I first discovered this walk by reading Collins rambler's guide lake district. The book lists it as a 4 boot (out of 5) walk of 10 miles with a total ascent of 900m (3,000ft.) Because I stay in a house at Kiln Hill, I add two miles by walking along North Row to reach the start at Bassenthwaite, one extra mile each way.
I have done this walk many times, usually alone, but on this occasion my younger brother, Stanley, came along. We set of at about 08:00 on the 5th October 2008. By the time I took the first photograph, we had walked to Bassenthwaite village and then crossed numerous fields in the valley and were now on the open fell-side and about to ascend The Edge towards Ullock Pike.
Ullock Pike, at over 2,000ft, is a Wainwright peak for those that collect such mountains. Longside Edge takes us to Carlside Tarn followed by a steep scramble up a scree slope to Skiddaw Summit, another Wainwright peak at 931m (3,054ft.) Descending over 'Back of Skiddaw' allows us to visit Bakestall, our third Wainwright in one day.
The final part of the walk is steeply down Birkett Edge to the Whitewater Dash and then down the valley passing Peter House Farm before reaching Bassenthwaite. On this particular day no more photographs were taken after the scree slope onto Skiddaw but we would have returned home by about 16:00.
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09:12 Stanley with Bassenthwaite beyond
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11:04 On Ullock Pike
11:04 Setting off to walk along Longside Edge
11:25 Leaving Carlside Tarn behind
11:25 Longside Edge, Ullock Pike, the ridge and Bassenthwaite Lake in the distance
11:55 The steep scree slope on the side of Skiddaw with Carlside Edge, Longside Edge and Ullock Pike beyond