Height: 735 metres / 2411 feet Grid reference: NY 27428 2746

The Helvellyn ridge from Jenkin Hill

Skiddaw Lesser Man. Little Man and Skiddaw from Jenkin Hill
Height: 735 metres / 2411 feet Grid reference: NY 27428 2746
The Helvellyn ridge from Jenkin Hill
Skiddaw Lesser Man. Little Man and Skiddaw from Jenkin Hill
Walked on
Start point: Gale Road End (NY 281 253)
Gale Road End – Skiddaw Lesser Man – Skiddaw Little Man – Skiddaw – Jenkin Hill – Lonscale Fell – Lonscale Pike – Latrigg – Gale Road End
Distance: 8.5 miles Total Ascent: 860 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes Start Time: 07:00
Weather: Beautiful sunshine above the haze. 5°C
I was up early again today to catch the sunrise and it was well worth it to see the beautiful rising sun across a temperature inversion. Once above the haze layer the air was very clear – a fantastic and memorable day to be out on the fells.
Walked on
Start point: Gale Road End (NY 281 253)
Gale Road End – Skiddaw Lesser Man – Skiddaw Little Man – Skiddaw – Jenkin Hill – Lonscale Fell – Lonscale Pike – Gale Road End
Distance: 7.6 miles Total Ascent: 775 metres Time Taken: 3 hours 15 minutes Start Time: 10:40
Weather: Freezing. -3ºC
The blue skies of the early morning gave way to a rather more leaden one and it was one of those ‘never above freezing’ days today. Skiddaw was quiet with hardly anyone around (although I did bump into the current second on the GtF leader board Jon and Hils) and although a different sort of day to the Blencathra one I enjoyed last week, the winter skies were a treat and there were some fantastic views from up there today
Walked on
Start point: Gale Road End (NY 281 253)
Gale Road End – Skiddaw Lesser Man – Skiddaw Little Man – Skiddaw – Jenkin Hill – Lonscale Fell – Lonscale Pike – Gale Road End
Distance: 7 miles Total Ascent: 800 metres Time Taken: 2 hours 45 minutes Start Time: 08:45
Weather: Hazy, in and out of cloud, 9C
Today the weather was a lot better than yesterday and the sun was trying to burn through the haze and cloud most of the morning. My original intention was to go to Blencathra but I soon changed my mind when I saw the stubborn cloud on the top and Skiddaw looked a better bet with its wispy cloud which looked as though it would disappear at some point. It was noticeable how busy all the walking areas seemed to be today too, perhaps it is an indication that winter truly is over and the promise of better weather has brought people back to the area. We were recognised on Lonscale Fell today by a couple of Striding Edge fans and it was good to stop and have a chat for a while.
At the Hawell Monument. Skiddaw is covered in cloud but I was hopeful it would clear by the time I made it to the top.
Looking to misty Thirlmere from the climb and there is only my car glinting in the car park to the right.
A hat and glove stop was required at Skiddaw Little Man as it was a chilly wind and the clouds briefly parted to reveal a heavy cloak of cloud over the Helvellyn ridge.
Walking the cloud covered Skiddaw summit plateau and there is a another brief break for a quick view to the Back o' Skiddaw fells.
Walked on
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.
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.
Latrigg and Derwent Water from the steep climb to Lonscale Fell, just before disappearing into the clouds.
The route from Bakestall - descend Birkett Edge then climbing steeply with the fence before heading to Little Calva then Great Calva.
Walked on
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…
Early morning light on Carrock Fell. This was to be the last fell of the walk, some 11 long hours later.
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...'
Strange light and a band of thick low lying cloud to the south from Bowscale Fell's subsidiary east top.
Skiddaw from that most derided of Wainwright fells (for not being a true summit), Mungrisdale Common.
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.
The view from Lonscale Pike, the east peak of Lonscale Fell. In the centre is High Rigg with Tewet Tarn visible and Thirlmere behind.