Striding Edge

A photo diary of Lake District fell walks

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Bakestall

Height: 673 metres / 2208 feet Grid reference: NY 26647 30740 Category: The Northern Fells

Descending to Bakestall from Skiddaw

Descending to Bakestall from Skiddaw

The Back of Skiddaw from Bakestall

The Back of Skiddaw from Bakestall

Bakestall from Little Calva

Bakestall from Little Calva

Skiddaw Forest

Walked on 07/06/2007

Start point: Gale Road End (NY 281 253)

Gale Road – Lonscale Fell – Lonscale Pike – Jenkin Hill – Skiddaw Lesser Man – Skiddaw Little Man – Skiddaw – Bakestall – Birkett Edge – Whitewater Dash – Little Calva – Great Calva (514) – Skiddaw house – Lonscale Crags – Gale Road

Distance: 13 miles     Total Ascent: 1190 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours

Weather: Overcast, clearing. 20oC.

After the sunshine and blue skies of the last few days, the clouds were hanging ominously over Skiddaw when I set off for a circuit of Skiddaw Forest from Gale Road this morning. From Lonscale Fell onwards, I was in the clouds with Skiddaw being windswept and cold as it so often is. The main objective today was Great Calva as I completed my second recorded set of 214 Wainwright fells on it. I haven’t been actively pursuing that goal and it has taken me 3 years to get round them all again.

Skiddaw Forest

07.06.07-002

A cloud covered Skiddaw at the start of the walk, the blue sky looked promising though.

07.06.07-004

The Hawell monument and the path to Skiddaw. We weren't going this way though as we descended right to Whit Beck and then continued along the bridleway below Lonscale Fell.

07.06.07-005

Descending to Whit Beck.

07.06.07-016

Latrigg and Derwent Water from the steep climb to Lonscale Fell, just before disappearing into the clouds.

07.06.07-017

Casper at the summit of Lonscale Fell. Someone has been doing a bit of cairn building.

07.06.07-023

Sat in the bog cotton on Jenkin Hill.

07.06.07-033

A windswept Skiddaw summit.

07.06.07-044

Descending the north end of Skiddaw, the clouds fleetingly parted here looking to Lonscale Fell...

07.06.07-048

...and a glimpse of Bassenthwaite Lake.

07.06.07-053

Ullock Pike across Southerndale.

07.06.07-059

Descending to Bakestall.

07.06.07-067

The Back of Skiddaw from Bakestall.

07.06.07- 076

The route from Bakestall - descend Birkett Edge then climbing steeply with the fence before heading to Little Calva then Great Calva.

07.06.07-079

The steep descent of Birkett Edge.

07.06.07-085

Dash Beck, above the main falls.

07.06.07-090

Looking back to Dead Crags on Bakestall from the steep climb to Little Calva.

07.06.07-096

Oops! A bit deeper than you though Casper?

07.06.07-113

214 Wainwrights completed for the second time on Great Calva.

07.06.07-118

The summit of Great Calva.

07.06.07-122

The south cairn of Great Calva looking down the fault line that should have a view to Windermere. Skiddaw House is to the right of the post, encircled by trees with Lonscale Fell beyond.

07.06.07-134

Skiddaw House.

07.06.07-138

All that remains of Skiddaw Forest, Skiddaw House behind.

07.06.07-140

Great Calva.

07.06.07-147

Passing below Lonscale Fell on the Cumbria Way.

07.06.07-153

Mungrisdale Common.

07.06.07-156

The Glenderaterra Valley from Lonscale Crags.

07.06.07-162

A familiar silhouette - the Coledale fells.

07.06.07-166

That made me jump! Of course, Skiddaw is clear now as well.

Skiddaw & The Edges

Walked on 15/03/2007

Start point: Orthwaite Road, near Bassenthwaite (NY 237 311)

Nr.Bassenthwaite – Watches – The Edge – Ullock Pike – Longside Edge – Long Side – Carl Side – Skiddaw – Broad End – Bakestall – Nr.Bassenthwaite

Distance: 7.5 miles   Total Ascent: 885 metres     Time Taken: 4 hours

Weather: Wet and windy. 7oC.

This is a great way to reach Skiddaw, walking along The Edge and Longside Edge culminating in the steep, slate path cutting diagonally across the western face of Skiddaw – but it was not so great today as the weather was pretty atrocious! Today I was joined by my friend Nick with his dog Busta, both novices of the 3000 footers – I hope it didn’t put them off for life! Needless to say we didn’t see another soul for the whole walk either (apart from Andy Lang in the car park at the end – he did the same walk!).

Skiddaw and The Edges

15.03.07-002

Binsey from the climb to Watches.

15.03.07-003

Broad End and Skiddaw across Southerndale.

15.03.07-005

Looking from Watches to The Edge and Ullock Pike with Long Side and Carl Side beyond.

15.03.07-007

The cloud is down on Skiddaw from the rock formations on Watches.

15.03.07-008

Walking towards The Edge, with Busta, Angus and Casper leading the way.

15.03.07-012

On The Edge with Ullock Pike ahead.

15.03.07-017

Ullock Pike, the wind is starting to blow and the drizzle approaching from the west.

15.03.07-019

Bassenthwaite Lake through the mist. This is the last view of the day from Ullock Pike as the cloud came down and the relentless rain started.

15.03.07-021

Angus looking a bit fed up with the weather.

15.03.07-025

Casper on the climb to Skiddaw.

15.03.07-026

Here comes Nick out of the mist being battered by the wind on the slate path to Skiddaw. This view sums up the day nicely!

15.03.07-030

On the summit of Skiddaw in a really strong and cold wind. That's it! Camera away now and not to reappear as it was rain, rain, rain all the way back. From here we dropped down to Broad End then Bakestall before contouring Broad End to Barkbethdale and into Southerndale.

Back O’ Skiddaw

Walked on 13/07/2005

Start point: Bowscale (NY 358 317)

Bowscale – Bowscale Tarn – East Top on Bowscale Fell (387) – Bowscale Fell (388) – The Tongue (389) – Bannerdale Crags (390) – Blencathra – Mungrisdale Common – Cloven Stone – Lonscale Pike (391) – Lonscale Fell (392) – Jenkin Hill (393) – Skiddaw Lesser Man (394) – Skiddaw Little Man (395) – Skiddaw – Bakestall – Whitewater Dash – Little Calva (396) – Knott – Coomb Height (397) – Little Lingy Hill (398) – Great Lingy Hill (399) – Hare Stones (400) – High Pike (401) – Miton Hill (402) – Round Knott (403) – Carrock Fell (404) – Mungrisdale – Bowscale

Distance: 25.8 miles     Total Ascent: 2447 metres     Time Taken: 10 hours 50 minutes

Weather: Sunny and warm with a slight breeze. 25°C.

Today’s walk was a long circuit of the quiet fells known as ‘The Back o’ Skiddaw’. The weather was very pleasant, not as hot and muggy as it has been recently with a slight, welcome, cooling breeze. The views were absolutely superb at times and I was glad I chose today to do this long walk. The only problem was I forgot my food and 26 miles is a long way without any fuel…

 

Back O' Skiddaw

Back O' Skiddaw route map.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 001

Early morning light on Carrock Fell. This was to be the last fell of the walk, some 11 long hours later.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 002

Looking along the Mosedale valley.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 004

Bowscale Tarn, keeper of two immortal fish so legend has it and mentioned by Wordsworth in his poem 'Song at the Feast of Brougham Castle', 1807. '...And both the undying fish that swim, Through Bowscale Tarn did wait on him, The pair were servants of his eye, In their immortality, They moved about in open sight, To and fro, for his delight...'

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 005

Strange light and a band of thick low lying cloud to the south from Bowscale Fell's subsidiary east top.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 010

The north western fells seen between Blencathra and Skiddaw.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 015

Blencathra from Bannerdale Crags.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 019

Skiddaw across the summit tarn on Blencathra.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 026

The summit of Blencathra.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 029

Skiddaw from that most derided of Wainwright fells (for not being a true summit), Mungrisdale Common.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 032

Lonscale Fell from Mungrisdale Common. It was a sharp drop off from Blencathra down to Mungrisdale Common then an incredibly steep pull to get back up onto Lonscale Fell via Burnt Horse.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 034

Great Calva from the climb to Lonscale Fell.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 035

The view from Lonscale Pike, the east peak of Lonscale Fell. In the centre is High Rigg with Tewet Tarn visible and Thirlmere behind.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 037

Skiddaw Lesser Man. Little Man and Skiddaw from Jenkin Hill.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 039

There were superb, breath taking views from the climb up to Skiddaw.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 042

The north-western fells from Skiddaw.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 048

Bassenthwaite Lake and Sale Fell from Skiddaw. Not as cold as the last time we were here.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 050

The view reached as far as Scotland over the Solway Firth to Criffel.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 053

Binsey along the Dash Valley. To reach this point was another steep drop off from Bakestall down Birkett Edge and then a hard climb following the fence up to Little Lingy Fell.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 055

The path to Knott.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 057

A quick rest on Coomb Height, Carrock Fell in the background.

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 062

High Pike had a welcoming seat...

Back O' Skiddaw - 13th July 064

Evening light and the cloud begins to form on Skiddaw, seen from Round Knott.

Skiddaw

Walked on 28/02/2005

Start point: Orthwaite Road, near Bassenthwaite (NY 237 311)

Bassenthwaite – Watches (300) – The Edge – Ullock Pike (301) – Longside Edge – Long Side (302) – Carl Side (303) –Skiddaw (304-308) – Broad End (309) – Bakestall (310) –  Cockup (311)– Bassenthwaite

Distance: 7.9 miles     Total Ascent: 1229 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 40 minutes

Weather: Cold, many snow showers with blizzard conditions on Skiddaw.

Today’s walk is to Skiddaw via The Edge and Longside Edge – a really great route of ascent. The weather worsened throughout the walk and crampons were required for the steep ascent to Skiddaw. Once on the top, the blizzard whipped up and there was a complete white-out.

Skiddaw

Elevation

Elevation profile of the route.

Skiddaw 3D

3D image of the walk route.

panorama 2_small

Summit panorama from Watches. See below for an annotated version of this photo.

panorama 2_small_annotated

panorama 3_small

Bassenthwaite Lake from The Edge.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 016

Longside Edge from Ullock Pike.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 018

Looking back to Ullock Pike from Longside Edge.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 024

Carl Side and Skiddaw Little Man from Long Side.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 028

Looking towards Borrowdale from Carl Side.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 033

A frozen Carlside Tarn.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 035

The steep path to Skiddaw. Crampons and ice axe were required for this ascent (for me, not Angus!).

panorama 5_small

Panoramic view of the route - Carl Side is on the left, then Long Side, Longside Edge and Ullock Pike.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 046

White out on Skiddaw. Birkett counts five separate tops on Skiddaw - South Top, Middle Top, High Man, North Top and Broad End.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 050

Bakestall from Cockup.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 054

Binsey through a snow shower.

panorama 6_small

Panorama of The Edge and Bassenthwaite Lake from the Southerndale side.

Skiddaw - 28.02.05 072

Ullock Pike and Long Side from Southerndale.

Longside Edge

Walked on 20/01/2004

Near Bassenthwaite (NY 237311) – Watches – Ullock Pike (170) – Long Side (171) – Carl Side (172) – Skiddaw – Broad End – Bakestall –  Cockup – Near Bassenthwaite

A gloomy day, the cloud base being at a very low level, so no good views today unfortunately.

Longside Edge

Ullock Pike - 20th January 001

A view of Bassenthwaite Lake from the beginning of the walk on the climb to Watches.

Ullock Pike - 20th January 003

The summit cairn of Watches.

Ullock Pike - 20th January 005

The strange rock formation on Watches.

ULLOCK PIKE - 20th January 007

Ullock Pike summit cairn.

LONG SIDE - 20th January 010

Long Side summit cairn.

CARL SIDE - 20th January 011

Carl Side summit.

Ullock Pike - 20th January 013

Carlside Tarn.

Ullock Pike - 20th January 015

Skiddaw summit trig and viewpoint columns.

Ullock Pike - 20th January 016

I wish...!

Ullock Pike - 20th January 017

Bakestall summit.

Ullock Pike - 20th January 021

Southerndale Beck.

 

Back o’ Skiddaw

Walked on 19/08/2003

Bowscale – Bowscale Tarn – Bowscale Fell (71) – Bannerdale Crags (72) – Blencathra (73) – Lonscale Fell (74) – Skiddaw Little Man (75) – Skiddaw (76) – Bakestall (77) – Little Calva – Knott (78) – Great Lingy Hill – High Pike (79) – Carrock Fell (80) – Mungrisdale – Bowscale

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Walking Diary

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  • Caw 18/01/2022
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