Yoke

Yoke marks the southern start of the impressive Kentmere Horseshoe ridge. It’s a steady climb from the valley floor, serving as the gateway to the more dramatic peaks of Ill Bell and Froswick. The terrain is mostly grassy, offering wide views back towards Windermere and the Troutbeck valley.

• •The name is derived from the Old English word 'geoc', meaning a yoke or mountain ridge, which likely describes its function as a connecting link in the long chain of fells leading toward High Street.
• •Yoke is the first significant summit reached when tackling the classic Kentmere Horseshoe in a clockwise direction, standing at an elevation of 707 metres.
• •The western slopes of the fell fall away steeply into the Troutbeck valley, where the remains of a Roman road once connected the fort at Ambleside to the military hub at Penrith.
• •The eastern side of the fell overlooks the Kentmere Reservoir, an industrial-era construction built in 1848 to regulate water flow for the various mills operating along the River Kent.
• •Hikers often view Yoke as the gentle introductory chapter to the ridge, though the sudden transition to the steep, rocky 'steps' of neighboring Ill Bell can be a rude awakening for those who haven't found their hill legs yet.