#200 - Kirk Fell via Moses Trod
Kirk Fell is one of those elusive fells. While its by no means a small fell (at 2,630 feet), its located in such a place at the head of Wasdale that it is towered over by higher & more spectacular mountains. However, this meant the views of those surrounding fells should be amazing - which was the reason I chose this to be my 200th Wainwright Fell.
It is also a scarily imposing fell. It's steep scree covered cliffs make the flat-topped summit look impenetrable. If viewing from Wasdale Head - the path runs direct & straight up the grassy nose of the fell - climbing over 2,300 feet in just 1¼ mile - that's an average gradient of 35%! With a heavy camping backpack - that would be torturous.
Instead I opted to follow the Moses Trod route starting from the Honister Slate mine. Although over a longer distance - 4 miles from Honister to Kirk Fell summit - the elevated slate mine start, and route of the Trod meant the total ascent would be only 1,830 feet.
What is the Moses Trod?
Prior to their being a quick and reliable road network to transport slate from Honister to the coastal port of Ravenglass - Quarry-men would transport the slate over the fells & down to Wasdale Head by pack-horse. The 4½ mile route, as it was meant for heavy-good transport meant it had gradual gradients - nothing too steep that the pack-horses couldn't climb. (Even today, to get from Honister to Wasdale Head by car involves an almost 40 mile drive).
One 18th century quarry-man in particular - Moses Rigg - now has this particular route named after him. As a sideline to his poorly paid quarry man work, he was also a thief & smuggler, and was believed to make his own whiskey from a hut hidden on the fells where he would also hide his stolen goods. He would then smuggle his contraband hidden between the slate to sell on & make an extra 'bob' or two.
Of course, as happens over time, any evidence to back up these tails have since been lost to the ages. One individual who gave the best testimony of the tail was Will Ritson, famed 19th century landlord of the Wasdale Head Inn who told stories of Moses - but who is most well known as starting the tradition of the 'Biggest Liar Competition', and winning on several occasions!
But, the fact remains that the trod still exists.
The Drum House & Great Gable Highway
Setting off by heading through to the far end of Honister Slate Mine car park, the route starts by following the mine road up the hillside for a short distance before a signpost directs onto a stone-pitched footpath labelled for Great Gable & Haystacks.
The footpath initially climbs the lower slopes quite steeply before reaching a small gully carved into the rock - heading through the gully you step back in time...
The path is on a steady incline and as straight as an arrow 'the straightest mile in Lakeland', as described by Alfred Wainwright. Every so often passing old wooden sleepers across the path. This is infact the remains of an old mine-cart aerial tramway dating back to the 1920's - known as the 'Lancaster Aerial' that was used to transport slate from thequarries on the top of the fells, down to the dressing sheds at the slate mine.
At the top of the incline - the 'summit' of the tramway is a huge pile of slate bricks that the path crosses - which are all that remain of the 'Drum House' at the top of the tramway where the machinery was based.
The 'Drum House' was the first landmark of the walk. From here, my path turned south onto the start of the Moses Trod - this initial section I like to call the 'Great Gable Highway'. This was a wide mountain path with large cairns every so often. This was the quickest way to Great Gable from Honister - & is a very busy route on Remembrance Sunday when a service is held at 11am on Great Gable's summit. With very little incline involved, it skirted the slopes of Grey Knotts with views north west over the Fleetwith quarries, and out over the Buttermere & Crummock Water valley. I made good time along this track.
Turning my attention back to the route, it continued on below the felltop across a large expanse of grassy moorland. I soon reached a fork in the path. Heading right would take me over the moorland & on to Haystacks. I headed left onto the flanks below Brandreth. Up ahead, over the grassy shoulder, a fence appeared with a stile & I caught my first glimpse of Great Gable, its towering north-face crag looming up ahead.
The main 'Highway' path swung south east heading for the depression between Brandreth & it's neighbouring fell, Green Gable. However, the Moses Trod diverted here, and I climbed over the stile in the fence to continue on my way.
The Head of Ennerdale
Over the stile, the path rounded the slopes below Gillercomb Head, and to my right, the views opened up as the path rounded the head of the Ennerdale Valley. The path crossed a number of becks, all of which were heading down the valley to eventually become the River Liza. I started spotting a number of sheep here too, grazing on the grass as ever & also passed a couple of fell runners walking the opposite way - the last people I would see today.
Kirk Fell was in view, although my eyes were drawn to the imposing crags of Green Gable & the towering cliffs of Great Gable which was now looming above me. The landscape narrowed as the path crossed below the hause of Windy Gap - a steep, narrow col separating the two 'Gables' - but luckily I wouldn't have to head that way today. The rocks in this area also had a curious pink tint to them. A steep rocky path turned heading up to Windy Gap, but the Moses Trod path crossed a beck, rounding the valley-head and into Stone Cove below Great Gable.
Stone Cove - as its name well suggests - is littered with scree, rocks and boulders that have fallen from Great Gable over the millenia - some as big as small Buses! The path then began to ascend as it headed toward a promontory jutting out from Great Gable's north west ridge.
On reaching the top of the promontory I reached Beck Head. A couple of dozen feet below me was a large flat grassy area with two tarns, which separated Great Gable from Kirk Fell. Looking straight ahead the view was looking directly down Wasdale - with Wastwater dead centre. I descended the scree path to the grassy hause, which was home to a few Herdwick sheep, one of which was very obliging when asked for a photo...
Kirk Fell Ascent
Dragging myself away from the views down Wasdale, I turned my attention to the climb up Kirk Fell. From Beckhead, I would be tackling the short, steep path which snaked up through a scree field between the crags of Rib End.
I took it steady as I slowly made my way up the path. The thought of ascending up a scree path may sound intimidating, but it actually wasn't that bad. There were only patches of scree, and there was a crag on the left hand side where you could place your had for that extra bit of support. Just being mindful of where to put your feet & also considering your centre-of-gravity with the weight of the camping backpack.
Again, I passed a few sheep who were on grassy parts of the slope, until eventually the path began to level out and had firm rock underfoot. From the top of Rib End however, it was still a half-mile walk to the actual summit - although the terrain was more level now. There was a slight dip on the top, which contained Kirk Fell tarn, but up ahead the sun was casting its rays down onto the summit - guiding my way.
The summit was a very rocky place, and involved heading across a boulder field to get to the two large summit cairns, which also doubled as wind shelters. But 3 hours and 1 minute after leaving Honister Slate mine, I arrived at my 200th unique Wainwright summit. Job done.
Now time to find a pitch for my tent...
A Change in the Weather
As you can tell from the previous photographs, it had been quite a nice afternoon for hiking - a bit of blue sky & cloud, a lovely mid-May day - which is what shocked me over the next few hours...
After exploring just down off the summit, I found a flat grassy patch with views toward Great Gable, and the Scafell range - which had a slight covering of patchy snow. It was about 18:45 when I started to pitch my tent. It had began to cloud over a bit more, when all of a sudden I heard which I though was a drop or to for rain on the tent's flysheet. I though nothing of it, as I carried on pitching.
The tent was more or less up... just the guylines to peg out, when the hail storm started. I grabbed my rucksack and flung it into my tent, and dived in after it to grab my waterproof jacket, so I could finish pitching. Once I was happy my tent was fully pitched, I could take shelter in it until the storm blew over.
As soon as it was up, I dived in. I just had to pass the time whilst it blew over. It was way too early to get in my sleeping bag, put I unpacked my sleeping bag, mat & pillow and inflated them. I decided to play some music on my phone for a little while - although the hail was making such a noise on the tent outer I wasn't able to hear my music, so soon turned it off & just sat listening to the hail & cracked open my first beer.
About forty minutes later - the sound of the hail died down, and I unzipped my tent door to take a peek. It had stopped, for a while, but I could see dark clouds heading my way from the Scafell's across the valley. I got out of the tent for a short recce of the area & check over the tent.I had to clear away some of the built up hail that was causing some sagging, and re-pegged where needed. Time to get dinner on.
No sooner had I got back in the tent, the hail started again. I positioned my Jetboil just outside the tent and used my hiking pole to turn the material of the tent door into a bit of an awning. I also positioned my mug just outside, at the bottom of the tent outer - thinking it would fill with hail & hey presto - a free water source for my brew in the morning! From the comfort of my tent, I happily waited for my dinner to cook whilst sat watching the hail fall, and build up around me.
There were dark clouds overhead, although I could now see the dark shadows of the Scafells on the opposite side of the vallet, but looking down Wasdale & over to Burnmoor tarn there was an eerie golden glow as the fading sunlight bounced off the storm clouds.
After dinner, and another couple of beers, just before the 9pm sunset, the hail stopped & everywhere fell silent. I got out of my tent and headed over to the nearby summit cairn, my boots crunching across the freshly fallen snow & hail. Although there were still dark clouds above, to the west was a thin sliver of clear sky, with the colours of sunset peeking through.
I noticed that there was only Kirk Fell and the Scafell's that had any of the white stuff on top - the neighbouring higher fell of Great Gable was clear! This was obviously a very localised weather pattern & in the space of two hours had completely transformed the landscape. How would this affect my descent in the morning? - Only time would tell. I did one final clearing of the hail from the top of the tent & retired into my sleeping bag for the night.
A Dream Of Summer
The next morning I awoke to my tent glowing in bright sunshine. I unzipped my tent, wondering what views would be on the other side.... and I wasn't disappointed!
It was clear blue skies overhead & a smattering of cloud tickling the tops of the Scafell's. Great Gable's summit was covered in a very isolated patch of low cloud that made it look as though it had it's hat on (or maybe more of a beret).... and there was a huge mass of cloud slowly moving through the Beck Head col that I would have to make my way down to.
However, it was still early, so I lay in my tent a while with the door open enjoying the view. There may have been snow on the ground, but it wasn't too cold.... the hail I had collected in my mug had half-melted when I came to check.
Eventually it was time to make a move. I got my hail-water boiling & decided on a hot chocolate with my breakfast bars before packing up the tent - as always making sure to leave no trace..... and all that was left was a patch of bear grass where my tent once stood.
There was quite a bit of snow remaining as I passed over the summit, but once I started descending it soon became patchy before disappearing into nothingness. At first I was apprehensive that the descent of Rib End - the scree path I had climbed the afternoon before - might have been a bit treacherous in the snow, but it was below the snow line & the descent was clear.
I headed back towards Honister retracing my steps along Moses Trod, but near the col below Green Gable & Brandreth I diverted from the path to bag Brandreth's summit (#201 - 2,344 ft), and followed the connecting ridge northwards for my final Western fell of Grey Knott's (#202 - 2,277 ft). As the morning progressed, I began to see more people heading up the fells to enjoy what was turning into a lovely early-summers day. I guess not many people would have though just a couple of hours ago I was in a winter wonderland!
From the summit of Grey Knott's I could see the Great Gable Highway, the Drum House ruins & the dismantled tramway, and found a route down between the knolls to pick up the 'highway' path to return to Honister.
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