This walk circumvents Greendale Beck taking in three of the western fells; Middle Fell, Seatallan and Buckbarrow.  In clear weather there are stunning views from Middle Fell and Buckbarrow.  Sadly, this was to be a day of poor atmospheric conditions, spoiling the distant views.

Route: Pull off the road just after Greendale House.  A path leads up the fell, branching half right up on to Middle Fell.  The summit is farther than it looks.  A cairn is set on the highest rocks.  From here, follow the ridge north leading down to a boggy hollow where there is a choice of routes.Either cross the hollow and climb steeply up on to Seatallan, or keep to the slightly higher groung heading NNW before ascending Seatallan via the north-east ridge.  From the wide flat top of Seatallan, head south-east down the ridge stopping at the viewpoints of Cat Bields and Glade How before climbing up on to Buckbarrow.  Descend by Gill Beck back to the road.

Middle Fell on a very murky day
The path can be seen winding up through the dead bracken

Buckbarrow

This is the curiously named Tongues Gills

Middle Fell is one of those fells where the summit is further than you think.
The highest point in this photo is not the summit!

The summit cairn ...

... and the disappointing view

Looking towards Seatallan - the next top on the round

Greendale Tarn below

It's a steep climb up to the summit cairn on Seatallan ...

... but the summit is flat with short cropped turf
Scafells on the horizon

This cairn is at Cat Bields (meaning a wild cat's lair)

Another viewpoint - Glade How

The summit of Buckbarrow
When AW wrote his guide to the fells, there was no cairn on these summit rocks

AW drew a picture of this split boulder
He wrote, ' A perched and split boulder (obviously split after perching, probably by frost or lightning)' Buckbarrow p. 3

Rock abounds on Buckbarrow

The descent route back to the road
Harrow Head below

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Comment from Gary
Lovely photos Derek.  We still have these fells to complete; it looks like its going to be next year now.
Gary
 

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Photographs taken with a Fuji MX-2900 Zoom or a Canon EOS 20D
Copyright © 2008 Derek Cockell     All Rights Reserved

THE PICTORIAL GUIDES

The Eastern Fells
The Far Eastern Fells
The Central Fells
The Southern Fells
The Northern Fells
The North Western Fells
The Western Fells

The 214 Challenge