High Seat 1996 feet & Bleaberry Fell 1932 feet
Distance: 9.25 miles
Total Feet of Climbing: 2000 feet
Suggested Time: 5 hours
Starting Point: Moot Hall, Keswick (NY 266 234)
These two fell tops lying between Thirlmere and Derwentwater unfortunately have the consistency of a well soaked sponge. This walk then is best done during a period of dry weather or very hard frost. The views they offer, however are certainly worthwhile.
1. From Moot Hall, walk between the Old Keswickian and the Dog and Gun into Lake Road. At Fisher's outdoor shop turn right onto the semi-pedestrian continuation of Lake Road. Proceed through the subway and along a broad pathway past Hope Park and the new theatre to the the lake shore. (0.5 mile)
2. Continue to the end of the road running next to the lake. Where it terminates it continues as a borad pathway. After 100 yards this pathway branches in two. Take the left-hand branch. The path passes round the lake shore and then through a wood where it meets a track. (0.5 mile)
3. Turn right. After crossing a cattlegrid branch left off the trackway onto a signposted pathway which follows the shoreline of the lake. After 0.75 mile it is necessary to leave the lake shore and head up to Borrowdale Road. Continue along this road for another 400 yards or so to the start of Watendlath road. (1.25 miles)
4. Continue uphill along Watendlath road. 100 yards after crossing the cattlegrid locate the start of a path leading sharply off to the left. After a short climb the path comes to a large cairn. Here turn right and follow a path signposted as leading to Ashness Bridge (0.75 mile)
5. Sixty yards from the bridge, following the road which crosses it, a signposted path leads off to the left following the course of a stone wall. Where the wall terminates follow a continuing wire fence. After a steep climb the path levels and comes to follow very closely Ashness Gill. At this point a path veers sharply uphill to the right. Ignore this patha nd follow the stream. After a short disntance this path too veers off to the right from the beck. After a climb of a few hundred feet more level terrain is reached and the path intersects with another path. (0.75 mile)
6. At this intersection, if conditions are clear, High Seat is now visible. Turn left and follow the path heading for the top. The ground soon becomes very boggy and for all practical purposes the path disappears. At this point though you should now be following a very dilapidated wall. Continue to follow the wall which often provides the firmest footing. On reaching firmer ground, with the summit of High Seat now almost directly on your left, the path heads away from the wall directly for the top of High Seat. (1 mile)
7. From the summit of High Seat walk Northwards along the ridge connecting it to Bleaberry Fell initially following the remains of a metal fence. This path is more discernible but still very boggy. (1 mile)
8. From the summit of Bleaberry the path continues North-Westwards descending over 1000 feet to link onto a path leading to the top of Walla Crag. (1.5 miles)
9. From the summit of Wall Crag continue North-Eastwards along a path descending to Rakefoot Farm (0.75 mile)
10. Continue roughly 250 yards along the road leading from the farm to a kissing gate on the left-hand side of the road giving access to a footpath leading to a footbridge. From the bridge a path follows the course of the stream you have just crossed down to Springs Farm situated at the end of Springs Road. Follow Springs Road to its junction with Ambleside Road. Here turn left to return to the centre of Keswick. (1.5 miles)
