Armboth Fell

Thirlmere drowned the place this fell is named after. When the reservoir was made in the 1880s the settlement of Armboth went under, and in the forest above the western shore you can still find scattered ruins, old enclosures and tracks. The summerhouse is all that stands of Armboth Hall.

Park at the United Utilities car park at Armboth, on the minor road along the west side of Thirlmere. A very rough track climbs the south bank of Fisher Gill into the trees, crosses the gill on stepping stones and comes out behind Fisher Crag. From there you pick your own way, as no marked path goes to the top. The other approach starts at the Dob Gill car park further south: take the bridleway towards Watendlath onto the main ridge between Ullscarf and High Tove, then strike north.

Expect bog. The top is a domed plateau about three quarters of a mile across, wet underfoot and thick with heather. Nothing needs your hands, but progress is slow, and navigation matters more than fitness.

A small rock outcrop with a cairn marks the summit, and a knoll to the north east is almost as high. The view from the top is limited. For Thirlmere and the Helvellyn range, walk out to Fisher Crag, which looks straight across the water. On the way down by Fisher Gill, look out for the perched boulder that Wainwright pointed out, roughly 12 feet high.

High Tove is a short, wet step to the north west. For a longer day, start at Thirlmere dam and take in Raven Crag first.