Name of walk	Kirk Fell
Date of walk	2026-04-24

On Friday I left home shortly after 5.30am to drive to Wasdale Head. I arrived just after 7am. The sun was shining and there was no wind. It was going to be an excellent day for walking. I was going to do a solo walk up to Kirk Fell and back, nothing too complicated. The walk was about 7 miles.

View to the Wasdale Inn with the slope of the front of KIrk Fell on the right.

My route takes me past St. Olaf's Church.

I say good morning to Joss.

I head out down the main path with Kirk Fell on the left and Great Gable on the right. I will head up inbetween them.

Directly after the bridge is the Gavel Neese path up to Beck Head.

Unfortunately the route ahead is in shadow, but I will repeat these photos on the way down. The path up is steep and unrelenting for two hours until I reach Beck Head. It is my third time up by this route so I know what is coming!

The view back to Wastwater is superb. I'm still on grass at the moment, but the scree is coming soon. The last time I did this route was with Fr. John and it was a tough climb, but at least we didn't have to come down it!

There is a 50m section of scree that is very unstable underfoot, so it is two steps forward and one slide back.

Stopping to take a photo of the view provides a good excuse to get my breath back.

Gorgeous! I meet a group of college students on an expedition coming down the track. They have had wonderful weather camping out for the last few days, but no mist or poor visibility to test their navigation skills.

Kirk Fell route. There is still about an hour to the summit from Beck Head, as the summit is over the far side of the fell.

I go off route to look down into Ennerdale and have a short break and refuel before the climb up.

View down into Ennerdale. I can see Black Sail Hut with the naked eye. Haystacks and the High Stile range.

Lots of loose rock and scree on the way up, which is going to be fun on the way down.

Still shadow on looming Great Gable, I'll have a better view on my return.

You can play footy on the top! I head for the minor rock summit. The metal posts help in mist.

View of the main summit from the minor rock summit. There is always the disappointment that you have to descend to the tarns before climbing back up to the main summit.

Good views out to Scoat Fell, Steeple, Black Crag and Pillar on the left and the High Stile range on the right.

Burnmoor Tarn and Illgill Head.

Great End, Scafell Pike, Lingmell and Scafell.

I head down for the tarns.

Summit panorama. Left click to enlarge, click again to return. Great views all around. It is very clear today.

Summit selfie.

Great Gable, Harrison Stickle, Allen Crags and Sty Head Tarn with Great End right.

Great End, Ill Crag, Broad Crag, Scafell Pike, Lingmell, Scafell.

Blackcombe beyond Burnmoor Tarn

Illgill Head, Whin Rigg, Wastwater, Yewbarrow.

Summit cairn with Yewbarrow and Seatallan right.

Scoat Fell, Steeple, Black Crag and Pillar.

High Stile, High Crag and Seat with Grasmoor.

So many fells in this photo! Robinson with Fleetwith Pike to the right, and Ullock Pike and Skiddaw at the very back.

View back to the East Top. Behind is Clough Head and The Dodds and to the right the Helvellyn range. This time I skirt right and head back to my route down.

Finally, some light on Great Gable. The last time I was on Kirk Fell, I also climbed the rib up to Great Gable and came down to Sty Head Tarn. Not today, I'm not as fit, or young, as I was, and my knee replacement curtails lengthy walks. It is wiser to head down.

I sit on a rock for a ten minute break.

Still gorgeous!

Bloody scree! My sticks are great at maintaining balance, and despite a few slides I managed to remain upright.

View back up, and yes it was that steep. I'm writing this three days later and my thighs still ache!

View towards Sty Head.

Great Napes.

View back of my route.

Lambs!

The same view as this morning, minus the shadow.

I walk through the churchyard again.

This is a photo I took of Joss from about 10/12 years ago, it had come up on my Facebook memories page the day after this walk. Gone but never forgotten.

The walk took me 5hrs and 45 minutes. An excellent walk with no navigational difficulties, but strenuous.

Jo.