Low Fell

Low Fell and Fellbarrow stand at either end of a two-mile ridge above the Vale of Lorton, and most people climb them together. Thackthwaite, a hamlet in the vale, is the easiest place to set off from, but the short layby just north of the houses holds only a couple of cars, so arrive early. A signed footpath goes through the farm and up a rough, steep lane that turns into a stream in wet weather, then through fields to an old drove road round the shoulder of Watching Crag. The drove road carries on over Sourfoot Fell and climbs steeply to the top. Other ways up come from the Mosser road over Darling Fell, or straight up Crabtree Beck from the Loweswater side.

Walk Lakes' loop from Thackthwaite takes in Smithy Fell and Sourfoot Fell as well as both main tops, 7.7 km with about 450 m of climbing. It is mostly grass and mossy paths beside fences, and some of it is wet. Paths are faint in places, so bring a map.

The south top

The true summit is a small outcrop with a cairn among short grass and big rocks. The south top, which Wainwright treated as the summit, has the better view. You look over the Vale of Lorton and down Crummock Water to Buttermere, with the Grasmoor fells on one side and the High Stile ridge on the other. The east and south sides fall steeply, and Raven Crag and Watching Crag are the main rocks. The western slopes are long and gentle.

For years people argued over whether Low Fell or Fellbarrow was higher. New Ordnance Survey mapping settled it in Low Fell's favour.