Park and Stride

Retrace your climb, rejoin the path beyond the wall, either initially keeping beside the wall or along the edge overlooking the valley and facing the handsome bulk of Beda Fell.

The ridge path drifts from the wall to traverse open fell towards Gowk Hill, then slants left avoiding this pudding–topped ridge, the name ‘gowk’ means cuckoo, confirmation of the former richly wooded nature of the Martindale valley, remnant alder and birch persist up the valley sides.

Crossing a damp rushy patch at the very head of Fusedale provides a tight view down dale to Howtown, Sharrow Bay and the lower reach of Ullswater. Fusedale is agricultural Norse distinguishing it as ‘the valley of the cattle-shed’ as distinct from Boredale ‘the valley of the storehouse’. Slipping through a wall skip over the beck and pass the ruins of a shepherd’s bothy, a significant landmark in mist, a significant reminder of the lost farming life.

The path bears right initially climbing besides a broken wall then slants up a groove along the breast of the spinal ridge of the Far Eastern Fells. Looking down into the Rampsgill valley see the red-roofed holiday lodge ‘The Bungalow’. Built in 1910 by the Earl of Lonsdale of Lowther Castle as a special retreat for Kaser Wilhelm II on the occasion of a deer shooting visit, the exubrant rich orange tiles a startling addition to the green dale. Climbing through a dry gully of Mere Beck, here ‘mere’ meant boundary stream, as in Mersey and Mercia.

Ignore the gate ahead, keep left completing the climb to quickly meet up with the Roman road coming south from Wether Hill – ‘wether = fattening pasture of castrated tups’. Join the ridge wall beside a massive peat hag bank, a landscape reminscient of the blanket bogs of the North Pennines across the Eden valley.

The open track heads south slipping through the gap in the wall eventually coming closer to a fence crossing the rockless crest of Red Crag before declining to an area of marshy pools skirting the largest Redcrag Tarn. Avoiding the mire quite a challenge, but a low order of hazard! The track passes through the fence at a bridle-gate, keep the ridge wall left as the ground rises over Raven Howe to cross a stile at the wall end. Pass up by the bridle-gate to traverse the open top enjoying fine views down into the Rampsgill valley – valley of wild garlic (ramsoms). The Roman way naturally glances over the brow avoiding the summit of High Raise, so make a conscious break left through the boulder field to inspect the cairn and maybe shelter in the adjacent windbreak before returning south.

Shepherd’s bothy at the head of Fusedale

The ridge path dips into the pool-filled depression and forks, the lefthand way leading to Kidsty Pike, while the Roman trail heads up the facing slope over the brow of Rampsgill Head. Again the path misses the best view from the cairn over to the right, viewing the length of the Ramps Gill itself. Notice the buttress arete falling from near the summit, framing the valley view. Rejoin the Roman track which skirts the edge over Twopenny Crag to reach the wall, above the Straits of Riggindale, in so doing revel in the superb views into Riggindale, to Haweswater and Rough Crags and the mighty form of the fell High Street with the continuing Roman road tripping high across its western slope on course for Thornthwaite Crag and the Troutbeck valley.
Turn right, following the wall on the much-beaten path. Take the opportunity to visit the neat pimple of The Knott, by simply following the wall up left. The cairn, quickly reached, occupies a fine vantage above water. Follow on with the wall descending as straight as a die, crossing the regular path. The wall points directly to Rest Dodd, though some walkers will forego the pleasure opting to keep to the popular path, the passage of Coast to Coast hikers.

Resolute types will gird their loins and keep faith with the wall’s destiny down through the marshy depression and up the slope of Rest Dodd. Open for the final feet, the summit cairn is hardly a treasured viewpoint, a broad peaty hollow separating it from a second smaller cairn.  The fell-name suggests transferred association with an unspecified traditional place of transient rest during the age-old wearisome journey from Patterdale to Mardale.

To the north the ridge takes a great sweep down through peat hags to rise onto the rounded tongue of The Nab. This lonely height lies at the heart of the Martindale Deer Forest. Peak-baggers impulsed to venture this way must religiously retrace their steps back up onto Rest Dodd. But I must stress the effort is not to be condoned, being unsympathetic to the care and preservation of the unique herd of red deer that find sanctuary about the fell. The Dalemain Estate owns and sensitively manage all of these fells and are right to discourage fellwalkers from casually wandering within these deer breeding grounds. For this herd is the only pure red deer blood-stock in England, with no Sika cross-breeding and on those grounds alone we ought to keep a respectful distance at all times.

The path continues initially heading north-west, then, before confronting the cross-ridge wall it swings west to re-unite with the popular path enjoying views of Gray Crag, then through a gap beside Satura Crag into Bannerdale, then across to Brock Crags before working down to the shores of Angle Tarn. The name a clear reference to former stocking for fishing sport. The peninsula often attracts backpackers as an appealing pitch location.

NB: Back from this point it might be noted that a path begins that slips over the ridge and down across the western flanks of Heck Crag into Bannerdale, its upper course exceedingly narrow, traversing a steep scree slope. Having recently sampled it I am well placed to slap a cautionary comment to its use, though the peregrine falcon nesting on Satura Crag added audible excitement to my painfully slow and deliberate steps.

Helvellyn overtopping Rest Dodd

The main ridge path to Beda Fell branches right off the Patterdale path in the proximity of Angle Tarn, anyone considering including the double-summited Angletarn Pikes to their day may either begin with the Beda Fell ridge path breaking left to choice through the undulating rocky hillocks, or continue with the Patterdale path to climbing directly onto the western top, either way - good visibility is essential. The two summits are separated by an area of eroded peat, the passage of walkers definitely not to blame in this instance. There is a superb outlook  towards Red Screes beyond Brothers’ Water, to Fairfield through Deepdale and the bold profile of St Sunday Crag, Grisedale, the very head of Ullswater, and Place Fell.

The grassy ridge path strides north-east most pleasantly above Heck Cove passing a stout cairn then descend to step over the bridleway emerging from Bannerdale linking Martindale with Patterdale via Boredale Hause. Should conditions dictate one may choose to slip right at the dishevelled cairn down this easy grass trod heading for Dale Head Farm and the valley road. This path having the distinct advantage of coming close above the high-fenced valley enclosures, the repose of the red deer herd. In the evening you’ll hear what sounds uncannily like the calls of a distant shepherd ‘yoy’, yoy’, during the day deer drift onto The Nab seeking grazing and this form of communication re-unites them with their calves.

The ridge path crosses Bedafell Knott descends again then steadily rises along the simple ridge to Beda Head. This is a lovely viewpoint, intimate with the whole Martindale scene. The continuing path trends leftwards via a prominent cairn then right, slanting down a grooved path pitching more steeply above Thrang Crag, another nesting site of peregrine. It is splendid way to end the day traversing the rocky knot of Winter Crag to reach a seat, paths splay three ways. Go sharp right down to meet the road beside Wintercrag Farm, crossing Christy Bridge to complete the round.

After walk refreshment

The closest walk-inn is the Howtown Hotel. Otherwise the four-mile drive to Pooley Bridge is unavoidable to sample the fayre at either the Sun (Black Sheep) or Pooley Bridge (Jennings) Inns. Having committed to the drive then for the sake of just two more miles one might consider the Queens Head at Tirril, famously associated with its own fine ale popular with CAMRA buffs - since 1999 Tirril Brewery has been located at Brougham.

Picture gallery and guides

Thirty four colour images can been viewed on the website evoking the character and romance of this walk.

Walkers with a fascination in the historic environment may also seek out my new guides to Hadrian’s Wall Path (cicerone.co.uk) and The Roman Ring (theromanring.com).

Route map

Copyright: Mark Richards July 2006

• Next