Starting point: Lay-by on A592  (NY 414032)  Distance: 6.6 miles  Ascent: 1035'

An ascent of Troutbeck Tongue in Troutbeck valley

Route: Park in a lay-by on the main A592 opposite Limefitt Park and walk up the hill to a bridleway on the right.  This leads downhill to Ing lane.  Walk along the road and cross Ing Bridge.  After crossing Hagg Bridge slant up a field to a gate where a path leads up into Hagg Gill valley.  After passing a wall, on the left, climb up the ridge on to Troutbeck Tongue, soon reaching the summit cairn.  Continue north along the ridge and drop down to rejoin the path alongside Hagg Gill.  Walk south and retrace steps back to the starting point.

Sunlit Troutbeck Tongue on the approach

The Tongue

This stile is only used when stock is in the field

Ill Bell from the ridge path on The Tongue

The summit cairn

It's a windy situation today!

The Ill Bell ridge leading up to High Street

The view west - Crinkle Crags and Bowfell

Red Screes

The summit cairns on Ill Bell

Sallows and Sour Howes on the horizon

Looking towards Windermere through the haze

Scot Rake is part of the old Roman road from Ambleside to Brougham over High Street

A split rock

Disused quarry on the flanks of Ill Bell
AW wrote, 'This is the second quarry in Hagg Gill and a most interesting place it is.' Ill Bell p.5

Close up of the ruined buildings and spoil heaps

Threshthwaite Mouth, pronounced 'Thresh'et Mouth'

A close-up view

Froswick

Scot Rake

Along this path in 1930, the young Alfred Wainwright and his cousin, Eric Beardsall trod their first proper fell walk in Lakeland. 
I doubt the scene has changed much in the intervening years.  An account of the day can be read here.

The way back to the car ...

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Photographs taken with a Fuji MX-2900 Zoom or a Canon EOS 20D
Copyright © 2009 Derek Cockell     All Rights Reserved