Cat Bells

A beatiful view down Derwent Water 

April the first; and I was away for the weekend in Keswick, Lake District with my wife. It was a beautiful warm April fools day and we were heading for Cat Bells.

I didn’t know this hill was a Wainwright mountain or there was a list, but this little unassuming fell would be the first Lake District Fell of a list of 214 fells that would take years to complete, if indeed I was able to. I have Crohn's Disease, which is a disease of the bowel. My health would get in the way of such a challenge wouldn't it?........... A fool?..............

This walk has got to have one of the best starts in the Lake District. Catching one of the many cruise boats on Derwent Water from Keswick jetty. The boat takes about 20 minutes to arrive at Hawes End, but during the boat trip, excellent views of Cat Bells can be seen.

Approaching Hawes End and Cat Bells

My wife and I walked through some tree cover before heading up the winding path to Brandelhow at 338m which is the first hump.

View of Keswick and the Skiddaw and Blencathra mountains behind

My wife doesn’t like hill walking and had really had enough, but I really wanted to make the summit. I wasn’t going back down the fell without making to the summit. I suggested her having a sit down to admire the view of Keswick and Derwent Water. She agreed, and I continued up towards the peak. 

Looking at the Newlands Valley from Cat Bells

Just below the peak is a very easy scramble, but a woman was having difficulty negotiating it. She was being coached by a guy who was telling her where to hold on.

I just flew passed her, and I remember the guy saying to her ”like that” as I continued to the summit.

Cat Bells is an easy Fell to climb, for the views it affords the walker. I couldn’t spend too long up here, I’d left my wife down below, but this was Wainwright number one.

I was soon back down to the col and met my wife. We followed the steep path down the east side of the Fell, returning to the jetty at Hawes End and the boat back to Keswick.

Hawes End jetty