Burnbank Fell from Loweswater, Holme Wood on its flanks.
Height: 1580 feet above sea level was an approximation of Wainwright’s. Later OS maps have a spot height of 475 metres on the summit, which is 1558 feet, so he overestimated it slightly.
Volume: Book 7 (The Western Fells)
Date climbed: 11th June 2011 (walk 37)
Bagged as number: 119 of 330. [ << Stone Arthur (118) (120) Blake Fell >> ]
Burnbank Fell from Blake Fell. Criffell (one of the Galloway HIlls in Scotland) visible in the far distance.
Route of ascent and descent: Came up from Loweswater, more-or-less by the route described on page Burnbank Fell 3 except that I started at the other end of the lake. Left on the ridge to Blake Fell.
What Mr Wainwright says (from page 1 of his chapter): “This is a dull hill, with little to suggest the grandeur of the mountain masses piled inland from it and nothing to divert the attention of a passing traveller. Helped by Holme Wood the northern slope makes a colourful background to Loweswater and has a fine terrace path (not well enough known) contouring high above the lake with charming views…”
Burnbank Fell above Loweswater, viewed from Whiteside
What I say: I thought AW’s assessment of “dull” a little unfair, actually. Yes, the top itself was flat and without interest, but everything else I saw of the fell I liked. Holme Wood is beautiful, and would be so even if it were not by the utterly peaceful little lake of Loweswater. The terrace path is definitely worth a visit, and then there is Holme Force, an attractive waterfall spilling down into the wood in a series of jumps (see the picture on the main walk 37 page). All these are definitely worth a visit even if the summit is the least interesting part of the fell.
Also note that the summit does now have a cairn, and a fence, which were not there when Wainwright visited in 1964/5.
The 214 Wainwright fells: without a car 