🧙♂️ A FINE SPLASH FOR SAB… a paltry ‘plop’ for fellkind.
FELLS FEATURED: High Tove / Armboth Fell
I’m about to replace my walking boots, and they’ve done me proud for 70 Wainwrights over the last three years. So, what better way for them to go out than on a couple of fells virtually guaranteed to ‘give you a booty’, as we used to say as kids when a foot slipped into the brook when fishing for minnows.
I’m talking, of course, about High Tove and Armboth, along Lakeland’s swampiest ridge, where it’s ‘squelch, squelch, squelch all the way’, as Wainwright would say. He’s not wrong.
I luckily got a lift along to Watendlath so all that was left for me to do was find the path – a bridleway, no less – up the hill, leaving the tarn behind me and heading due east to the top. It was almost too easy. Famous last words.
For some reason, on top of High Tove, I totally rejected the blindingly obvious direct path southeast to Armboth Fell, because Wainwright said ‘the tempting beeline cannot be done because of bog’.
Instead, he tells us to create a right-angle by going south along the ridge-path (such as it is) then heading east, or vice versa if you are going from Armboth Fell to High Tove. Stuff and nonsense!
Not only did I end up wading through a huge amount of sog (so you could argue that it could be done, despite bog), I even started to doubt that Armboth Fell could be so close, and was wondering if I should be heading for a much meatier peak I spied instead.
I now realise this was probably Bell Crags, a fine top, by the way, on the way to Ullscarf and way too far by any count, so thanks, AW!
It turns out that Armboth Fell is crowned by a bare bump a bit like a bald head, which is easily climbed, if only to realise that not much is happening here!
When I was there, I was joined by three elderly folk (and this time, I think they genuinely were older than me) and their dog, whom I shot (photographically speaking) to make my summit pics with the pals a little more interesting. I’ll continue this walk in a future piece to try and keep things manageable and I’ll show you the targeted mutt then.
Let’s note, above, the extraordinary bit of abandoned engineering, in the shape of a round rusting wheel and pipe thing spotted in the Watendlath car park.
My mechanical advisor surmises an old water pump, possibly to draw water from the tarn to the nearby fields, although with the volume of H2O thundering down from the skies and the soaked peat above, I can’t imagine there being many water shortages in those parts.
Also worth mentioning is the attempt to provide crossing places at particularly wet sections which are basically crossing a stream. One of those bags which holds rocks choppered in is lying there bleeding boulders waiting for them to finish the job, so if you’re passing by and happen to possess Herculean strength, feel free!
And finally, there was the sheep incident! Three of the woolly blighters not looking like they were going to budge and just waiting to see what would happen next.
There was an uncomfortable stand-off for what seemed like an eternity – I was aware you’re never supposed to run from wild animals like boar or bears – but I didn’t want to start jumping up and down either, just in case they had a thing against… jumpers.
Eventually, they baaahhked down and frollicked away and I schloshed off on mine. Could things get any more exciting?
No, they cannot, but I’ll be finishing this sheepish tale shortly. And I’m now up to 75 Wainwrights and over one third of the way there!
Actually, that is quite exciting. Now to get some more boots for the next 70… 🥾🥾
Happy reflecting!
The Laggard of Lakeland 🌄
🧭 (Lakeland Chronicles No.44)
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⛰ Wainwright Log: 75 of 214 Fells Felled / 1 Book Bashed / Visit
