Difficulty: Easy
Wainwright Guide: Book Two – Far-Eastern Fe
Troutbeck Tongue sits proudly in the middle of the Troutbeck Valley, flanked on one side by the fells of the Kentmere Horseshoe and on the other by the Kirkstone pass. Although small it is a fantastic short hike and provides lovely views out towards Windermere on a sunny day!
Jonny and I headed up one evening after work in the summer. It was the perfect time of year as the surrounding scenery was awash with bright colours and amazing smells. We were fully prepared as always for all eventualities with supplies for us and Emi. It is definitely a good one to come back to and one of our locals, making it a top candidate for a lovely evening stroll! For visitors it is the perfect fell to start your Wainwright bagging journey or to warm up for the rest of your holiday.
Where to Start?
The road leading up towards Troutbeck Tongue is a private road and single track so parking for this one is a little tricky. We parked in a lay-by along the A592 and headed out from there.
If you park in the above lay-by, the first thing you’ll want to do is to head towards the Queen’s Head pub. Before you get there you need to take the first road on the left. There are other lay-bys to be found in either direction, this is just the closest of them.
Wander through some of the houses and you will come across a small lane on your left marked as a private road for vehicles. Head down here and follow the road all the way along.
You pass lots of beautiful fields along the way to the base of the fell. It’s a fairly peaceful approach and you truly feel immersed in the beauty of the Lake District. Troutbeck Tongue itself is visible for most of the walk along the lane.
Just before you get to the base of the fell you will come across a wooden gate. Go through, being sure to shut it properly behind you and your ascent will start from the grassy patch in front of the fell.
Ascent
From the large patch of grass at the base of the fell the lane will continue snaking away to the left. We followed the vaguely obvious path straight across the grass.
As you wander along the track you will be able to really appreciate the beck to your right. The Troutbeck Valley is so peaceful and the sound of running water just adds to the overall feeling of tranquility. You will soon come to another gate across the track. You will want to pass through this gate and take the track almost immediately to your left that starts the steepest part of the ascent.
A small stile comes up fairly quickly and from here the track will begin to snake upwards through the bracken.
The day we had chosen to go up it was pretty hot and the steepness of the ascent was a bit of a slog. We took regular breaks and made sure to keep ourselves well hydrated.
A small grassy plateau allows you to catch your breath a little before continuing on with your ascent through a small gate.
The last little scramble is a pleasant relief after the almost vertical climb that’s already been undertaken. It soon smooths out into the grassy fell top where the path to the summit cairn is again fairly obvious.
The Summit
Troutbeck Tongue is one of the fells lucky enough to have a cairn. The best views are looking Southwards, down the Troutbeck Valley and over to Windermere. You can see the entire route you’ve just walked giving you a proper sense of achievement.
Towards the East you can look out onto the Kentmere Horseshoe towering above and to the West over the Kirkstone Pass the Eastern Fells become visible.
From the summit you cairn you can continue to head northwards and go on to some of the other fells in the area, or even descend on a path towards the Western side of the fell.
Descent
We chose to head back in the way in which we came because we wanted to keep looking out of the view of the Troutbeck Valley.
Just as we started descending off the grassy summit plateau we came across a fabulous view point. It’s the perfect place for a quick snack or a drink of water.
Just as the ascent was steep, so was the descent. It really took it out of our already tired legs but the views were well worth it.
We very much enjoyed our peaceful walk along the lane back towards the car. When you’re coming back through the houses ready to rejoin the A592 you can always turn left instead of right and head for a quick pint in the Queens Head. After the steep hike it is well worth it!
Overall I really enjoyed our hike to Troutbeck Tongue. Although small it is a fair challenge and has splendid and unique views. A large part of the charm is the walk along Ing Lane towards the base of the fell, especially in the summer months where the farming landscape is arguably at its most beautiful. Highly recommeded!
Similar fells in terms of small height vs steep ascent include Rannerdale Knotts and Loughrigg, so if you’ve completed these you’ll find no problem with Troutbeck Tongue.
Have you completed Troutbeck Tongue yet? Let me know in the comments!
