Forest Head, Tindale Fell, Cold Fell, Tarnmonath Fell, Talkin Fell, Cumbria
[ 16.7 km] Tue 14 Jun 2011

NY 5822 5750
Drove to Forest Head near Brampton. The path follows a track to the NE towards a large area of abandoned quarry workings. The first thing of note were the old abandoned single storey cottages to the left and a large bank of lime kilns to the right. The path now heads across a field to the line of an abandoned railway but there are no signs to say where the path leaves the track. A stile in a fence is the only indicator but I had to climb another fence to get there.

quad bike which parked on the moor

Two abandoned railway routes are crossed before reaching the track and the interesting house of Tortie. I turned right and followed the track to the substantial group of houses at Howgill. A walker was there talking to one of the locals. I could see another walker heading up the fell. The whole area is of abandoned quarry and mine workings which the houses would originally have been connected with. I followed a track up the fell, heading roughly towards Cold Fell. The walker I’d seen earlier was still up ahead. Behind I heard the sound of and approaching quad bike and as it passed I noticed it was driven by the walker I’d seen chatting to a local earlier. Further up the track I came to the quad bike which was parked on the moor.

There was no sign of either of the men anywhere. To my left I could see the summit of Tindale Fell with a large cairn on it. There was no path from where I was but I went across to it anyway. I’m glad I did because the cairn and pile of stones were impressive and so were the views. I returned in the rough direction of Cold Fell across fairly boggy ground. When I reached the fence a faint path appeared but it was very wet.

Cold Fell is another summit worth the trudge across wet ground. An O.S. trig point is surrounded by a cairn and stone windbreak. I was lucky with the views as the weather was still clear. It was even possible to see along the line of Hadrian’s Wall to the west. The descent route was along the fence to the west which then turned to the SW.

On Tarnmonath Fell there was no path of any kind and I had to wade through the heather on the descent to the south. Eventually I was on easier ground and descended to a wooden shooting hut which turned out to be locked. Below it a track continued and then became a faint track following the contour round to the NW.

It was a very pleasant walk which eventually joined the main track heading north and through the old quarry areas. Ahead was the house called Gairs which was being renovated as I passed. Builder’s vehicles were around and they were putting some stone in the muddy track which had been ploughed up with their work. I followed the track round the southern side of Simmerson Hill then to the house called ‘The Greens’. There was nobody about as I passed though it did look lived in. Then I went up Kelky Fell to the summit of Talkin Fell and the trig point. There were also several tall cairns which looked relatively new. I descended to the east and joined the main track back down to the road and on to Forest Head.