Blencathra


This was my first attempt at climbing Blencathra and I turned to Wainwright for guidance. He thought Hall's Fell was probably the best way up because it went straight to the summit, which remains in view for most of the ascent. Second best was probably Doddick Fell. Both were frontal assaults unlike the very popular ascent from Scales at the eastern end, walking along the tops to descend via Blease Common at the other end. I chose Doddick Fell because it looked just a little easier than Hall's Fell.

I cannot remember, now, the exact time that I started walking from the car park in Threlkeld on the 30th September. I walked alongside a fairly deep ravine to the east of Blease Farm before descending to cross Blease Gill on a narrow bridge. Climbing up the other side of the ravine I came to the gate onto the open fell-side that you see in the photograph looking back towards the ravine. I guess I started the walk at 08:15, given the time recorded by the picture.

Once through the gate, I started walking eastwards around the base of the mountain to cross both Gate Gill and Doddick Gill before starting my climb. 		  Gate by Blease Gill 08:36 Clough Head


Blencathra summit from Gate Gill 08:52 Blencathra summit seen from Gate Gill   Doddick Fell from Doddick Gill 09:03 Doddick Fell seen from Doddick Gill


The last photograph shows a rounded hill, which is the start of Doddick Fell. The larger photograph on the right was taken from up there looking back at the A66 trunk road and just shows the village of Threlkeld, our starting point.

The walk continues upwards on a broad ridge with just a couple of slightly more difficult sections where it passes rocky outcrops. Later you will see a photograph looking back down this ridge.

The large photograph below was taken from much the same spot and shows Hall Fell to the left and Doddick Fell to the right. There is still some climbing left to do! 		  Looking back at Threlkeld 09:21 At the start of the ridge walk up Doddick Fell looking back towards Threlkeld


Blencathra summit from Doddick 09:27 Blencathra summit seen from Doddick Fell


Sharp Edge from the top of Doddick Fell 10:04 Sharp Edge as seen from the top of Doddick Fell   The first thing I saw on reaching the top of Doddick Fell was Sharp Edge ahead of me. Whilst studying the map earlier, I had been mainly concerned with reaching the main ridge and turning left for Blencathra's summit so this came as a pleasant surprise.

I then looked back down the ridge of Doddick Fell and took a photograph of the path I had followed, which you will find below.

Now my path was a wide, well-trodden track that followed a series of zig-zags towards the summit. Before reaching the summit, however, a path led off to the right towards the top of Sharp Edge.


The photograph on the right looks back down the path I have just climbed. The solitary figure near the top is not a fell walker but a shepherd who I had seen running up and down the sides of the fell chasing sheep.

I could not resist the path that led to the top of Sharp Edge and there are a number of photographs that follow of Scales Tarn, the ridge you need to join if climbing from Scales and Sharp Edge itself. 		  Path up Doddick Fell 10:05 The path up Doddick Fell as seen from the top


Scales Tarn 10:09 First glimpse of Scales Tarn with Sharp Edge above   Ridge from Scales 10:16 The ridge from Scales


Climbers on Sharp Edge 10:30 Climbers on Sharp Edge   Climbers on Sharp Edge 10:32 Climbers on Sharp Edge


Scales Tarn 10:33 Scales Tarn   Path up Hall's Fell 10:51 The path up Hall's Fell from Blencathra Summit


Blencathra Summit Cairn 10:53 Blencathra Summit Cairn and broad path along the tops


Thirlmere seen beyond High Rigg 11:18 Distant Thirlmere seen beyond High Rigg   Looking down at Threlkeld where the walk started 11:19 Looking down at Threlkeld where the walk started


Top of Blease Fell looking towards Keswick 11:24 Top of Blease Fell looking towards Keswick   Blencathra is a very dramatic mountain in many ways with an impressive frontage of fells and becks in deep ravines along with Sharp Edge and Scales Tarn at the eastern end. However, the back of Blencathra is hardly anything at all. The ground slopes gently away with no dramatic features to mention.

The broad path descends in a series of zig zags beyond the cairn and on Blease Common there is a junction of paths. The right path goes towards the Blencathra Centre while the left one drops very steeply back to Threlkeld.

I took no more photographs and did not record my time back at the car park but I think it would have been just over the hour, so about 12:30, making the whole walk about 4 hours and fifteen minutes.

Editor: Peter J. Cosker   peter@the2coskers.com   other Lake District walks   Updated: 11/12/2016