Watch Hill & Setmurthy Common

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Route: Kirkhouse, Hill's Wood, Watch Hill, Setmurthy Common, Setmurthy Plantation, Kirkhouse

Date: 05/03/2017
From: Isel

Parking: Isel Road
Start Point: Isel Road
Region: North Western Fells

Route length:  2.9 miles (4.6 km)
Time taken : 01:02
Average speed: 2.8 mph
Ascent: 238m
Descent: 243m

Outlying Fells on this walk: Watch Hill (235m), Setmurthy Common (254m)

Additional summits: None

Other Points of Interest: None

Watch Hill and Clints Crags are two of the most northerly fells in the Lake District and a return to the Wainwright Outlying Fells (having climbed Orrest Head a couple of years ago. I had thought I'd make a start on the eastern fells around Shap or Bannisdale but, having completed a morning walk from Whinlatter quicker than planned, I had a free afternoon for some old-school peak bagging.

This comprises two very short walks to create one short report - in total, these two fells comprise of just three miles of walking and a couple of miles driving - you probably do both on foot if you out for the whole day.

Leaving Whinlatter, my first task was to drive to Cockermouth and beyond, into the quiet areas to the north of the main National Park. Watch Hill would be my first objective.

Watch Hill is a small hill lying on the fringe of the Lake District. The name Setmurthy Common is sometimes used (including by Alfred Wainwright in his book The Outlying Fells of Lakeland) to refer to the area including the highest point, with "Watch Hill" describing the area to the west of the summit.

To create a short circuit (I do love a good circuit), I parked at the end of a bridleway close to Kirkhouse on the northern side of the hill. The bridleway gradually climbs the slopes, heading directly for the Watch Hill summit. It's an easy stroll - this time in some very pleasant weather.

The long bridleway towards Watch Hill

Clints Crags

The bridleway at Hill's Wood

Hill's Wood

Hill's Wood

Reaching Watch Hill, the views over Cockermouth are revealed, and rather good they are too. Despite its low height, Watch Hill is a Marilyn because of the large height separation from its neighbours. This 'detachedness' means that it is an excellent viewpoint. Skiddaw, Blencathra, the Lord's Seat group and Grisedale Pike are all seen.

Clints Crags

The Derwent valley

Looking west towards the Solway Firth

The Solway Firth and the hills of Scotland

Approaching the top of Watch Hill

Cockermouth

The top of Watch Hill

Looking towards the Vale of Lorton

The Vale of Lorton and the high Buttermere fells

A green, undulating ridge heads east to the top of Setmurthy Common, another of Wainwright's diminutive Outlying Fells. The top (along with modest cairn) sits at the junction of a couple of walls, prior to entering Setmurthy Woods.

Setmurthy Common

Ling Fell backed by the Coledale fells

Setmurthy Common

Setmurthy Common

Forestry Commission tracks cut through the woodland, wending their way back towards the valley to the north. I eventually emerged on the edge of the woodland where a fence leads along a field edge directly back to the bridleway and the car. The next stop would be Clints Crags.

Setmurthy Plantation

Setmurthy Plantation

Heading back to the car