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501:. A well-graded path now used exclusively for leisure, it was once a thoroughfare for trade between the valleys. The summit of the pass at 1,775 ft (541 m) is crossed by the Ennerdale Fence, a boundary marking the watershed around the head of the valley. Although some sections of the 'fence' are actually stone walls, that running over the top of Kirk Fell is only a remnant, marked by occasional posts.
31:
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The
Ennerdale face of Kirk Fell has more features to offer, but due to the remoteness of the dalehead is much less familiar. A wall of rock rims the summit plateau, Boat How Crags to the east and Kirkfell Crags to the west. Between the two is the hollow of Baysoar Slack, the birthplace of Sail Beck.
474:
Kirk Fell sits squarely at the head of
Wasdale, rising between the main headstreams of Mosedale and Lingmell Becks. From this direction it appears as a truncated cone, steep sided with a wide level top. The flanks above Wasdale are unremittingly steep, 2,000 ft (600 m) of grass and scree
660:
On 3 June 2022 Mitchell Dixon, Jordan
Mcguirk and Matty Todd (All local to Cumbria) become the first known trio to climb the nose of Kirk fell repeatedly until they accumulated the same altitude as Mt Everest. 13 times up and down. They completed the challenge in under 3 days.
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523:
The summit plateau of Kirk Fell assumes a 'figure of eight' shape in plan, the narrow waist squeezed between
Illgill Head and Baysoar Slack. The highest ground is to the west, while a subsidiary top occupies the other section.
505:
Below the crags the gradient is not quite as severe as on the
Wasdale side, slopes running down to the bank of the River Liza. Kirk Fell does not have such a prominent position in Ennerdale, Great Gable standing at the
630:. More conventional ascents can be made via Black Sail or Beck Head, the former providing easier gradients. Black Sail can also be used to give access from Ennerdale, although unless staying at Black Sail
180:
213:
1020:
341:
416:. Usual ascents are by one of the aforementioned passes; alternatively one may climb Kirk Fell as part of the Mosedale Horseshoe, a walk on the fells surrounding
591:
set amid an area of stones. The east top has a cairn set on a rocky outcrop. Some remains of the old fence can be found on the watershed, crossing both tops.
285:
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connecting to Great Gable. A small rocky spur, Rib End, runs down from the summit plateau to the tarns at the depression. Although prominently named on
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with little to break the monotony. The only stream on these slopes is Ill Gill, falling from the depression between the summit and the east top.
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To the west, between Kirk Fell and Pillar, is Black Sail Pass. This is a pedestrian route from
Wasdale to Ennerdale, and from there onward via
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315:
113:
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a relentless and unremitting treadmill, a turf clutching crawl, not a walk. There are only three opportunities of standing upright…
436:
to the south-east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of
Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are
520:
maps, Beckhead Tarn is a small shallow pool with a bed of peat and submerged flags. A second smaller pool forms after heavy rain.
444:, the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley. Kirk Fell is the first on the southern arm.
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Great Gable fills the eastern view, Gable Crag and the Napes seen in fascinating profile. Across
Wasdale rise the
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540:. The deeper pool is an oval, while the other has an indented outline, reminiscent of Sprinkling Tarn on
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The main watershed runs broadly westwards from Great Gable, dividing the headwaters of
Ennerdale and
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occupy a triangular sector of the Lake
District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north-east and
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A path of sorts ascends direct from the village of Wasdale Head to the summit, the way being in
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and subordinate sills of the Birker Fell Formation. The northern crags expose some granophyric
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to the south. However, it is separated from its two higher neighbours by the low passes of
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ranges are well seen in the other direction. There are also more distant glimpses of the
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in its own right. Between the summits is Kirkfell Tarn, actually two small
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and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of
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To the east of Kirk Fell is Beck Head (2,020 feet, 620 m), the
693:
A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Volume 7 The Western Fells
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412:
is exceptionally steep and the subject of an amusing drawing by
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The summit area consists of drift deposits overlying the
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of the Ennerdale Intrusion, together with the bedded
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408:The direct ascent up the south-western slope from
734:British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps,
489:seen from Kirk Fell Tarn between the two summits
451:. The main fells in this section are Kirk Fell,
1005:
780:
637:Kirk Fell can also be climbed as part of the
8:
684:
682:
680:
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998:
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377:on the long ring of fells surrounding the
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236:Show map of the former Borough of Copeland
20:
532:(34 metres, 112 ft) to qualify as a
710:
708:
670:
7:
736:England & Wales Sheets 29 and 38
18:Fell in the Lake District, England
14:
220:
187:
1079:
981:Full list of Wainwrights by area
393:and Beck Head, giving it a high
219:
212:
186:
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29:
718:: Lakeland Manor Press (2003):
695:: Westmorland Gazette (1966):
1:
203:Show map of the Lake District
200:Location in the Lake District
587:The main top is marked by a
420:, a side-valley of Wasdale.
233:Location in Copeland Borough
1509:8. Southern Yorkshire Dales
1453:7. Northern Yorkshire Dales
365:in the Western part of the
1712:
1676:Fells of the Lake District
1077:
347:787 m (2,581 ft)
55:802 m (2,631 ft)
978:
805:
751:: Collins Willow (1994):
579:of the Round How Member.
369:. It is situated between
172:
28:
716:Exploring Lakeland Tarns
467:, followed by the lower
65:181 m (594 ft)
749:Complete Lakeland Fells
738:: BGS (1999) and (1998)
385:, and also stands over
490:
405:in the Lake District.
1628:10. Forest of Bowland
1556:Great Knoutberry Hill
940:Red Pike (Buttermere)
481:
367:English Lake District
153:Hill above the church
1595:9. North York Moors
1089:2. Northern Lakeland
1696:Borough of Copeland
1681:Marilyns of England
1485:Nine Standards Rigg
1309:5. Eastern Lakeland
1120:3. Western Lakeland
1023:of Northern England
319:
150:English translation
125: /
1686:Hewitts of England
1604:Bishop Wilton Wold
1470:Great Shunner Fell
945:Red Pike (Wasdale)
639:Mosedale Horseshoe
526:Kirk Fell East Top
507:head of the valley
491:
403:thirteenth highest
337:Kirk Fell East Top
314:
45:Highest point
1663:
1662:
1415:6. North Pennines
1356:Hutton Roof Crags
1213:Southern Lakeland
1029:1. Northumberland
987:
986:
689:Alfred Wainwright
641:, also taking in
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1366:Little Mell Fell
1230:Coniston Old Man
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612:Helvellyn ranges
397:and making it a
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158:Language of name
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129:54.483°N 3.242°W
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1614:Gisborough Moor
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1561:Great Whernside
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1391:Stony Cove Pike
1331:Great Mell Fell
1326:Grayrigg Forest
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1211:4. Central and
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542:Seathwaite Fell
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518:Ordnance Survey
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395:relative height
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35:Kirk Fell from
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1495:Wild Boar Fell
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1295:Top o' Selside
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1285:Pike of Blisco
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1280:Muncaster Fell
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1275:Loughrigg Fell
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1270:Lingmoor Fell
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830:Burnbank Fell
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799:Western Fells
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757:0-00-713629-3
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104:
101:
97:
93:
89:
86:
84:
80:
77:
74:
72:
68:
64:
62:
58:
54:
52:
48:
43:
39:by Ann Bowker
38:
32:
27:
22:
16:
1650:Ward's Stone
1609:Cringle Moor
1566:Ingleborough
1526:Buckden Pike
1490:Rogan's Seat
1336:Gummer's How
1290:Scafell Pike
1260:Illgill Head
1161:
909:
796:Wainwright's
748:
743:
735:
730:
715:
714:Blair, Don:
692:
659:
636:
632:Youth Hostel
627:
624:Wainwright's
621:
598:, while the
593:
586:
551:
525:
522:
511:
503:
492:
487:Scafell Pike
473:
446:
427:
410:Wasdale Head
407:
358:
357:
305:
301:
263:Parent range
15:
1571:Pen-y-ghent
1536:Cracoe Fell
1444:Mickle Fell
1439:Dufton Pike
1386:Seat Sandal
1351:High Street
1341:Hallin Fell
1265:Kirkby Moor
1240:Harter Fell
1220:Black Combe
1167:Lord's Seat
1147:Great Gable
1071:Tosson Hill
1066:Sighty Crag
1036:The Cheviot
930:Middle Fell
875:Grey Knotts
870:Green Gable
865:Great Gable
860:Great Borne
554:plagioclase
438:Great Gable
371:Great Gable
162:Old English
132: /
107:Coordinates
76:Great Gable
71:Parent peak
1670:Categories
1655:White Hill
1551:Great Coum
1521:Birks Fell
1460:Baugh Fell
1434:Cross Fell
1417:and Durham
1406:Whitbarrow
1376:Red Screes
1371:Place Fell
1255:Holme Fell
1245:High Raise
1235:Hard Knott
1202:Watch Hill
1157:High Stile
1127:Blake Fell
1101:Blencathra
950:Scoat Fell
905:High Stile
855:Gavel Fell
845:Fellbarrow
825:Buckbarrow
815:Blake Fell
810:Base Brown
665:References
651:Scoat Fell
600:High Stile
573:sandstones
530:prominence
499:Buttermere
495:Scarth Gap
457:Scoat Fell
424:Topography
414:Wainwright
391:Black Sail
302:Landranger
117:54°28′59″N
92:Wainwright
61:Prominence
37:Moses Trod
1619:Urra Moor
1586:Whernside
1581:Sharp Haw
1429:Cold Fell
1396:Tarn Crag
1346:Helvellyn
1321:Fairfield
1250:High Rigg
1192:Seatallan
1177:Mellbreak
1162:Kirk Fell
1132:Dale Head
1051:Peel Fell
1046:Long Crag
970:Yewbarrow
955:Seatallan
925:Mellbreak
915:Lank Rigg
910:Kirk Fell
900:High Crag
890:Haystacks
840:Crag Fell
820:Brandreth
643:Yewbarrow
483:Great End
469:Lank Rigg
442:Ennerdale
383:Ennerdale
359:Kirk Fell
227:Kirk Fell
194:Kirk Fell
168:Geography
120:3°14′31″W
51:Elevation
24:Kirk Fell
1691:Nuttalls
1531:Calf Top
1500:Yarlside
1465:The Calf
1401:Wansfell
1300:Whitfell
1197:Swinside
1187:Robinson
1172:Low Fell
1142:Grasmoor
1056:Ros Hill
1021:Marilyns
920:Low Fell
895:Hen Comb
835:Caw Fell
647:Red Pike
604:Grasmoor
596:Scafells
569:breccias
558:andesite
556:-phyric
465:Caw Fell
418:Mosedale
342:NY199107
326:Grid ref
306:Explorer
304:89, 90,
294:Topo map
286:NY195104
247:Location
1111:Skiddaw
965:Steeple
885:Haycock
618:Ascents
608:Skiddaw
565:granite
548:Geology
471:group.
461:Haycock
449:Wasdale
434:Wasdale
399:Marilyn
387:Wasdale
332:Status
280:OS grid
255:England
251:Cumbria
100:Nuttall
88:Marilyn
83:Listing
1480:Kisdon
1182:Pillar
1096:Binsey
935:Pillar
755:
722:
699:
655:Pillar
626:words
583:Summit
534:Hewitt
453:Pillar
401:, the
379:valley
375:Pillar
351:Hewitt
329:Height
145:Naming
96:Hewitt
1475:Hoove
1106:Knott
880:Grike
589:cairn
577:tuffs
561:lavas
538:tarns
361:is a
1137:Dent
753:ISBN
720:ISBN
697:ISBN
653:and
610:and
602:and
575:and
485:and
463:and
428:The
373:and
363:fell
323:Name
514:col
497:to
381:of
308:OL4
1672::
707:^
691::
673:^
657:.
649:,
645:,
614:.
571:,
509:.
459:,
455:,
299:OS
271:,
253:,
98:,
94:,
90:,
1013:e
1006:t
999:v
788:e
781:t
774:v
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