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

Topography 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 the spur of Dodd to the north west, separated from the body of the fell by Ashness Gill — a feeder of Watendlath Beck. 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 name of Threefooted Brandreth: (a brandreth being the word for a three-legged stand in an oven on which a griddle was placed when cakes etc. were baked.)

Litt's Memorial Below Threefooted Brandreth on the eastern slope, sitting on a shallow saddle above Mere Ghyll is the Litt's Memorial. On 9 March 1880 John Litt was following the Blencathra Foxhounds when he inexplicably fell behind and failed to return. A search party found his body at that place the following day. As recorded in the "English Lakes Visitor and Keswick Guardian" for March 1880: Man found dead on the mountains – Early on Wednesday morning it was reported that two men, named John Litt and John Vickers, who had been following the Blencathra hounds the previous day had not returned. Litt had been last seen on the bog about 200 yards west of Raven Crag where he had been, with other, resting and watching the hounds in the valley below. … Although he seemed somewhat fatigued he did not complain, and the hunters, absorbed in the chase did not look behind. When his absence from home was known a number of willing volunteers went to search for him. … Mr David Powley at once proceeded to Mr Oliver, the shepherd on Castlerigg Fell, who probably was the last person in Litt’s company, and the two immediately struck for the point where Mr Oliver parted from the deceased. They took a dog with them and it found the body not fifteen yards from the place they were making to. The searchers were: Messrs C. C. Thompson, Thos. Hodgson (Station Road), J. W. Grisdale, Thos. Harrison, David Powley, Joseph Bouch, Geo. Atkinson, Isaac Wren, Joseph Bristo, Benjamin Hodgson, A. G. Pettit, and Wm. Wood.

The memorial consists of two upright stones, one bearing a round plate inscribed 'In memory of J Litt who died March 9, 1880'. The second stone bears a faint inscription.

Geology The summit is covered by peat, overlying the plagioclase-phyric andesite lavas of the Birker Fell Formation. There is a small bed of volcaniclastic sandstone to the south while the northern slopes are predominantly garnet-bearing porphyritic andesite.British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps, England & Wales Sheet 29: BGS (1999)

Summit The upper part of the fell, in excess of in area, 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 Helvellyn range is seen end to end, together with a panorama of high fells on the other side of the ridge from Crinkle Crags in the south to Blencathra in the north.Mark Richards: The Central Fells: Collins (2003):

Ascents By parking near Ashness Bridge on the road to Watendlath, access to the western side of the ridge can be gained at high level. Ashness Gill can be followed upwards through increasingly wet country until a final bee-line is made for the summit. From further up the road at the base of Reecastle Crag a more direct line is possible, or the climb can be made from Watendlath itself, first ascending High Tove via the zig-zags. The direct ascent noted by Wainwright from the hamlet appears to have access problems.

Eastern approaches begin on the A591 at Rough How Bridge, making a start along the secluded valley of Shoulthwaite before heading up the fellside in the vicinity of Mere Gill.

Panorama The following Wainwrights are visible on a clear day: NoFellHeading (°)Distance (miles)1Great Calva0.48.12Knott2.39.33High Pike (Caldbeck)9.410.74Blencathra19.46.45High Rigg27.02.76Souther Fell30.38.07Clough Head45.14.08Great Dodd64.73.79Raven Crag65.61.010Watson's Dodd72.13.111Stybarrow Dodd80.43.512Raise96.43.513White Side105.23.214Catstycam110.04.015Helvellyn117.83.816Nethermost Pike123.94.217Dollywaggon Pike130.04.818Great Rigg137.66.419Seat Sandal138.85.420Heron Pike144.37.421Stone Arthur145.26.622Nab Scar147.37.923Steel Fell154.74.724Armboth Fell156.51.425High Tove174.71.026Ullscarf175.73.727High Raise (Langdale)183.85.328Pike of Stickle186.56.729Grey Friar188.011.230Cold Pike188.99.231Sergeant's Crag190.94.332Eagle Crag191.03.833Crinkle Crags195.68.634Rossett Pike199.47.035Bowfell199.57.736Esk Pike205.07.337Great Crag206.92.438Rosthwaite Fell206.93.939Glaramara207.85.440Great End211.57.141Scafell Pike212.88.142Scafell214.08.843Seathwaite Fell214.96.444Lingmell217.57.945Base Brown222.55.746Green Gable223.86.547Great Gable223.86.848Brandreth229.16.049Kirk Fell229.87.550Grey Knotts231.05.651Grange Fell231.11.852Red Pike (Wasdale)237.78.953Castle Crag239.82.854Pillar242.08.155Dale Head246.04.456High Spy249.73.557High Stile253.87.858Hindscarth256.74.659Robinson261.05.460Maiden Moor270.13.261Gavel Fell270.410.762Mellbreak271.28.763Whiteless Pike273.86.764Knott Rigg274.15.665Wandope278.56.366Grasmoor280.67.167Ard Crags280.85.168Crag Hill282.46.169Sail282.85.770Scar Crags287.05.271Whiteside288.77.472Hopegill Head290.86.873Causey Pike290.94.674Catbells291.02.975Outerside292.75.276Grisedale Pike295.56.277Barrow300.44.478Whinlatter305.77.179Broom Fell313.28.080Lord's Seat314.47.481Barf318.87.082Sale Fell320.19.283Dodd333.96.484Ullock Pike336.97.285Long Side338.36.986Carl Side340.86.587Skiddaw345.07.088Skiddaw Little Man346.86.289Bleaberry Fell350.40.990Lonscale Fell357.55.6

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