High Seat (Lake District)

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High Seat
High Seat above the village of Watendlath. By Ann Bowker.
Elevation	608 m (1,995 ft)
Location	Cumbria, England
Range	Lake District
Prominence	124 m
Topo map	OS Explorer OL4
OS grid reference	NY287180
Listing	Wainwright

High Seat is a fell in the centre of the English Lake District. Despite being below 2,000 ft it is the highest point for about 5 miles in any direction; a consequence of the curious fact that the centre of the district is lower than the surrounding parts.

The main watershed of the central fells runs north-south, with Bleaberry Fell forming the northern end of the ridge. High Seat is the next fell to the south, before the land falls to High Tove.

High Seat sends out a spur to the north west, Dodd, and Ashness Gill — a feeder of Watendlath Beck — lies between this and the main ridge to Bleaberry Fell. Oddly, by the time the Gill reaches the famed viewpoint of Ashness Bridge, it has actually become Barrow Beck. The western flank here is clad in broadleaved woodland, but further south along Watendlath Beck this gives way to rock. Reecastle Crag being the principal face.

The southern boundary of the fell is formed by Raise Gill on the western side of the ridge and Shoulthwaite Gill in the east. To say that they drain The Peewits — the hideous bog on the ridge to High Tove — would be untrue, but they are fed by it. Shoulthwaite Gill does not head due east for Thirlmere as might be expected, but turns due north to form the eastern boundary. It is cut off from the reservoir by the lower parallel ridge of Raven Crag and High Rigg and instead makes a beeline for the River Greta. Mere Gill, one of its many tributaries forms the north eastern edge of High Seat. This flows from a point on the ridge to Bleaberry Fell which bears the bizarre name of Threefooted Brandreth.

The upper part of the fell, in excess of a mile square, is soft, peaty and drab. The exception is the ridge itself, which is considerably wetter. A fence runs along the ridge, a useful guide in mist and occasionally necessary for bog bouncing. The summit is set on a small rock platform with an Ordnance Survey column. A rocky knoll (called Man) stands on the other side of the fence. The views are extensive due to the central location and a lack of higher neighbours.

The most obvious routes of ascent are via Reecastle Crag, Ashness Gill and Shoulthwaite.