Starting point: Coldfell Road  (NY 063135)  Distance: 8 miles  Ascent: 1940'

The three most westerly fells in the Pictorial Guides; this walk climbs, Grike, Crag Fell and Lank Rigg.  There are superb views of Ennerdale to be had from the summit of Crag Fell.  This walk is best done in clear conditions.

.Route: Pull off the road about half a mile after the Kinniside Stone Circle.  Walk back downhill towards the stone circle and turn right at a track (the old mine road).  Walk along the track for about a mile before climbing a stile and ascending the fell to the summit of Grike.  A path in the grass leads to the next summit of Crag Fell.  Drop down to the old mine road and pass through a wood to reach a substantial wall, known as the Ennerdale Fence.  Follow the wall to an area of stones and boulders.  Here turn south west to pass over Whoap before descending to a col and climbing up to the summit of Lank Rigg.  Retrace your steps to the grassy col and turn north west to follow a path into the valley of the River Calder.  After fording Comb Beck, the path rises back to the Coldfell Road.  Walk down the road back to the starting point.

Looking back along the old mine road to the coastal plain

A rather untidy wind break on the summit of Grike ...
,,, but Beattie is neatly camouflaged inside!

The Loweswater fells from the summit of Grike

Beattie at the summit cairn on Crag Fell
From here there are very fine views to be had of ...

... Ennerdale
The Ennerdale valley is undergoing a transformation.
Wild Ennerdale is a long-term project and more information can be found here.

... Great Borne

... Starling Dodd

... Pillar

... The High Stile ridge

and the Loweswater fells

The Ennerdale Fence - an old estate boundary
It is still a substantial wall

Looking back to Crag Fell

Beattie relaxes at the col before the climb on to Lank Rigg
The fell with a 'green skirt' is Grike

When AW visited this top in 1965 there was no cairn; only the OS column and a scattering of stones.
Wainwright decided to have some fun with his readers and placed a two-shilling piece under one of the stones.
He announced the fact in The Western Fells.  The 'treasure' was subsequently recovered by a man from Workington.
Read the whole story here.

Beattie at the south western cairn on Lank Rigg

The River Calder

A last view of Lank Rigg

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Comment from Terry Gargrave
Derek - lovely pictures of my nearest fell
cheers Terry

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