Walk

Walk : Gavel Fell (1,720 ft) from Croasdale

Date : 29th June 2019

Weather : Extremely hot @ 27°C with increasing cloud. Poor visibility

Distance : 5 miles round trip

Time Taken : 1 hour 30 mins to summit

Which part of Lakeland is this walk situated

Terrain Overview

Overview

The final week of June saw soaring temperatures all over the UK and due to work commitments we could only visit Lakeland on the Saturday.

The weather was forecast to break toward the latter end of the day, however despite the intense heat and humidity conditions were of increasing

cloud cover and threatening rain, which made for poor visibility on the Fell tops. This walk from Croasdale is a very gentle meander across grass

with a reasonably good path throughout, but in my opinion care needs to be taken to understand the geography and exactly which of the Fells

that surround is Gavel Fell. I could imagine this walk being a tad difficult in mist

From the A66 Workington bound take the A5086 and follow the signs for Lamplugh and then onto the minor Hamlet of Croasdale. A 5 bar gate on

the left gives access to a farmers field / sheep pen. This is the starting point for the walk which cuts across the field leading to some old mining areas

Setting off down the Old Mine track

Looking across right from the track to Great Bourne and Bowness Knott near Ennerdale Water

After a short distance go through the gate and keep on the same track

Yet further on and through a 5 bar gate turn immediately left to depart from the old Mine track

The route veers left now and leaves the Mine Track

Setting off down the wide grass path that follows the fence line and initially drops down into a boggy area before climbing to higher and drier ground

Looking back from the path and a glimpse of Ennerdale Water

After about half a mile or so the path veers right away from the fence line and journeys on towards the dip seen here lower right. The path is easy

to follow due to the Quad Bike tracks

Approaching the point where the path swings left to head in the direction of Blake Fell and Gavel Fell

The path follows round on the lower slopes of High Pen towards another fence line

Blake Fell from the fence line on the left

Cogra Moss from the fence line

At the top of the climb the fence splits is perpendicular to the path you have been travelling along. Do not climb over it as this then leads on to Blake

Fell, just follow it round to the right. The path drops down a little into a dip then swings right and cuts up the shoulder of Gavel Fell which is indicated

At the top of the shoulder the path swings round to the left and follows a fence line directly to the summit

The summit cairn of Gavel Fell

Sue, Ste and Jones the Bastard on the summit of Gavel Fell

Click here for a 360 degree view from the summit of Gavel Fell … https://youtu.be/uPss40cG9Rk

Very poor visibility today on all of the fell tops, here looking towards Mellbreak and in the faded distance Grasmoor, Wandope, Whiteless Pike

Looking towards Great Borne and Starling Dodd

As ever Jones the Bastard in the hope of scrounging other peoples dinner

Looking back to Blake Fell from the path we came up to get to the summit