Hen Comb
Encyclopedia
Hen Comb is a fell
in the west of the English Lake District
. One of the Loweswater Fells it lies to the south of Loweswater lake
and Loweswater village
. Although of only moderate height, its ascent can be difficult as it is largely surrounded by bogs.
occupy a triangular sector of the Lake District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north east and Wasdale
to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are Great Gable
and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of Ennerdale
, the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley. Hen Comb and the other Loweswater Fells form the extremity of the northern arm.
The Loweswater Fells have been compared to the digits of a hand, radiating out south westward from the "palm" centred on Loweswater village. From the west these are Burnbank Fell
, Blake Fell
, Gavel Fell
, Hen Comb and Mellbreak
, the "thumb".
Hen Comb is a linear ridge, beginning in the fields of the Loweswater valley and climbing away southwards. The initial ascent is crowned by the subsidiary top of Little Dodd (1,187 ft), before the ridge flattens out for a quarter of a mile. Beyond is the final climb to the rounded dome of the summit, which has steep slopes on all sides. There is a connecting depression on the south west flank which leads to Floutern Cop, an outlier of Gavel Fell
.
Hen Comb has no direct topographical link with Mellbreak
to the east, the two parallel ridges being separated by the wet valley of Mosedale. The head of Mosedale curves westward around the summit of Hen Comb, its source being at Floutern Tarn
. This long slender pool has a grim quality in most conditions, being sandwiched between Floutern Crag and an embankment of giant boulders. Great Borne
and Starling Dodd
rise to the south. The western boundary of the fell is formed by Whiteoak Beck which, like Mosedale Beck, joins the outflow of Loweswater. Across the valley are Gavel Fell and Blake Fell
, while its marshy source at Whiteoak Moss lies just below Floutern Cop.
and siltstone
, often associated with the Skiddaw
group.
Whiteoak Mine operated on the north western slopes, lead
being won from a series of workings between 1864 and 1891. The pit for a 40 ft waterwheel can still be seen. Mosedale Mine on the eastern flanks was a less successful trial, also for lead. There are also the remains of an iron mine near the outlet of Floutern Tarn, worked patchily through the 1860s.
atop the grassy dome marks the summit, from which a respectable view can be seen. The Buttermere
valley is a highpoint with the Grasmoor
range beyond. Both arms of the Western Fells are also seen to good effect.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
in the west of the English Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
. One of the Loweswater Fells it lies to the south of Loweswater lake
Loweswater
Loweswater is one of the smaller lakes in the English Lake District. The village of Loweswater is situated at the foot of the lake.The lake is not far from Cockermouth and is also easily reached from elsewhere in West Cumbria. The group of fells to the south of Loweswater is known as the Loweswater...
and Loweswater village
Loweswater, Cumbria
Loweswater is a village and civil parish in the county of Cumbria, England.-Village:The village lies between the Lake District lakes of Loweswater and Crummock Water, about south of Cockermouth and within the Lake District National Park...
. Although of only moderate height, its ascent can be difficult as it is largely surrounded by bogs.
Topography
The Western FellsWestern Fells
The Western Fells are a group of hills in the English Lake District. Centred on Great Gable they occupy a triangular area between Buttermere and Wasdale...
occupy a triangular sector of the Lake District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north east and Wasdale
Wasdale
Wasdale is a valley and civil parish in the western part of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The River Irt flows through the valley to its estuary at Ravenglass. A large part of the main valley floor is occupied by Wastwater, the deepest lake in England...
to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are Great Gable
Great Gable
Great Gable is a mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, appearing as a pyramid from Wasdale , but as a dome from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit...
and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of Ennerdale
Ennerdale
Ennerdale may refer to:* Ennerdale, Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa* Ennerdale Water, a lake in the Lake District in England**Ennerdale Bridge, a nearby settlement...
, the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley. Hen Comb and the other Loweswater Fells form the extremity of the northern arm.
The Loweswater Fells have been compared to the digits of a hand, radiating out south westward from the "palm" centred on Loweswater village. From the west these are Burnbank Fell
Burnbank Fell
Burnbank Fell is a small hill in the west of the English Lake District. It is the most westerly of the Loweswater Fells, a group of low grassy hills lying just south of Loweswater. The hill is predominantly grassy with sprawling flanks and a broad ridge connecting it to Blake Fell...
, Blake Fell
Blake Fell
Blake Fell is a hill in the Western part of the English Lake District. It is the highest point of the Loweswater Fells, an area of low grassy hills with steep sides overlooking the lake of Loweswater. The fell also overlooks the village of Loweswater, from which it can be climbed. An alternative...
, Gavel Fell
Gavel Fell
Gavel Fell is a hill in the English Lake District. Centremost of the five Loweswater Fells in the western part of the District, it stands between Hen Comb and Blake Fell...
, Hen Comb and Mellbreak
Mellbreak
Mellbreak is a hill in the Western part of the English Lake District. Despite being surrounded on all sides by higher fells , it stands in isolation. It is surrounded on three sides by a 'moat' of deep marshy land, and on the east side by the lake of Crummock Water...
, the "thumb".
Hen Comb is a linear ridge, beginning in the fields of the Loweswater valley and climbing away southwards. The initial ascent is crowned by the subsidiary top of Little Dodd (1,187 ft), before the ridge flattens out for a quarter of a mile. Beyond is the final climb to the rounded dome of the summit, which has steep slopes on all sides. There is a connecting depression on the south west flank which leads to Floutern Cop, an outlier of Gavel Fell
Gavel Fell
Gavel Fell is a hill in the English Lake District. Centremost of the five Loweswater Fells in the western part of the District, it stands between Hen Comb and Blake Fell...
.
Hen Comb has no direct topographical link with Mellbreak
Mellbreak
Mellbreak is a hill in the Western part of the English Lake District. Despite being surrounded on all sides by higher fells , it stands in isolation. It is surrounded on three sides by a 'moat' of deep marshy land, and on the east side by the lake of Crummock Water...
to the east, the two parallel ridges being separated by the wet valley of Mosedale. The head of Mosedale curves westward around the summit of Hen Comb, its source being at Floutern Tarn
Tarn (lake)
A tarn is a mountain lake or pool, formed in a cirque excavated by a glacier. A moraine may form a natural dam below a tarn. A corrie may be called a cirque.The word is derived from the Old Norse word tjörn meaning pond...
. This long slender pool has a grim quality in most conditions, being sandwiched between Floutern Crag and an embankment of giant boulders. Great Borne
Great Borne
Great Borne is a fell in the English Lake District with a height of . It is a rather secluded hill situated at the western end of the long ridge which divides the Ennerdale and Buttermere valleys.-Name:...
and Starling Dodd
Starling Dodd
Starling Dodd is a fell in the western part of the English Lake District, located between the valleys of Ennerdale and Buttermere, on the ridge between Great Borne to its west and Red Pike to its east...
rise to the south. The western boundary of the fell is formed by Whiteoak Beck which, like Mosedale Beck, joins the outflow of Loweswater. Across the valley are Gavel Fell and Blake Fell
Blake Fell
Blake Fell is a hill in the Western part of the English Lake District. It is the highest point of the Loweswater Fells, an area of low grassy hills with steep sides overlooking the lake of Loweswater. The fell also overlooks the village of Loweswater, from which it can be climbed. An alternative...
, while its marshy source at Whiteoak Moss lies just below Floutern Cop.
Geology and Mining
The rocks of Hen Comb are of the Kirkstile Formation, laminated mudstoneMudstone
Mudstone is a fine grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Grain size is up to 0.0625 mm with individual grains too small to be distinguished without a microscope. With increased pressure over time the platey clay minerals may become aligned, with the...
and siltstone
Siltstone
Siltstone is a sedimentary rock which has a grain size in the silt range, finer than sandstone and coarser than claystones.- Description :As its name implies, it is primarily composed of silt sized particles, defined as grains 1/16 - 1/256 mm or 4 to 8 on the Krumbein phi scale...
, often associated with the Skiddaw
Skiddaw
Skiddaw is a mountain in the Lake District National Park in England. With a summit at 931 m above sea level it is the fourth highest mountain in England. It lies just north of the town of Keswick, Cumbria, and dominates the skyline in this part of the northern lakes...
group.
Whiteoak Mine operated on the north western slopes, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
being won from a series of workings between 1864 and 1891. The pit for a 40 ft waterwheel can still be seen. Mosedale Mine on the eastern flanks was a less successful trial, also for lead. There are also the remains of an iron mine near the outlet of Floutern Tarn, worked patchily through the 1860s.
Summit and view
A cairnCairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
atop the grassy dome marks the summit, from which a respectable view can be seen. The Buttermere
Buttermere
Buttermere is a lake in the English Lake District in North West England. The adjacent village of Buttermere takes its name from the lake. Historically within the former county of Cumberland, the lake is now within the county of Cumbria. It is owned by the National Trust, forming part of their...
valley is a highpoint with the Grasmoor
Grasmoor
Grasmoor is a mountain in the north-western part of the Lake District, northern England. It is the highest peak in a group of hills between the villages of Lorton, Braithwaite and Buttermere, and overlooks Crummock Water....
range beyond. Both arms of the Western Fells are also seen to good effect.