Lingmoor Fell

We had stayed the night at the Britannia Inn in Elterwater having met up with my brother Graham and his friends the previous night. Lingmoor Fell seemed, and was, a good choice for a Bank Holiday Monday walk before we all went off in our different directions back to reality.

After a hearty breakfast we left Elterwater on the road heading south for a short distance then bared left up a bridleway over to Little Langdale. One of our party, John, an ornithologist fascinated us with his keen sense of hearing and observation pointing out different birds and birdsongs as we walked through the woods. The Wetherlam range opened up before us as we reached the crest of the spur and soon down the other side we took the path to the right near Dale End, heading up Lingmoor. Shortly after joining the path John pointed out a tiny small yellow dot on a bush about 500 yards away. It took a good pair of binoculars to for us to see, never mind identify, what we were assured was a Yellow Hammer.

It was a glorious day, the fell was deserted and the climb up to the Lingmoor ridge and along it's crest, a delight. At the top the views were incredible, the light much clearer than the previous day. We decided that there was time for us to complete the ridge walk and drop down to the head of Langdale before walking along the valley back to Elterwater. The wind, like yesterday,was beginning to blow but shelter was to be found walking by the summit wall as we headed west. Having dropped down to the col below Side Pike the wind was now quite blustery. Not deterred, Graham Nigel and John, the intrepid three, "without showing a morsel of fear", continued across the mauvais pas under Side Pike (actually an interesting squeeze between the rock face and large rocky outcrop) to complete the full ridge walk. I accompanied Elspeth down to the safety of the lower slopes on the path to the left before this and we met up again on the path leading up from the Langdale NT campsite.

We walked back along the Langdale valley, a journey normally done by car, keeping all the time on the lower northern slopes of Lingmoor, much of the time on the Cumbrian Way. Instead of crossing the bridge at Chapel Stile we kept on the right bank of the river through the woods back to Elterwater... Looking for wood warblers!

Time 4hrs 15 minutes
Grade Excellent
Memories

• Bird spotting
• Good company
• Excellent round trip

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