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.
A cloud covered Skiddaw at the start of the walk, the blue sky looked promising though.
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.
Descending to Whit Beck.
Latrigg and Derwent Water from the steep climb to Lonscale Fell, just before disappearing into the clouds.
Casper at the summit of Lonscale Fell. Someone has been doing a bit of cairn building.
Sat in the bog cotton on Jenkin Hill.
A windswept Skiddaw summit.
Descending the north end of Skiddaw, the clouds fleetingly parted here looking to Lonscale Fell...
...and a glimpse of Bassenthwaite Lake.
Ullock Pike across Southerndale.
Descending to Bakestall.
The Back of Skiddaw from Bakestall.
The route from Bakestall - descend Birkett Edge then climbing steeply with the fence before heading to Little Calva then Great Calva.
The steep descent of Birkett Edge.
Dash Beck, above the main falls.
Looking back to Dead Crags on Bakestall from the steep climb to Little Calva.
Oops! A bit deeper than you though Casper?
214 Wainwrights completed for the second time on Great Calva.
The summit of Great Calva.
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.
Skiddaw House.
All that remains of Skiddaw Forest, Skiddaw House behind.
Great Calva.
Passing below Lonscale Fell on the Cumbria Way.
Mungrisdale Common.
The Glenderaterra Valley from Lonscale Crags.
A familiar silhouette - the Coledale fells.
That made me jump! Of course, Skiddaw is clear now as well.