This has been a busy year for my neighbour Martin as he and Shelagh
made a retirement move from the south of England late last year.
Little did he expect to land in Cumbria and even less to embark
on a new hobby of fellwalking.
He has now found his dream house, some hours across the Scottish
border, but before he moves even further north he wants to add
one last classic walk
to his impressive list of fifty Wainwright summits that he has
climbed since January . . . roll on this "51st summit"
bid today.
[ He tells me he'll be back to complete the full round of 214
in due course.]
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The starting point for today's walk is Scales Green
which is effectively the White Horse Pub, Threlkeld,
adjacent to the A66 road from Keswick to Penrith.
We found parking in the nearby layby.
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The shortest of road walks to the path close to
the sign and then very quickly we are out onto the open fell
walking up behind the pub on a gradually ascending
path across the lower slopes of Scales Fell.
Looking down into Mousthwaite Comb.
The path brings walkers up from the alternative parking on the
road at the start of this route.
In the old days this path would also have given
access to the old mine, the small spoil heap of which can be seen
above the bracken bordering the path.
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A lone walker
makes their way down the path . . . an early starter ? |
Martin and I were later
starters . . . it's nearly11.30 am. |
Dougal is wearing the latest in red gortex fashion
due to a cut on his pad a few days ago.
Despite my best efforts it stayed on only till
he got it wet in Scales Tarn, but he's not worn it since as the
cut is completely healed.
The path up alongside Mousthwaite Comb increases
to about a 1 in 1 climb . . . 45 degrees in new money.
In the distance we can start to see the higher
central fells of the Bowfell, Great End and Scafell Pike.
High above White Horse Bent, the sharp turn of
the Glenderamackin River, the gradient eases and Foule Crag comes
into view.
Our major climb today is the Sharp Edge Arête,
the steep rocky scramble (highlighted in grey) climbing up to
the summit of Atkinson Pike.
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Scales Beck
branches off the main river and leads us up to the tarn. |
Time for some nice pitched-path
stonework. |
Soon we reach Scale Tarn, one of the highest of
the classic upland tarn of Cumbria.
It sits below the sheltering walls of Foule Crag,
the left hand extension of which forms the saddle-like top of
Blencathra when seen from the A66.
With plenty of time and good summer sunshine we'll
take a slight diversion from the normal, instead of taking the
direct right hand path.
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Martin is
happy to circumnavigate the tarn, so are the dogs. |
Our reward, an unopened
bottle of beer already cooling in the lake ! |
Someone must have had their lunch here, placed the bottle to
cool but forgotten all about it when they left.
This is not the action of a true fell walker . . . they would
have had Jennings or Loweswater Gold rather than this 5.9% Tequila
flavoured lager !
We'll keep the beer till later as we continue on round the
tarn.
We will rejoin the original path before the start of the steep
climb up to the left.
On the path to Sharp Edge now, looking across to the alternative
direct summit route on the other side of Scales Tarn.
Conversation flowed as we climbed, first with Martin's English
accent then a change to a Welsh feminine lilt.
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Martin, delighted
to be climbing this classic route . . . |
Kathryn is Welsh, but
now living with Martyn much closer to the lakes. |
Kathryn originally hails from Gorseinon, only
about four or five miles from where I was born.
Martyn is Middlesbrough through and through 'since
he were a lad', but he hid his Teesside accent quite well.
They were both relatively new to Cumbrian fell
walking and conversation naturally swung to the nature of the
route ahead.
Once we reached the skyline, the grass disappeared
and the rocky scramble started.
The climb has two distinct parts, the exposed
arête for the first half, a steeper scramble for the second.
The dogs free reign for the climb, as both they
and I are safer when not tied together by a lead !
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The exposed section has a series of
flat slabs to cross. |
This first one is close to where the
guy was sitting in the other photo. |
Today it is fine, dry and the grip is excellent,
but this route could justify one of those yellow health and safety
notices . . . "Slippery when Wet".
The skiddaw slate rock is notoriously slippery
and slimy when damp, a route to be avoided in the rain.
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Martin crosses the broad
slab . . . the dogs show him the way ahead. |
Safely across the exposed section and
onto the flat ground beyond. |
The other problem here is the lack of really good
handholds and there's no 'edge' to stop a slide off the path,
as you can see in the next photos.
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Martyn's picture of the
rounded crest from lower down. |
My photo looking back at the final
exposed slab. |
Having actively encouraged Martyn and Kathryn to continue with
the climb, by saying how it should be relatively easy today,
I saw them progressing rather slowly as they climbed up behind
us. With Martin safely over I went back to give moral support
!
With words of encouragement, Kathryn found the climb less daunting
and frowns turned to smiles as she progressed up the climb.
Sharp Edge done . . . but don't underestimate
the next steep scramble up Foule Crag before you reach the top
!
Time to relax now as everyone is safely across
and up onto the summit path.
Martin and I break off to enjoy refreshments on
the top of Atkinson Pike.
Most folk continued on towards Blencathra, the
summit of which is seen from our mountain-top lunch spot.
Lunch with a view . . . grab yourself a sandwich
and enjoy the panorama.
Click
here or on the photo above for your own 360
degree annotated photo.
Suitably refreshed we take a slight diversion
back across the flat plateau to see the extensive view to the
east.
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In so doing we pass both
the old cross . . . |
and the newer quarts stone one on the
summit ridge. |
Wainwright attributes the white cross to the work
of a Mr Harold Robinson of Threlkeld
who placed the stones during his many visits
to the top from 1945 onward. The origins of the second cross
is unknown
but one of these memorials is thought to commemorate
a lone walker who lost his life on these high fells.
Crossing the summit ridge, passing the small tarn
and starting the climb towards the top.
Walkers silhouetted on Gategill Fell beyond the
climb to Halls Fell summit.
Martin and I reach the top
and the view down to Keswick and Derwent Water
now draws the eye.
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Blencathra Summit is topped
by an unique trigonometrical ring of concrete.
rather than a trig pillar.
Now it is enhanced by the presence of Martin,
Martyn and Kathryn who have also just arrived at the
top.
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When I was here with my family back
in April we descended by the Gategill Fell route.
Today Martin and I could descend by the Halls
Fell Ridge down towards Threlkeld, but I suggested we pass on
this interesting 'ascent'
leaving it to encourage Martin to return and climb
it at some point in the more distant future.
Instead we'll pick the next ridge across and head
off towards Doddick Fell seen beyond the obscene zig-zag track
in the foreground.
This machine made path was designed to reduce
erosion, but there's more gravel exposed than there ever was.
It is a real man-made intrusion into the fragile
wilderness of the high fells.
I try and avoid theses zig-zags at all cost but
make sure I walk well to the side to avoid creating a secondary
shortcut between the loops.
My diversion took me all the way over to look
down
on the spectacle of the deep blue Scales Tarn
that we had circumnavigated earlier.
Sheep safely graze by the more natural path up
from the tarn.
From this vantage point we could see the next
set of fell walkers taking their turn at climbing Sharp Edge.
With the big lens on the camera I could see they've
crossed the slabs and are starting up the Foule Crag climb.
Our own single wide zig-zag brought us back to
the Doddick Fell summit
and we could look down on what would be our descent
route through the heather, back towards Scales.
The old Mosedale viaduct on the now closed Penrith
to Keswick Railway.
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As we drop down through the wonderfully coloured heather
we have a lovely view of Halls Fell top
and the Doddick Gill valley
that leads up to the highest point of Blencathra.
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The steep descent eases slightly as we reach the
lower part of the fell.
The route swings slightly west before steepening
once again.
Away in the distance the high central fells gradually
drop below the horizon formed by Bleaberry Fell and High Raise.
We reach the fell wall and head east once again,
back in the right direction for the car.
There is however a final sting in the tail on
this lower route . . . the crossing of Scaley Beck.
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A seemingly simple task
to reach the other side |
but there's a sharp descent over smooth
rocks |
to get safely down to Scaley Beck. |
Down at this low level we've lost the summit breezes
so Dylan relaxes in the cool waters of the beck
before we move on towards the end of the walk.
We could have turned right on reaching the road
and return directly to the car,
but would seem churlish in this heat not to celebrate
Martin's successful 51st summit in the time approved manor.
A pint of Jennings and a packet of vegetarian
(!) Black Pudding Crisps in celebration.
Cheers Martin . . . here's to the other 163 summits
still to complete
unless you get distracted my those 282 Scottish
Monro Hills that you'll be living closer to next month.
Being part of 'phase one' of your new hobby has
been a delight . . . today you've reached your 51st state.
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Martin was taking photos too of course and he offered me his
view of the day.
Click here or on the
photo to play Martin's sideshow
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An email received after the walk
. . .
Hi Roger
Great to meet you and Martin
on the way up Blencathra and thanks again for guiding
Kathryn up Sharp Edge !
Attached a few pictures, love
the web site we shall definitely be referring to it
in the future.
Regards Martyn and Kathryn.
It was that Welsh accent as we climbed
up to Sharp Edge that started our extended conversation
today.
I've used a couple of the photos
as you have probably seen. Many thanks, diolch
yn fawr . . . RmH
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