Remember: Press F11 for a full screen view of this page.

Web Counter when published 2 188 495

 

 

" Floutern Tarn, Floutern Cop and Hen Comb "

Date & start time:      14th October 2024.  2 pm start.

Location of Start :     By the red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211)

Places visited :          Mosedale, Floutern Tarn, Floutern Cop, Hen Comb, Little Dodd and home.

Walk details :            6.75 mls, 1350 ft of ascent, 3 hrs 15 mins.

Highest point :           Hen Comb, 1654 ft - 509 m. (same height as Mellbreak north top).

Walked with :            Myself and Dougal.

Weather :                  Beautiful, sunny, calm, clear, warm but not hot, perfect for walking.

                     

                     

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number PU 100034184.

 

It was forecasted and it turned out to be a beautiful day, dry sunny and clear.

After a busy morning I had the opportunity of two hours or so this afternoon to take Dougal for a longer walk.

I thought of climbing Hen Comb, then I thought to reverse the route and climb from the back for a change would be good

and somewhere along the walk Floutern Cop entered the equation, hence the longer distance and time taken.

The red phone box, my target of Hen Comb plus the lovely rays of sunshine, which played havoc with the camera settings !

Passing Wainwright's Negative Signpost next to The Kirkstile Inn.
Church (or Kirk) Bridge.

Here the name of the river seems to change from Dubbs Beck flowing in from the right, to Park Beck flowing out of the bridge, under the other side .

The river that drains Loweswater, White Oak Moss and Mosedale have all met up

and now flow across into Crummock Water under a new name.

Harry's Pool . . . you won't find the name on any map, but you may find the return path that we'll use at the end of the afternoon.

We've walked half the length of Mosedale so far and have reached the path junction close to the Mosedale Holly.

Left is the low level route around Mellbreak, sharp left the direct, steep ascent of Mellbreak, but we'll go off to the right following the Ennerdale bridleway.

Looking back at the complete western side of Mellbreak from the rather damp bridleway path.

Click here or on the photo above for a larger version of this photo

The steel bridge across Mosedale Beck and the track onward.
It looks like the beck heads off into the bog (moss) of Mosedale at this point.

We've followed the bridleway path, which was rather indistinct in places, but we reach a gate and off to one side, this old sheepfold.

The beck I thought would fade to nothing, in fact has its source in Floutern Tarn.
It is supplemented by Red Gill which flows of the side of Gale Fell.

It is not clear in the photo but in the darker folds of the Red Gill stream, the soil has been eroded and the exposed red, iron-rich earth, which gives the stream its name.

Iron Ore was very important on the western slopes of the Cumbrian fells, from Knock Murton all the way across to Cleater Moor and Rowrah.

Cleator in fact had a major iron works in its day and the West Cumbrian steel and shipbuilding trades were based on this resource.

The final eastern trace of the iron vein lies under Gale Fell near Scale Force, but it was never a commercial proposition to mine ain this area.

Our climb became steadily steeper, the sheep more and more amazed to see people

and finally Dougal and I crest the rise and reach the outflow of Floutern Tarn.

Dougal, a real water dog, loves to swim and it was hard work to get a shot of the lake without the ripples spreading over the whole photo.

Floutern Cop on the other side of the tarn is looking inviting in the sunshine!

Looking east across to what is now quite a distant Robinson Fell, with hardly a ripple on the water.

I've been tempted to swim here on previous occasions, especially where the water shelves a little more deeply close by the rock,

but after testing the water temperature following Dougal's slight swim, all ideas of a dip were out of the question.

The air was warm but the altitude was high enough and the shade deep enough, to keep the water at a very cool temperature.

That's not ripples or frost on the water but water weed, a long stringy grass of some sort, growing in the shallower margins of the lake.

The reason for the low temperatures is partly due to the lack of sun, as the lake is hidden under the northern crags of Great Borne.

Back out into the sunshine and another surprisingly steep climb on the direct ascent of Floutern Cop.

No matter, a quick stop for the photo allowed me to catch my breath and the top was soon reached.

Here the rounded, darker fell on the left is Dent but my eye was caught by the view of the Isle of Man, some fifty miles out into the Irish Sea.

Looking west from the top of the fell, the moorland looking autumnal in the sunshine.

Click here or on the photo above for a larger version of this photo

Looking east at my route ahead as I start my descent towards Hen Comb.

It looks a long way home and I'd told Loes I'd phone her from the top of Hen Comb about now . . . time to get a move on !

Don't you rush, take your time and click here or on the photo above for a larger version of this photo

A new fence surround Hen Comb, but fortunately the powers that be have also provided a good stile and even a dog gate.

- - - o o o - - -

 

 

 

As I've had to drop down from Floutern Cop,

it's the best part of 140m or 450 ft to climb back up to the top of Hen Comb

to be sure of that desired phone signal.

 

The way is clear but the route is steep

and in my excitement I clean forgot to take a summit photo.

You'll have to be happy with this.

 

 

- - - o o o - - -

Just off the top and on the way down now, the weather was so good another panoramic photo was called for.

Click here or on the photo above for a larger version of this photo

Th new hen Comb fence has a gate on this side of the fell, which is much more convenient than having to straddle the old wire.

A peat bog pool on the ridge of Hen Comb has lost it's wire however. It was erected to stop the sheep falling in the bog.

Perhaps the illusion of a fence keeps them away from the danger nowadays.

For those intent on bagging all the 541 "Birkett Fells", Little Dodd is a nice one to visit.

Not only do you get a point . . . but you get a nice view as well.

From Dodd you can see Loweswater once again.

Below me are the scars of the White Oak Lead Mine ( in the shade) and across the Solway plain is the sun kissed Scottish peak of Criffell.

The reverse of my earlier photo as I once again approach the crossing of Mosedale Beck at Harry's Pool.

The stepping stones are very poor now but the water level is low.
The late afternoon sun on the fields between myself and home.

Dougal and I are back to Church Bridge once again, this time near the end of the walk.

Hold your curser over the picture if you can to see how things have changed in the last few hours *

( * depending on your viewing device . . . if not then jump to the top of the page once you've read the advert below)

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with my iPhone 11pro mobile phone camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . some outstanding late summer weather . . . and waterproof boots !

 

Go to Home Page . . . © RmH . . . Email me here

Previous walk - 10th October 2024 - History Society Carlisle Cathedral Visit

A previous time up here - Saturday 13th June 2009 Gavel Fell and Floutern

Next walk - October 2024 - Life is what happens to you when . . .

 

Remember . . . hard copies still work when the phone battery runs out !

Note your important dates on our calendar.

 

= = = Launched 1st September 2024 = = =

This is  your chance to have your favourite web site pictures

hanging on your wall all year round

and to support a good cause.

- - - o o o - - -

" We've done it again.

We've brought you twelve months of Loweswater pictures,

Lakeland scenes and your favourite mountain dogs."

Yes . . . The 2025 Loweswatercam Calendar is now on sale

- - - o o o - - -

Click here  or on the photos

for full details of how to ORDER YOUR COPY.