Height: 522 metres / 1713 feet Grid reference: NY 35472 29140 Category: The Northern Fells

The summit of Souther Fell looking to Clough Head and the Dodds

Blencathra from the southern cairn on Souther Fell
Height: 522 metres / 1713 feet Grid reference: NY 35472 29140 Category: The Northern Fells
The summit of Souther Fell looking to Clough Head and the Dodds
Blencathra from the southern cairn on Souther Fell
Walked on
Start point: Mungrisdale (NY 361 303)
Mungrisdale – Souther Fell – Scales Fell – Blencathra – Bannerdale Crags – Bowscale Fell – The Tongue – Mungrisdale
Distance: 8.1 miles Total Ascent: 907 metres Time Taken: 4 hours Start Time: 08:40
Weather: An icy cold wind but clear. 5°C
There was a mighty cold and icy wind up on the top of Blencathra today and there was a fresh dusting of snow. The wind and ice were strong enough to keep me off Sharp Edge, that can wait until another day. To the south there was a big cloud build up and the way it lay right across the tops and kept changing made an intriguing backdrop throughout the walk.
Walked on
Start point: Mungrisdale (NY 361 303)
Mungrisdale – Souther Fell – Scales Tarn – Sharp Edge – Blencathra – Mungrisdale Common – Bannerdale Crags – Bowscale Fell – East Top on Bowscale Fell – Mungrisdale
Distance: 10.4 miles Total Ascent: 960 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes
Weather: Sunny and bright. 18oC.
It was an early start again today, climbing Souther Fell with the sun rising across the low lying mist. By the time I reached Scales Tarn for the start of the climb of Sharp Edge, the sun was shining and the weather was glorious with lovely clear views all around; a glorious walk on a glorious day.
Sunrise in Mungrisdale at the start of the climb to Souther Fell, Little Mell Fell and Great Mell Fell in view.
Blencathra clearly showing where the alternative name of Saddleback comes from with Bannerdale Crags in the foreground.
A first glimpse of Sharp Edge from Mousthwaite Comb - it is the light band of rock arcing upwards to the highest pinnacle and looks almost impossible to climb from here.
Made it! A lovely clear view from the summit of Blencathra today. To the north there were views to Scotland over low lying mist.
Walked on
Start point: Car Park above The White Horse Inn (NY 349 272)
Scales – Sharp Edge – Blencathra (100 – 105) (Atkinson Pike – Hallsfell Top – Gategill Fell – Blease Fell – Doddick Fell – Scales Fell) – Souther Fell (106) – Scales
Weather: Overcast, raining by the end.
As it is the first day of the school summer holidays, today’s walk was chosen by my 13 year old – an ascent of Blencathra via Sharp Edge; an excellent choice, I must say.
Bill Birkett counts the 6 separate tops on Blencathra as individual fells, so after ascending Sharp Edge we traversed the full Blencathra ridge and then crossed over onto Souther Fell.
The path starts from the car park above The White Horse, just off the A66 and immediately it is straight into a cruelly steep climb until the col is reached overlooking Mousthwaite Comb.
Sharp Edge from the col. From the col, the path follows the contour along the valley of the River Glenderamackin and then climbs up with Scales Beck to Scales Tarn.
Sharp Edge from Scales Tarn. From Scales Tarn, there is an excellent profile of Sharp Edge which looms menacingly. A left turn up the side of the slope and the bottom of Sharp Edge is reached.
Looking up Sharp Edge. The final part of the Edge is the steepest; it is an exhilarating feeling looking down from this climb.
Sharp Edge from the top. At the top of Sharp Edge, it was straight up to the highest point, Atkinson Pike.
The highest point on Blencathra is Hallsfell Top. This view is from the summit overlooking Derwent Water with the rest of the Blencathra ridge to the right. Walking along the undulating ridge, the next top is Gategill Fell.
St. John's in the Vale and Thirlmere from Gategill Fell. Traversing right to the end of the ridge, the farthest point is Blease Fell. From Blease Fell, we retraced our footsteps along to the main summit and the descended via Doddick Fell and Scales Fell.
Walked on
Mungrisdale – Bannerdale Crags – Mungrisdale Common (177) – Cloven Stone – Mungrisdale Common – White Horse Bent – Souther Fell (178) – Mungrisdale
A clear day at last, there was a cold wind above 500 metres.
Derwent Water and the distant Fells from Mungrisdale Common. L-R: Bowfell, Esk Pike Scafell, Lingmell, Great Gable, Kirk Fell, Dale Head, Hindscarth, Pillar, Robinson. In the foreground, Blease Fell is to the left and Lonscale Fell to the right.