our descent was accompanied by heavy snow, sleet showers interspersed by warm episodes of sunshine.
Back at the car the we had glorious views along Thilmere, north to Blencathra, at one minute in the bright sunshine and the next shrouded in mist and showers.
Time 2hrs 30minutes
Grade Excellent
Completed 35 To go 179
We had been warned not to head directly for High Tove because of marshy ground but to traverse the moorland to the west to reach the middle ridge and the turn north by the fence. I don't think our route gained any advantage as the ground was saturated, a good test for our boots which remarkably kept our feet dry. From High Tove the weather all around seemed to be closing in so we took the direct descent down to Armboth (needless to say, across the bog) and retraced our steps between the trees passed the balancing boulder.
Our descent was accompanied by heavy snow, sleet showers interspersed by warm episodes of sunshine.
Back at the car the we had glorious views along Thilmere, north to Blencathra, at one minute in the bright sunshine and the next shrouded in mist and showers.
Time 2hrs 30minutes
Grade Excellent
Memories:
- Bog
- Sunshine and snow showers
- Initial views from on reaching Arboth Fell
Completed 35 To go 179
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