Kirk Fell

 

This walk was planned at the last minute. Elspeth was attending a course at Higham Hall so I took the opportunity of what was forecast to be good weather to look at Kirk Fell from Honister.

The morning was cloudy, summits not visible but the forecast was for it to brighten. Inpasrked at the NT car park at Honister had a quick drink in the slate mine cafe and headed up towards the quarry then took the path skirting Grey Knotts and Brandreth to the Moses’ Trod path under the Gables. It was quite wet underfoot but no rain and relatively mild. On reaching the shoulder coming down from Brandreth the path ahead stood out clearly and looked a long way. Kirk Kell was still enshrouded in mist, as were the other  peaks.

Onwards I plodded, not a soul in slight and approaching the shoulder from Great Gable, above Beck Head the mist came in thick and low reducing visibility to a few yards. Quite an eerie feeling knowing there was no one around in the middle of the hills quite a distance from any roads. It was easy to understand how people could get lost or head off in the wrong direction. However my trusty compass confirmed the direction OS maps app was showing and off I went down to Beck Head. I thought for a minute about turning back rather that going up Rib End in the thick mist but that thought was soon discarded.

The climb up Rib End was as expected, quite steep with rock and scree but no worse than on some other walks and was soon over. Hurray the mist now lifted and once I had myself orientated saw Kirk fell main summit in the distance but it didn’t take long to get there. A few folk on the top but not busy by any means.

The return was by retracing my steps back to Honister, now in the sunshine and clear summits coming and going.

Time  5hrs

Memories

• Solo walk (will have to do it again with Elspeth!)
• Stopping in the mist above Beck Head completely alone
• Great views on the return once the mist has cleared

Completed 209 To Go 5