Start point: Beckside (SD 153 847)
Beckside – White Hall Knott (83) – White Combe (84) (OF) – Whitecombe Moss – Stoupdale Head (85) (OF) – Black Combe (86) (OF) – South Top of Black Combe (87) – Whicham Mill – Beckside
Weather: Sunny and bright, misty on Black Combe summit.
A walk in the sunshine today around the Cirque of Black Combe, a remote fell in the extreme south west of the Lake District. Its detachment from other fells makes it unique and its unobstructed view allows great views of the high fells and to the Irish Sea.
“the amplest range of unobstructed prospect may be seen that British ground commands” – said William Wordsworth about Black Combe.
As well as taking in the Birkett tops, parts of this walk are described in Wainwright’s Black Combe chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 162.
The walk started at Beckside on the A595 where there are parking spaces by the side of the road. I followed the tarmac for a short way until just before the Fox and Goose cottages, and then a track almost hidden by dense trees and signposted for White Combe lead to the heavily brackened fell side. The track went up the side of the fell, I followed it to the col and then cut back left to the grassy, flat summit of White Hall Knott
Kirkby Moor over the Duddon Estuary from the ascent of White Hall Knott. The water in the foreground is Baystone Bank Reservoir.
Black Combe from White Hall Knott.
Bowfell, The Crinkle Crags and the Coniston Fells from the summit of White Hall Knott.
Looking down the Whicham Valley from White Hall Knott. From White Hall Knott, it was back along the shoulder and an easy ascent to the summit of White Combe, topped with a large stone cairn and wind shelter.
Black Combe from the summit of White Combe. From White Combe, it was an easy, pathless ascent over lush grassy moor to the summit of Stoupdale Head marked by a small pile of white quartz. The views to the Scafell range from here were stunning.
The Scafell Pikes from Stoupdale Head summit.
Zooming in on the Scafells. The Buttermere fells and Great Gable are to the left. From Stoupdale Head, it was back along the path following the rim of firstly Whitecombe and then Blackcombe Screes, up into the cloud at 550 metres and onto the summit of Black Combe.
Black Combe summit
and the summit tarn. From the summit, it was across the dip which holds the summit tarn and onto the South Top which has a large, round cairn which can be seen from the valley below.
The South Top of Black Combe summit
and a view through the mist to the Irish Sea and West Cumbrian coastline. Then it was along the shoulder and head for the Whitecombe Beck valley below. Once below the cloud, the views to the south were fantastic.
Barrow-in-Furness and Walney Island across the Duddon Estuary from the descent of Black Combe. From the steep descent to Whitecombe Beck, it was past Whicham Mill and through Rallis Farm and back to the start point of the walk at Beckside.
The lovely Whicham Mill.
Black Combe across the Duddon Estuary.