Fair Snape Fell from Fell Foot


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5th July 2020

With a free weekend to roam I couldn't but help feel a tad frustrated when the forecast put a halt to my walking plans with showers and high winds forecast not just across the Lake District but for north of England extending as far as the south of Scotland. Despite the high winds I couldn't just sit at home doing nothing or worse, wishing I was somewhere else so by mid Sunday morning I decided to head to the Forest of Bowland to walk Parlick and Fair Snape Fell.

I always feel guilty when I walk these fells mainly because they've always been my plan B fells and to be fair both Parlick and Fair Snape Fell are both worthy a visit when the weather is at its best, in fact I told myself that this would be a cracking Winter walk when snow is on the ground so that's a little promise I made myself.

Todays walk couldn't be more simple as my plan is to walk over Parlick to Fair Snape Fell then head back the same way, or it would have been had I not seen the path that flanked Parlick on its east flank which I used on my way back to Fell Foot.

Ordnance Survey

Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale

Overview

Ascent:	1,079 Feet - 329 Metres
Hewitst:	2, Parlick - Fair Snape Fell
Weather:	Overcast & Fleeting Showers. Highs of 15°C Lows of 11.3°C Max Wind Speed 39.2mph
Parking:	Road Side Parking Fell Foot Farm
Area:	Forest of Bowland
Miles:	4
Walking With:	On My Own
Ordnance Survey:	OL41
Time Taken:	1 Hours 45 Minutes
Route:	Fell Foot Farm - Parlick - Blindhurst Fell - Fair Snape Fell - Blindhurst Fell - Parlick Fell West Flank - Fell Foot Farm

Parking Details and Map

Nearest Post Code:	PR3 2NQ
Grid Reference:	SD 601 442
Notes:

Map and Photo Gallery

Distant views of Longridge Fell from the ascent of Parlick 12:45pm

I wasn't quite sure if Id find a parking space but I got lucky and managed to park in the parking spaces ahead of Fell Foot. I only had to turn the engine off to hear the howling wind outside which made kitting up feel like the middle of Autumn rather than mid Summer. For the first time instead of taking the easier gradient path on the west side of Parlick I ascend steeply straight up the nose of the fell.

A distant Pendle Hill comes into view.

Seen over on the left.

Fair Snape Fell from Parlick summit.

Despite conditions I made it from car to summit in just nineteen minutes, not like I was counting mind probably just eager to get out!

Descending Parlick towards Blindhurst Fell with Fair Snape Fell seen over on the left.

Nice and easy walking from here on in.

Passing the wooden gate on Blindhurst Fell.

Normally I'd pass through the gate and have the fence to my right but seeing as I'm about to join a stone wall seen up ahead Im hoping it provides a bit of shelter from the strong westerly winds.

Looking back over Blindhurst Fell towards Parlick.

For a few moments it looked like the sun was trying to poke through.

Blindhurst Fell and Parlick.

But it didn't last but nice when it did, anyway hopefully that's not the last I'll see of the sunshine.

Fair Snape Fell summit Trig Point.

It looked like I was going to have the summit to myself until a mother and her daughter arrived from the direction of Holme House Fell, with Hi's passed I made my way towards the summit and recorded a max wind speed of 27.9mph which seemed odd as for much of the ascent of FSF I'd almost been blown sideways a couple of times.

Blindhurst Fell and Parlick from Fair Snape Fell.

More sunshine makes Paul a happy boy.

Paddy's Pole, Fair Snape Fell.

Blindhurst Fell and Parlick.

The mother and daughter had left right about the time the sun decided to come out for a few minutes so I hung around and took in the views whilst listening to the wind howl through the wild grasses, just bliss that was.

Blindhurst Fell and Parlick.

Conditions were changing but remained mostly atmospheric with showers passing in the distance at a point when the wind just seemed to be getting stronger so I took out my anemometer and recorded a max wind speed of 39.2mph, at that speed your walking poles don't go where you want them too and you find yourself straying off path as the wind tries to toss your body about. It was at this point I was feeling thankful that I hadn't took to the Lakeland fells on the day that I'd planned to climb Black Combe from Whitbeck.

Looking back on Blindhurst Fell and Fair Snape Fell from the Parlick west flank.

Feeling like I'd done a few spins in the tumble drier I passed over Blindhurst Fell and noticed the seat of rock named Nick's Chair but it was just too windy to stray off path to go and have a closer look, maybe next time.

Back at Fell Foot.

It was the first time I'd flanked Parlick from the west and knew the path would be narrow in parts of which took a line through peat hags before joining up with a ruined stone fence and then a wire fence which climbed towards the summit. It was here I pass three fella's who appeared to be local possibly farmers, they we're friendly and I received a Lancashire a'reet from the trio as I passed, next I pass a chap who had been flying a radio controlled plane which by now was just lying on the ground no doubt waiting for the winds to ease but I reckon he was in for a long wait.

The mother and daughter were by now descending Parlick via the steep direct path, the same one I'd used earlier and somehow whilst flanking the hill to the west I must have over taken them. The winds eased the lower I descended but it was still feeling like Autumn and I wouldn't have been surprised to find the trees had been stripped of their leaves given how windy its been today but aside that, I still managed to steel a cracking couple of hours fell time.