Lord’s Seat, Lake District
If you’re eager to avoid the summer crowds, enjoy this quiet bimble over four seldom-visited Wainwrights in Lakeland’s north-western fells.
This walk is your chance to escape the Keswick crowds, enjoy some tranquillity and bag four Wainwrights. The Lord’s Seat group of fells, which lie between Bassenthwaite Lake and the Vale of Lorton, are the rounded, grassy hills that rise above Thornthwaite Forest. They aren’t rugged, rocky or majestic – but they offer peaceful, enjoyable hiking away from the hoardes on more popular peaks.
The real highlight of the route is Barf, a dramatic, rugged fell that belies the gentle nature of the rest of the walk. The ascent from Thornthwaite is ‘one of the very best of the shorter Lakeland climbs’, as Wainwright put it, and it serves up a delightfully eccentric oddity too. On the steep, craggy southeastern flanks of Barf is a whitewashed rocky pinnacle known as the Bishop of Barf. The striking outcrop is painted white by locals to commemorate a bizarre incident: in 1783, the Bishop of Derry – who was staying in the Swan Hotel – drunkenly wagered he could ride his horse up the side of Barf. The attempt failed, killing both man and horse after a fall next to the rocky plinth. But the legend lives on, immortalised in the annual whitewashing of the outcrop.
1
NY220265 Turn left on the road and almost immediately turn right up a lane. Veer right at a junction and right again onto a footpath at a fingerpost sign. Go through a gate and head through the forest. If so desired, turn right at an upright stone and climb very steeply over loose scree to visit the Bishop of Barf. But the going is rather arduous and unpleasant, so instead continue west and ascend alongside Beckstones Gill. At a signpost stating ‘Danger Falling Rocks’, turn left, cross the stream, go over a stile and climb steeply west. At around the 270m contour, negotiate a short but easy rocky scramble and continue uphill on the narrow, winding path through trees. Turn right onto a wider forestry track and veer right to go over a stile, emerging at open fellside, and cross the stream. Continue uphill heading north-east for Barf’s summit.
2
NY214267 Descend west over undulating terrain, sticking to a stony path. Arrive at a grassy col and continue ahead on the meandering path. Ascend gently west over slopes of grass and heather. At around the 470m contour line, veer left and climb steadily south-west to Lord’s Seat summit. Turn right and take the grassy ridge heading northwest. At the lowest point of the ridge cross a fence and ascend north-west and west on a wide, grassy path. Cross a stile and arrive at Broom Fell’s summit, which has a huge cairn and wind shelter.
3
NY194271 Descend west on a grassy trod, veer left over a flatter section, and then drop steeply south-west to the edge of deforested land at Widow Hause. Cross a derelict wall and continue to the right of a fence. At the base of Graystones, cross another collapsed wall, turn left over a stile and climb steeply south-west along a fence. Where the fence turns west, bear left over pathless slopes to arrive at the summit of Graystones. Head south-west to cross an old wall and turn left to descend very steeply south following the wall. A narrow trod leads you over a small section of craggy ground before continuing steeply downhill over grassier terrain. As you near the beck, the path veers slightly right across slopes of slate to arrive at the footpath next to Scawgill Bridge.
4
NY177257 Turn left and head east. Go through a gate and follow the stream. Turn right to cross a footbridge and right again over a second footbridge fording a tributary. Climb a narrow, winding path with stepped sections. Cross a stile into a field and turn left. Follow a fence and wall east and then south. Veer left over a stile, head south and emerge at a car park. Turn left on a forestry road. Pass to the left of Darling How farm and continue through the Aiken Valley, looping east and south around Brown How, before looping east again to cross Willybrag Gill and Aiken Beck. Just before the road loops sharply right to the west of Ullister Hill, veer left on another forestry track.
Head north-north-east and eventually emerge beyond the trees. Continue briefly and arrive at a path junction.
5
NY207263 Turn left momentarily and then veer right on a faint trod. Cross a stile and resist the urge to take a shortcut east along the fence, as the ground is pathless and boggy. Instead continue north to arrive back at the col between Lord’s Seat and Barf. Turn right, re-climb Barf and re-trace your steps back down to the car park using the same
paths as the ascent.