Downloads: GPX File | KML File | Google Maps File | OS Online route

Parking Location | OS Map | Current Weather

A walk that includes many views which are close to our heart. Derwent water and Bassenthwaite Lake. With the Newlands Valley, guarded by the mountains of the North-West, seen in all its glory from the top of Walla Crag.

This view is only rivalled by the South Eastern view when walking up to Bleaberry Fell. Rows of mountains, Helvellyn, Blencathra and Scafell ranges to name but a few. All invoking feelings of being protected by the shield of mountains, with Keswick beating at its centre.

This walk starts out at Great Wood car park. We took the path South through woodland and headed towards Cat Gill. It turns into a steep ascent but stony and stepped with lots of interesting plants and wildflowers. It never becomes tedious or boring. We walked this path in the Autumn and enjoyed the bees making the most of the flowering heather, but in spring there is a profusion of bluebells. Wildflowers from the vast array of different plants will constantly pop up throughout the year, providing interest throughout all the seasons. At times the path can get quite steep and there are some places where there are less steps so hands are required for support. It never feels too dangerous because you are climbing into the hillside and apart from a few steep views of the gill below, the bracken, flora and trees hide and steep drops.

As we travel on through trees and gorse we eventually get onto springy moorland. There is a wall to our left and we follow this until the ground starts to level out. You can walk on the other side of the wall and stay within the cover of trees but you are much closer to the drop. We carry on this path and eventually get to Walla Crag via a stile.

The views here are stunning and a popular spot for a snack. As we make our way to Bleaberry Fell, with a small amount of backtracking, we veer left and take the South Eastern path which swings us round to the peak. The path leads us past an old stone sheepfold. Beyond this, we become more exposed and the wind picks up. As we reach the point where the path slowly turns left to the peak, we are treated to stunning views, right into the heart of the Lake District. Mountain ranges layer the view in full 360. We ate our lunch here, in awe of the view. The final push to Bleaberry Fell is clear to see from the path. It’s a steep staired climb which zig zags quite violently. The steps are short, so this path was more difficult coming down than going up. The summit of Bleaberry shows the rest of the moorland and a path was clearly discerned to High Seat. We had no desire to walk this route as many people complain about the bogginess between the two fells. Wainwright even describes the route as ‘recommended only as a penance to sins’.

At Bleaberry Fell, we turned around and come back the way we came. We negotiated the steps down and walked past the sheepfold again. Reaching Walla Crag, we walked the opposite way that we came up and carried on a North-Eastern path to Rakefoot. This is a popular path and where we met the most walkers. At the bottom we turned back into Great Wood, walking through the wood from the opposite direction in which we left, we eventually got back to the car park.