Date & Time: 30th April 2007. 2 pm start. ( SD 170 977 )

Location of Start : The Devoke track on the Birker Fell road, Cumbria, Uk.

Places visited : Rough Crag, Water Crag, Devoke's Linbeck Gill, White Crag, Yoadcastle, Woodend Height, the Boathouse, Seat How and back over Tewit Moss.

Walk details : 5 mls, 1500 ft of ascent , 4 hrs including lunch.

Walked with : Ann and the dogs.

Weather : Sunny with an increasingly strong, warm easterly breeze.

Harter Fell and Green Crag from our start point

We had promised ourselves a walk round Devoke Water for many years, and had in fact enjoyed a walk on an adjacent Stainton Pike not too long ago.

Today the weather continues to be really sunny so we took the opportunity to enjoy a new walk on a fine day in the south western Lakes.

Parking on the junction on the Birker Fell Road, we started by walking up the bridle way which leads to Devoke Water.

Our first encounter with the tarn and the classic boat house did not disappoint. It is a very beautiful, wild place.

Our route follows the description in Wainwright's Outlying Fells Book. The route circumnavigates the lake via it's surrounding summits.

On reaching the high point on the track, we took a feint path up to our first summit of Rough Crag.

This was the first of the six summits we plan to climb today.

Click here for a full 360 degree panorama

Rough Crag - the breeze is already starting to show.

We don't normally use the mobile phone on the fells, but we we received a call from our son . . .

Ann's happy smile meant that he had passed his final exam and is now a fully fledged Driving Instructor !

As we had stopped to shelter from the breeze to take the phone call

we also took the opportunity to relax in the warm sunshine to have a spot of lunch.

Afterwards we continued on our way round the lake.

The next summit was Water Crag.

Between the precariously built stones and the adjacent rock we could see the distant Isle of Man, out there in the middle of the Irish Sea.

The increasing wind was giving serious hair trouble	and Bethan and Harry had to hold on tight to maintain their position

Two tops completed, Ann makes her way down to the western end of the lake.

Ahead was White Pike (right) and Woodend Height (left) the third and fifth tops in the round.

The outflow from the lake has a delightful and unexpected waterfall.

In this gentle rolling grassland amphitheatre, the outlet stream beyond the falls has cut a deep cleft in the rock as it drops down to the River Esk.

Wainwright and the Ordnance Survey both mention several ancient cairns in the area.

This is one of the prominent ones as we start our climb on the other side of the outflow. It has been adapted over time to form a small shelter.

On this circular walk the lake always played centre stage, and the intense blue today only serves to emphasise the fact.

We are looking north east here, across Devoke to Scafell, Bowfell and Crinkle, and round to Harter Fell.

This circuit, as you had probably gathered is on the western side of the Lake District where a number of smaller but still interesting summits are there, just waiting to be climbed.   Our plan is to gradually complete all the walks in the Outlying Fells book as they seem to cover all the outer areas which are often just as beautiful, and certainly quieter.   Beyond the summit of White Pike is Stainton Pike which we combined with a walk to Rowan Tree Force on a sunny day last November

Our elevated position now gave us even clearer views down to the Ravenglass main line viaduct

and across to the Isle of Man with it's summit of Snaefell about fifty miles (80km) away.

The elevated position also increased the wind strength as we climbed to our highest point today, Yoadcastle, at 1605 ft.

A windy summit of Yoadcastle tests the Icebreaker shirt, which receives full marks for warmth.

Harry at Yoadcastle summit tarn. Click here or on the picture for a brief video from the top.   ( The 40 second video should open a new window and play in your Windows Media Player) ( It may take a minute or so to download on slower connection speeds - please be patient ) (Make sure your PC speakers are switched, on but not too loud )

On now to our fifth summit, that of Woodend Height.

It is the prominent cairn as seen from Devoke Water, but takes it's name from Woodend Farm in the Crosby Gill valley below.

As Woodend Height summit is in view from the lake, so we regain our view of the lake from it's summit.

Behind is the wide backdrop of the Lakeland Fells. Who said "outliers" aren't interesting walks.

A few close ups now despite the slight haze - Great Gable and the Westmorland Crags, above the grassy slopes of Scafell.

Bowfell as seen over upper Eskdale, and the just visible Low Birker Tarn.

Scafell and Slight Side, the lower summit on it's southern ridge, seen here behind Seat How, the sixth top we climb today.

The old boathouse on Devoke Water has been in view most of the day . . .

. . . so it deserves a close up photo all of it's own.

The main part of the building seems intact, but the rear section has fallen into disrepair.

Perhaps there is a grant somewhere that could encourage the owners to re-roof it and offer it as a remote bothy for overnight stays ?

Almost Scottish in it's wild, lonely "loch-side" position.

The last climb now as the sun reflects directly of the lake, turning the Boathouse into silhouette.

The view from Seat How with the car and the end of the walk in sight.

Just one more slight boggy Tewit Moss to cover. I hope it's dry.

Oh well !! Ann returns to the car with one wet foot.

Still' it's been a great walk today with wonderful sunshine, if rather windy at times.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon G7 Digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . only one wet foot !!!! ( Thanks Richard )

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Previous walk - 29th April 2007 Lank Rigg and Whoap on John's birthday

A previous time up here - 1st November 2006 Stainton Pike and the Rowan Tree Falls

Next walk - 2nd May 2007 A catbells Litter Pick with George Fisher's Staff