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Gavel Fell and Blake Fell from Maggie's Bridge, Loweswater

At Maggie's Bridge, just west of the village of Loweswater is a little National Trust car park that is an ideal starting point for these two Loweswater Fells: Gavel Fell and Blake Fell. They are quite typical of the area being mainly of grass, moss, bilberry, and heather. Bracken also puts in its ubiquitous appearance in places. Flat or gently sloping ground is often boggy. This high moorland is crossed by fences with the two fells linked by a zigzag fence which is, at least, a handy reference in mist.

The ascent climbs the bilberry covered ridge above Black Crag from where they are excellent views back down to the Vale of Lorton, Highnook Tarn in the combe below the crag, and behind to the Grasmoor range of fells. Once above the crag the ground becomes moist and colonised with heather and mosses, the path soft and squelchy after rain. The small cairn of Gavel Fell - High Nook(1) is soon encountered, This is not Gavel Fell, the Wainwright summit, which lies just beyond the fence on the skyline. Following the fence north west down to the damp saddle of Fothergill Head(2) wasn't as wet as we expected, but the climb to Blake Fell was steep as it looks. This little bit is a simple out and back just to visit the windshelter/cairn marking the summit. The return path is alongside the deep gill carved by Highnook Beck and follows grassy zigzags down a tongue of steep ground. The small Highnook Tarn(3) in the combe below Black Crag is worth the minor detour to visit its rough dam and shores.

Maggie's Bridge car park only has space for 6 to 8 cars so get there early.