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Muncaster Fell from Eskdale Green

Map for Muncaster Fell from Eskdale GreenThis short walk starts in the pretty village of Eskdale Green, and climbs up on the eastern end of Muncaster Fell, an isolated patch of high ground between the Esk and Mite valleys. A short walk, but one that offers spectacular views into the heart of Eskdale.

Ascent: 650ft
Length: 3 miles
Map: The English Lakes - South Western Area (OS Explorer Map Active)
Last Walked: December 2011

We start at either of the small roadside car parks in Eskdale Green

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Head west along the main street in Eskdale Green (the church will be on the left and the village shop on the right). Stay on the main street as it drops down towards the western edge of the village.
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Eskdale Green from HollowstonesStay on the road until you reach a lane that branches off to the left, signposted for Irton Road Station. Follow this lane as it crosses the railway, and then runs past Hollowstones and Foresthow farms.
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We follow the lane past Foresthow. Just past the buildings note a footpath on the left that we will be using later. Continue on along the lane for as long as it curves gently to the right. At the point where the lane turns slightly to the left, a footpath is signposted leaving to the right. Turn onto this footpath and follow it as it climbs across the field.
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Track on Silver KnottAt the end of this field the path passes through a gate and reaches the open fellside. A very clear path can be seen cutting across the southern flank of the hillside ahead. The OS map suggests that our path heads diagonally across this large field straight from the gate. In fact we need to follow a path that climbs up alongside a stone wall for a short distance, before turning left onto the clear path (if you reach a sharp corner in the wall then you've gone to far).
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Muncaster Fell from Silver KnottThe well-built path (built up onto a ledge in many places), runs around the southern flank of Silver Knott. A number of paths branch off to the right to climb up onto the knott, but I suggest staying with the main path until it reaches the drop between Silver Knott and the main bulk of Muncaster Fell. At this point a clear path branches off to the right and climbs up towards the summit of Silver Knott.
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Eskdale from Silver KnottA fairly clear path runs along the summit of Silver Knott, visiting the various outcroppings, before dropping back down the northern slopes. This path eventually runs alongside a stone wall, then turns right at a field corner to rejoin the path we left at step 4. Retrace your steps back down the path, onto the lane and turn left to head back in the direction of Foresthow.
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Just before reaching Foresthow turn right onto the path we noted in step three. Follow this path as it crosses the railway.
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Continue on in the same direction across the next field and pass through a field gate to reach a lane. Turn left onto this lane and follow it to the edge of the village. Here we turn left onto a lane that runs through the village to reach the main road close to the shop and our starting point.

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