Birks

Birks is a fell in the English Lake District, two kilometres south-west of Patterdale in the Eastern Fells. It stands on a shoulder of the north-east ridge of St Sunday Crag, a higher fell that dominates the view. The name comes from the birch trees that grow there. Walkers often pass over its grassy summit while climbing or descending St Sunday Crag. The fell has steep, craggy slopes on the north and west, while the south flank is grassy and drops into Deepdale. Birks reaches 622 metres and has 19 metres of prominence from St Sunday Crag, making it a Nuttall. Alfred Wainwright gave it a separate chapter in his Pictorial Guide because it is well defined. The summit ridge is grassy, with volcanic rocks beneath. Guide books call it unspectacular, yet it remains a recognised fell. The fell is climbed only from the Patterdale valley, with no other starting point possible. The usual route goes through wooded Glenamara Park, following Hag Beck and a ruined dry-stone wall to the top. An alternative path runs via Thornhow End and crosses Black Crags. Most walkers continue to St Sunday Crag after reaching Birks. From the summit there is a clear view of the lower reaches of Ullswater. The fell’s quiet slopes and modest height make it a peaceful place to walk.