Lorton to Lord’s Seat

A 7-mile walk from the cottage up to Lord’s Seat for a long-awaited catch up with Ian W while he ‘bagged’ Graystones and Broom Fell

Route: From Midtown Cottages, setting off south along the road to turn left round Corner Cottage and head up the lane, cross Whinlatter and take the switchback track under High How. Walking round the How to track up to the wall corner behind and access the newly-churned contouring track round the base of Kirk Fell. Following this to bend round south, descending slightly to a crossroads of paths and turning up right to reach the summit, very slowly in very sticky conditions. Walking along the ridge to the crag that forms one of the subsidiary tops of Graystones and then walking down southeast and up to the true summit, before turning back up NNE to reach the edge of the ridge and head steeply down east to Widow Hause and follow along the edge of the felled plantation as the rain swept in. Climbing steeply up the narrow path to the unnamed summit west of Broom Fell, and on to the substantial cairn and shelter seat on the Fell itself. 

There bearing left, tentatively, in no visibility to follow round the edge of the escarpment to Lord’s Seat and suddenly some visibility towards Skiddaw. From the summit following the obvious path down towards Whinlatter, missing the very minor path heading down to the Aiken Beck forest track down to Spout Force but taking the next turn and eventually emerging at the top of the Gruffalo Trail, for a windy, steep descent to the car park and our lift from Tim.

Conditions: Very sticky and still to begin with, succeeded by heavy rain for the second third of the walk and then warm sunshine for the final third.

Pub? Cumbrian Ales Brewery American Invasion IPA back at the cottage with Tim.