Region 34A The Lake District - Northern Fells
Skiddaw
Skiddaw is the highest of the Northern Fells and is described and illustrated on my Skiddaw Home Page.
Blencathra, seen here from Bannerdale Crags, is one of the finest and most popular mountains in the Lake District. Because it stands very isolated from every other hill it is usually climbed on its own which is no more than half a day's walk but it can be rewardingly combined with Bowscale Fell, Bannerdale Crags and perhaps Souther Fell, which have too little reascent to qualify for the Marilyn list. Sharp Edge is the most sensational and dangerous route to the top, being an accident black spot, especially in winter conditions. My favourite route is undoubtedly Hall's Fell ridge which goes straight up the front of the mountain with easy scrambling and superb views and lands you right at the summit. For an easy ascent or a fast descent use Scales Fell, to the east, or Blease Fell, to the west, the latter being preferred for its beautiful views across the Vale of Keswick as shown in the second picture.
Knott is the highest top of the large area of grassy fells often referred to as the Back o' Skidda'. Both Carrock Fell and High Pike are more shapely hills which lie on the north-western edge of the district and look towards Scotland while Great Calva lies to the south-east of this group and gives a unique view through the great cleft of Dunmail Raise to the Westmorland fells. Knott lies in the middle, an unprepossessing grassy whaleback of a hill with height its only claim to superiority. This is fine country for those who like solitude and who like to stride out over the hills. Since the paths are not always so well defined as further south and mist often lingers here longer, map reading skills and waterproof boots are an advantage. In the first picture, taken on the summit of Carrock Fell, Knott is the sprawling fell in the centre of the frame while Skiddaw lies behind to the left. The second picture shows the top of Knott with the grassy northern slopes of Blencathra seen behind the walkers.
The Whinlatter Forest runs right across the Whinlatter Pass in the north-western corner of the Lake District. It rises high onto the slopes of Lord's Seat and the Forestry Commission have provided a visitor centre and a number of trails, including now a clear path to the top of Lord's Seat, the highest top in the vicinity. A more enterprising and interesting route comes over the lesser summit of Barf to the east. This can be reached from the Swan Hotel in Thornthwaite, either by a good path up the beck or, more excitingly, by way of the Bishop, a white painted pinnacle of rock on the steep slopes of this hill. The summit of Barf gives quite a dizzy prospect down onto Bassenthwaite Lake with Skiddaw beyond and it's an easy grassy stroll across to the higher but less impressive summit of Lord's Seat.
Binsey stands aloof from the rest of the Lake District fells, a grassy, puddingy sort of hill which offers little in the way of excitement. There seems to be some doubt about a strictly legal way to the summit since it hardly merits a claim to open fellside from any direction. It can be pleasantly encircled however on a combination of bridleways and quiet lanes with a brief diversion to the trig point, probably best approached from the west.
Watch Hill is an agricultural ridge close to Cockermouth and is appropriately included in Wainwright's outlying fells since it lies very much on the northern edge of the Lake District. We climbed it first one Boxing Day in pouring rain, a mere appetiser for the Christmas leftovers. More recently a sparkling autumn morning put quite a different complexion on this pleasant short walk. A long grassy ridge leads up to three tops of indistinguishable altitude, the last, perhaps a mite higher, being beyond a wall amongst young trees and not visited before. The views southwards into the heart of the Lake District are very fine, especially on this day with rays of sun piercing dark clouds and picking out the slopes of Mellbreak above the grey of Crummock Water.
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