Longlands Fell to Fell Side from Longlands


Home	The 214 Fells Map	My Diary

15th March 2025

Overview

Ascent:	2, 640 Feet - 804 Metres
Wainwrights:	5, Longlands Fell - Brae Fell - Great Sca Fell - Knott - High Pike (Caldbeck)
Visiting:	5, Lowthwaite Fell - Little Sca Fell - Hare Stones - Deer Hills - Hay Knott
Weather:	Bright Sunshine Throughout With Light Winds. Highs of 14°C Lows of 0°C Feels Like -2°C
Parking:	Parking Spaces, Longlands
Area:	Northern
Miles:	12
Walking With:	David Hall, Rod Hepplewhite & Calva The Dog
Ordnance Survey:	OL5
Time Taken:	6 Hours
Route:	Longlands - Longlands Fell - Lowthwaite Fell - Broad Moss - Brae Fell - Little Sca Fell - Great Sca Fell - Knott - Cumbrian Way - Lingy Hut - High Pike (Caldbeck) - Deer Hills - Hay Knott - Dale Beck - Fell Side - Branthwaite - Burblethwaite - Holborn - Cumbrian Way - Longlands

Parking Details and Map

Nearest Post Code:	CA7 1HN
Grid Refernce:	NY 265 935
Notes:	A popular spot close to Longlands Beck which leaves excellent access onto Longlands Fell and the Uldale Fells via the Cumbrian Way. Due to its popularity, it is advised to arrive early if you want to secure a parking places as the spaces can fill up quickly. Parking is free.

Map and Photo Gallery

Looking back towards Longlands with Orthwaite Bank and a snow capped Bakestall in the distance 07:20am -2°C

The trio are back together on a walk that David had told me about earlier in the year after I mentioned I wanted to plan a walk back O'Skiddaw. David had walked this route at the end of last summer replying "I have the perfect walk for you" We'd been putting it off for various other walks but I made it clear that I didn't want to walk it in poor weather or just because the weather won't allow us to get higher. The forecast needed to be perfect and that's exactly what we got. We had arranged to meet at Longlands at 07:15am for a 07:30am start.

David was already there when I arrived around 07:10am right at the same time as Rod arrived from the direction of Caldbeck. It was still early but other walkers were beginning to turn up too, I'd like to say 'we couldn't believe it' us being so out of the way on such a nice day and it's getting busy already, yep we're sadly getting used to it. It didn't take long for us to kit up and soon we joined a frosty Cumbrian Way heading towards Longlands.

Views over Longlands towards Binsey and Over Water.

I must admit it feels like we're beginning to run out of luck with the run of dry weather but looking ahead, not only is it set to continue it's getting warmer too. I can take or leave the hot weather for me these are perfect walking conditions, frost underfoot, blue skies and the first bird song of spring in the air.

Sun rise over Longlands Fell.

You can just see the sheep reaching for their sunglasses! What a morning.

Longlands is just ahead.

We left the Cumbrian Way and began the steady ascent in Longlands northern spur before joining the ridge proper.

Views over Charleton Gill towards Brae Fell, Little Sca Fell, Great Sca Fell and Knott.

It's looking a tad frosty over Brae Fell but with the sun rising into cloudless skies it's beginning to warm up already.

Great Cockup, Skiddaw and Bakestall from Longlands Fell summit.

With Ullock Pike and the Lord's Seat fells seen in the distance.

Looking back on Longlands Fell from Lowthwaite Fell with Criffle seen across the Solway.

The trio who parked up back at Longlands have now made it onto Longlands Fell summit.

The view towards Meal Fell, Great Sca Fell, Great Cockup, Bakestall, Skiddaw and Skiddaw Little Man from Lowthwaite Fell.

We descend as far as Broad Moss below then turn left and make a pathless approach to the top of Charleton Gill before picking up the path for Brae Fell.

Looking back on Lowthwaite Fell and Longlands Fell from the top fo Charleton Gill.

From out of nowhere we heard a voice ask "are you heading for Brae Fell and if so can I join you" as it turned out it was a solo woman collecting her final Wainwrights we of course obliged before joking "how do you know we're not axe murderers" Axe murderers don't have dogs she replied...Good answer.

Brae Fell is just ahead.

The woman was from Ulverston and as mentioned was on her first round of Wainwrights. Todays tally won't see here complete as she still has Grange Fell to walk which she said would be her final summit.

Looking back on Little Sca Fell, Meal Fell and Great Cockup.

With views extending towards Bakestall, Skiddaw and Skiddaw Little Man.

Brae Fell summit.

From Brae Fell summit we took in the views towards High Pike and our descent via Deer Hills and Hay Knott, it was an area new to both myself and Rod and we were looking forward to exploring new ground.

The wonderful stretch of ridge linking Brae Fell with Little Sca Fell / Great Sca Fell.

Lowthwaite Fell and Longlands Fell from our ascent on Little Sca Fell.

With Binsey, Over Water and Criffle seen across the Solway.

Skiddaw from Little Sca Fell.

I guess like us you might be wondering why Little Sca Fell has the more substantial cairn.

Time to say goodbye, Great Sca Fell.

We had a good natter since the woman had joined us finding common ground and wished her all the best for her final summit on Grange Fell.

Great Sca Fell, Broad Moss, Lowthwaite Fell and Longlands from our ascent on Knott.

We were really lucky to find the familiar ridge linking Great Sca Fell with Knott was frozen solid where normally it's not uncommon to lose a boot or two!

Great Calva (L) Little Calva (R) Sale How, Skiddaw Little Man, Skiddaw and Bakestall from Knott summit.

Shortly before arriving at the Knott summit we were passed by a gent who had set off much the same time as us but had followed Longlands Beck through to Trusmador and onto Knott before making his way back via Great Sca Fell. He too was collecting his Wainwrights and asked "would it be worth it to include Great Calva from here?" When we told him how easy it would be he snapped into a decision and without haste, started making his way off the summit and down towards the grassy col linking Knott with Great Calva "he didn't take much persuasion did he" we laughed.'

Descending Knott with views over Miller Moss towards High Pike (Caldbeck) and Carrock Fell.

Those with a keen eye might be able to spot Lingy Hut which is where we're heading next.

Lingy Hut from The Cumbrian Way.

Shortly after passing Lingy Hut the Cumbrian Way rises onto Hare Stones, a Birkett fell just a stones throw from the path.

Views into Mosedale with Carrock Fell seen left and the mass of Bowscale Fell to the right.

Not forgetting Coomb Height right foreground.

High Pike (Caldbeck) from Hare Stones summit.

We had a quick look around Lingy Hut which was in amazing condition given its exposed location before continuing on the Cumbrian Way where we were passed by many a solo fell runner. The path rose onto Hare Stones where I asked David and Rod to hang on so I could visit its summit no less than 20 yards off the path the highest ground marked by this small stone cairn.

High Pike (Caldbeck) summit.

We soon arrived at High Pike summit passing a couple in descent we we found that for now we had the summit to ourselves. We take in the views of The Pennines to the east and Criffle across the Solway to the north. I spotted a mountain biker giving it his all approaching the summit which was our queue to leave.

Looking down on Deer Hills (right) and Hay Knott (centre)

We track a pathless north westerly descent on route to narrow trod below where two walkers gave us the paths postion. Once the path was reached we stray right onto Deer Hills then Hay Knott seen in shadow.

Brae Fell from Hay Knott.

The plan is to walk to the end of the fell and make a pathless descent towards into Dale Beck.

Descending towards Dale Beck.

With an unusual aspect of Brae Fell including Red Gill (left) Wet Smale Gill (centre) and Ramps Gill (right)

Descending Hay Knott towards Dale Beck.

It's a pretty steep descent until we pick up a narrow trod above the gill with High Pike never far from view.

Lunch with a view.

We had descended into a heat trap while Dale Beck gurgled below, it was an obvious place to deshoulder and have a bait stop. As David said "what a place"

The former site of Dale Beck Smelt Mill 1850-1894

With Great Sca Fell (left) Yard Steel (centre) Brae Fell and Ramps Gill (right)

Dale Beck winding its way towards Fell Side.

With the north east flank of Brae Fell seen on the other side of Dale Beck, not in view is the grassy path which would make a great alternative ascent on the fell.

Passing through Fellside Farm.

We reluctantly packed up lunch, reshouldered minus a few layers now the heat of midday began to take hold. We joined the track for Fell Side passing what looked like a restored explosives hut that would have served the nearby mines. Fell Side was close and it felt a shame to come back to reality so soon but we'd have a shock.

Former Caldbeck Board School 1875

Built by Caldbeck School Board where on average just eighteen pupils attended when in use, The door seen left has Boys written above it with the girls entrance being on the other side of the two windows.

Branthwaite.

Branthwaite was the next hamlet from Fell Side where we were greeted to the sound of Ravens squawking in nearby trees. It felt as if we had gone back in time, other than the Ravens, nothing stirred.

Binsey and Over Water appear.

We left Branthwaite behind and spotted Burblethwaite about a mile ahead. The tarmac lane was narrow flanked by grazing sheep on both sides still nothing stirred. It was incredible how unchanged and quiet this road was. It had taken less than one hour to walk from Fell Side to Burblethwaite and in that time we had been passed by one cyclist, for miles around, there were more sheep than people and it had been a while since I have experienced anything like it. Burblethwaite was reached where we track left sign posted Longlands one and three quarters of a mile. This is the same track we left to summit Longlands Fell this morning only from the Burblethwaite side, Longlands is out of view, you have to climb the track before you see it.

The track rose views extending over farmland High Pike behind us lost from view but Aughertree Fell was just a stones throw away to the north. We crossed Charleton Wash, the end of the line for Charleton Gill before it flows into Burblethwaite Beck. Another slight rise where Longlands Fell came into view from where we begin our descent back to Longlands. It's been a great week ascending over nine thousand feet over 32 miles. I feel privileged that I have been allowed to do this, at a time of year when it's usually blowing a gale and raining cats and dogs. The dry spell will eventually give way but this last week will be lodged into memory as one of the best starts to Spring I've had on the fell.