Sharkey's Dream - High Nook Tarn from Fangs Brow


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High Nook Tarn from Fangs Brow

11th January 2015

Sadly day two of my weekend in Lakeland was much the same as day one were once again we had no choice other than to put our plans on the back burner, however this wasn’t to say that we weren’t going to enjoy a walk from Fangs Brow to High Nook Tarn which is nestled bowl-like beneath the Black Crag ridge & Carling Knott.

It all started by me forgetting my walking boots.

Wainwright Guidebook Seven

The Western Fells

-Dedicated to all who have helped me:

Sometimes with advice, sometimes with information, sometimes with no more than a friendly nod or smile.

Overview

Ascent:	700 Feet – 214 Meters
Wainwrights:	N/A
Weather:	Overcast With Not Much Visibility, Highs Of 6°C Lows Of 6°C Feels Like -2°C
Parking:	Roadside Parking, Fangs Brow, Loweswater
Area:	Western
Miles:	6.1
Walking With:	David & Jennifer Hall
Ordnance Survey:	OL4
Time Taken:	3 Hours 15 Minutes
Route:	Fangs Brow – Holme Beck – above Holme Wood – High Nook Tarn – High Nook Farm – Maggie’s Bridge – Loweswater – Hudson Place – Jenkinson Place – Fangs Brow

Map and Photo Gallery

Burnbank Fell from Fangs Brow 09.05 – 4°C

Although I kept it to myself I was somewhat ashamed that I had managed to leave my boots behind back in Whitehaven something of which has never happened to me previously before, we managed to share a laugh about it as I thankfully hadn’t forgotton to wear a sturdy pair of North Face mids which weren’t really fit for purpose on a wet walk but managed to hold together & even kept my feet dry.

We were first to arrive which meant first parking privileges, the wind hadn’t dropped too much & had a bitter bite to it unlike the milder yet stronger wind experienced on Dodd summit just twenty four hours earlier.

Fangs Brow & indeed much of this route was mostly untrodden with exceptions of a section of path from which Holme Beck falls.

Our route would see us pick up the wall on the left after passing through the gate.

With Burnbank Fell directly ahead our route would take us through the gate before following the stone wall until a wooden gate is reached, here we would cross the ‘waist’ of Burnbank Fell by means of a grassy path whose views soon opened up over Loweswater & Lorton Vale.

Loweswater before we pass above Holme Wood.

This section of the path I had used before & it was here we were reminded just how beautiful the views are even on a dull morning such as this.

Jennifer makes the most of a viewing point situated along the path as the fell falls steeply below.

Carling Knott seen shortly before crossing Holme Beck.

Still on familiar ground we head towards Holme Beck before taking the path that rises steadily across Carling Knott’s lower flanks.

Whiteside & Grasmoor seen over Holme Wood & Loweswater.

Mellbreak, Hen Comb & Black Crag.

Our path hollowed slightly as we now began to flank Carling Knott before a slight rise & yet another long steady decline as our view now opened up towards High Nook Tarn, to our left within a bank of trees lay High Nook Farm while beyond the back bone of Hen Comb domineered any long distant views.

High Noon Tarn comes into view.

It was pleasant & easy walking all the way down to High Nook Tarn, Jennifer lead the way as David & I stopped to take a few photos by which time the wind had dropped considerably once we were concealed by both Carling Knott & Black Crag.

Low Fell seen with our descent path as it flanks the bulk of Carling Knott.

I took this photo shortly after crossing High Nook Beck via a narrow wooden footbridge which bore the scars of a high water mark, High Nook Beck is narrow in width & can be easily crossed by a simple hop, skip & a jump but seeing as the beck was still rather wide we took our chances with the footbridge instead.

It wasn’t just the footbridge that showed signs of recent heavy rainfall as once High Nook Beck had been crossed we were all within a quagmire of standing water which stood just beneath the grassy surface making my own crossing towards High Nook Tarn, a wet one as my mids just about covered my ankle bone.

Jennifer chose to not follow myself & David as she wanted to navagate the Tarn in a anti-clockwise direction which meant for some bog hopping, however Jennifer was soon forced back as the water level soon would spill over boot lace.

High Nook Tarn.

I found High Nook Tarn a lovely & pleasant location even on a wet day such as today, ahead a short steep ridge ran a zig-zag route towards Gavel Fell which was firmly printed into my mind for future walks. I tried to gain a little height to see High Noot Tarn a little better which oddly didn’t work out as its shape is misconceiving due to its twisting banks & long narrow edges.

I had left my walking poles firm in the ground which Jennifer brought back to me, she then suggested a walk around High Nook Tarn so we plotted our route giving the usual path a wider berth due to just how wet it was around the edges.

Low Fell from High Nook Tarn.

The ground was holding lots of water beneath our feat.

Once we had rounded the Tarn we decided to pick up the path that would lead us down towards High Nook Tarn, Jennifer lead followed by David who both screamed & possibly swore at what happened next as what they walked over a patch of grass which sank & sprang in a motion rather like trying to walk over a bouncy castle.

It was immediately obvious that the ground underfoot had swollen, all it then took was for some unsuspecting person or persons to walk over it only for the water to escape meters away.

It was all a great crack finding these patches of ‘floating grass’ once we knew what they were & made for some rather childish entertainment for the next five minutes or so on all our parts.

Low Fell & Darling Fell seen over High Noon Farm.

High Nook Farm.

Once we had left High Nook Tarn behind & its shenanigans we headed for High Nook Farm whose farm dogs were quite vocal & thankfully locked behind a barn door. David mentioned that the farm felt like it was the ‘farm that time forgot’ to which we could only all agree, with that said, it was such a shame that the farm had been forgotten about when it came to the basic upkeep of things which didn’t make for a pleasant sight, I think it’s fair to say we were all pleased to close the gate behind us after passing through.

Black Crag & Darling Fell, High Nook Tarn is now hidden in the corrie below.

Carling Knott seen with Burnbank Fell as we take the lake path towards Loweswater.

Carling Knott.

Loweswater Bothy.

We had only passed three people all morning who were heading back to Loweswater (village) as we passed headed for the Lakepath. Beyond Loweswater the sound of a dog barking echoed & broke the Sunday morning silence, the sound of which followed us all the while along the Lake path until we reached the bothy where we discovered a fellow with his daughter who was playing on the rope swing as the dog jumped beneath, the young girl & indeed the dog looked like they were having a ball so the barking was instantly forgiven.

The door to Middle Earth.

Loweswater.

Spots of rain greeted us on & off as we left Loweswater & indeed Holmewood behind where our path lead us steeply towards the picturesque Hudson Place farmhouse before continuing through Jenkinson & Iredale Farms, both of which would cast ones mind to a ‘lottery win’

Once we had passed through Iredale we rose steadily once more into open moorland with advances upon Fangs Brow as a strong wind greeted us so much so Jennifer had to be lead by David’s hand. David’s car was now in sight & so to was the end of our Sunday morning walk, bringing with it my time spent in Lakeland this weekend.

We may have not been able to execute our intended plans but as ever any time spent in Lakeland is quality time no matter the weather which just goes to show you don’t have to get up high to enjoy a weekend on the fells as Dodd, & indeed High Nook Tarn so eloquently delivered.