Across to Loweswater
Wednesday, our fifth day, and we set the alarm for an early start. By 8:30 we were on the road, over Whinlatter Pass and looping round towards Loweswater. The weather looked marginal for later in the day. It was sunny first thing, but rain was forecast for late morning, which would most likely slow us down a bit. Our plan was to attack Fellbarrow and Low Fell – two modest fells at the end of the Buttermere Valley.
We parked at the foot of Fellbarrow alongside Loweswater. Well, a little about it, but not a lot. The climb up to Fellbarrow was steady but not especially exciting. It started over farm roads and turned into a long grassy drag that seemed to go on forever before finally reaching the summit. We’d travelled light, just snacks and drinks this time, leaving a proper lunch for later.
Low Fell: Views into Buttermere
From Fellbarrow it was a nobbly walk across the ridge to Low Fell, where things improved dramatically. The summit offers one of the best balcony views in the north-western Lakes, looking straight up the Buttermere valley with Grasmoor and Whiteside looming large beyond.
The weather was closing in a bit, and with Darling Fell sitting awkwardly between us and the road, we dropped down by a stream instead. A hillside traverse on a narrow path through thick bracken brought us back towards Loweswater just before the first spots began to fall. In fact, it started raining as we reached the car, while we were sorting ourselves out.
Binsey: Quick Dash in the Rain
Rather than call it a day, we pointed the car north for a bonus. Binsey sits out on its own above Bassenthwaite, a small fell but a Wainwright all the same. The drive took over half an hour, but the timing worked. Binsey is a straight up-and-down from the east-side car park, and we were grateful it only took about an hour. Even in the rain it was manageable, and we were soon back at the car, another tick in the book.
Distillery Soup and Thai Dinner
By now it was early-afternoon and we were more than ready for food. We headed to The Lakes Distillery, partly to eat, partly because I wanted to buy some whisky. Both aims were happily achieved. The tomato soup was superb — tip-top-tastic, in fact — and the whisky made a fine souvenir, although probably not a very long-lived one.
Back in Keswick there was plenty of time to sort ourselves out: showers, laundry, and a chance to dry out before heading out for dinner at the Star of Siam. A solid end to a day of mixed weather, grassy climbs, and three more Wainwrights in the bag.
Wainwrights Completed on This Day
