The Saturday–A Reccy–Fiend’s Fell

It really really irritates me when peeps on the telly begin their explanations of stuff with the word “So…”
So…., I collected Li Yang from her cottage in the sky and we departed for Melmerby – a small Scarp-foot village just over the hill from Alston and the proud location of a pub, a bakery/tea-room and a Very Strong Wind. This, of course, was the second of the three walks over the last weekend. The next one will have even more mistakes because I’ll write it on Merlot Friday.

The occasion was a reconnaisance of a walk wot I’m leading for the Wednesday/Saturdays Walking Group aka the Wednesday Walkers Walking On Saturdays. Reccies have to be done to eliminate surprises and this was the second of this route – the first being completed on a very hot day on the first of July. The result of that reccy was that I altered the route a bit around the burned-out cafe at the summit of Hartside in favour of a direct approach on a waymarked but thin trod straight up to the summit, a bit short of the cafe.

A few pics from the first reccy:


I also found a way through the necklace of clitter which covers the Western side of the Pennine ridge at this point and forms a significant barrier to comfy progress.

Se, me and LTD and Li Yang set off along the lane that heads towards Gamlesby – easy  and flatish walking for a mile or so, then, turning gently up hill to join a rough byway that goes all the way up to the cafe at Hartside (but we turned off before that – see above and try to pay attention in class or you’ll get a slap on the legs)

A thin trod – look, I’ve mentioned this thin trod before. And sit up. And have your hair cut before coming into my class. You look like that Bingo Starr.

The top of Fiend’s Fell has a trig, a large cairn and a view of the Lake District. It’s not a place for sitting about when the wind is nithering, as it was when me and LTD and Li Yang were there, so we progressed along the ridge – heathery and squishy at first, but slowly forming into a fine hill-walk on short, dry turf with ever-better views of the Eden Valley and the Lakes.
We lunched at Knapside Hill, which has a large cairn and a shelter which appears to be the remains of a building with a small enclosure attached. It’s a cracking viewpoint too, though, a bit chilly on the day.
The highest point on the walk is just a bit less than half a mile away and only 20 metres higher – Melmerby Fell at 709 metres. It has a small cairn to which we added a couple of extra stones.

The descent comes after a short walk along the top of the band of stones mentioned above (clitter) and heads through a wide gap to descend to a track which leads all the way back to Melmerby with some huuuuuge views thrown in for interest.
The walk is on 15 September 2018, costs just £1 for the insurance (surpluses are donated to charity) – and begins at 10:00 am.
Those taking part should park prettily in order not to annoy anybody.
It’s a bit under 11 miles with 2000 feet of climbing, most of which starts after about a mile and continues, not too steeply, for another couple of miles. (So, it’s all in one lump, see?)