Start point: Beckside (SD 153 847)
Beckside – White Hall Knott – White Combe (OF) – Whitecombe Moss – Black Combe (OF) – South Top of Black Combe – Whicham Mill – Beckside
Distance: 6.25 miles Total Ascent: 657 metres Time Taken: 2hours 20 minutes
Weather: Generally dull with the odd sunny spell. 7°C
Black Combe stands isolated at the south-western tip of the Lake District and today it stood isolated as the only cloud-free fell I could see! Well, it did at first, anyway – the mist soon rolled in to cover the very top of Black Combe by the time I arrived. The descent of Black Combe following this route is particularly attractive, following the beck all the way back to the start point.
White Hall Knott, White Combe and the White Combe ridge running to the left.
Catching a brief moment of sunshine on the steep ascent to White Hall Knott.
The Whicham Valley.
Black Combe from White Hall Knott, Blackcombe Beck running down the centre. The path to the right of the beck is the path used in descent.
The Duddon Estuary and the Furness peninsula.
Looking into Black Combe.
Panoramic Black Combe - two Angus' (Angi?!) in this one!
Looking along the valley from Whitecombe Head.
The Irish Sea and the West Cumbrian coastline through the mist from the summit of Black Combe.
Black Combe summit tarn.
Cold and windy by the tarn, it's blowing straight off the sea.
Misty Blackcombe Screes.
The wind is still blowing across this tarn further down. Behind is Whitecombe Head and beyond is Buck Barrow and Whitfell.
White Hall Knott on the descent.
The accompaniment all the way down was the delightful Blackcombe Beck...
...tumbling down...
...and down...
...now it has turned into Whitecombe Beck, used to power Whicham Mill. See and hear Blackcombe Beck