Blencathra, the easy way!
If you are capable of walking a few miles uphill and prefer a grass slope to a rocky ridge, then this walk is for you! It involves an ascent of Blease Fell, the wide curve of the fell as seen from above the stone circle at Castlerigg.
Climbing Blencathra via Blease Fell is possibly the simplest route to the top. This smooth grassy hill is the western extension of Blencathra and has no knife edge ridges or sheer drops, just a straightforward path to the top. There is a small carpark at the Blencathra Centre. Parking here cuts off the climb from Threlkeld village, making the walk less than 500 metres to the top of Blease Fell. There is a finger post sign at the foot of the climb to set you on your way. Once you have reached the top of Blease Fell, there is a short undulating ridge to the summit, which takes the walk to a total of 2.5 miles.
The true top of Blencathra is called Hallsfell Top, the highest point being 868m. There is a glorious view of the surrounding fells - the vale of Keswick an the Helvellyn range. When you reach the top, you have two options. You can retrace your steps and walks back the way you came, making it a round trip of 5 miles. Alternatively (and more importantly, involving a pub) you can walk down to Scales. This down hill stretch is around 2 miles, reaching the White Horse Inn for a pint and maybe a bite to eat. Leaving the pub, there is an undulating walk across fields at the bottom of the fell back top the start point at the Blencathra centre.
Obviously, you can start and finish this walk from Threlkeld village, but as the village is lower down and further away than the start point at the Blencathra Centre, this would negate the point of this being Blencathra the easy way! Wainwright wrote 36 pages in his chapter on Blencathra, more than he wrote on any other fell. He declared Blencathra to be the ‘grandest object in all of Lakeland’. He recorded 12 different routes of ascent, some of them only suitable for the hardiest of walkers. He included many detailed drawings and his description of the view stretched to 8 pages.
Sally's Walks - St John's in the Vale
This is a circular walk of 2.5 - 3 hours and is accessable from all our Keswick cottages. The walk starts at St John’s in the Vale Church where you can park (ignore the sign that says ‘unsuitable for cars’ – it is bad after the church). Walk past the Diocesan Youth Centre and immediately turn left and follow the trod up to the kissing gate.
The next section is a steep climb up grass to the top. There are two or three paths up but I favour the one with the steps in the grass – much easier!
Don’t miss the top. The path goes on across the saddle and there is a cluster of rocks on your left. Climb up here and you will be rewarded with a wonderful panorama of all the major peaks and also Tuffet tarn nestling in a fold of the hills behind you with Blencathra looming in the background and the central massif of Skiddaw with Bassenthwaite Lake in the far distance.
Turn round and you will see Thirlmere and this is the direction you are heading for with the Hellvelyn range on your left.
The path descends and turns right and it continues as a gentle stroll among undulating hummocks until you come to a marshy area. Keep well over to the right before attempting to cross it. Don’t use the first set of stones across but follow the path around to the left (keeping the wall on your left) until you descend to a ladder stile.
Once over, take the right hand path. Ahead is a beautiful view of the manmade reservoir, Thirlmere. Climb over the next small stile and continue along the ridge among the clumps of heather towards the scars of Hellvelyn.
Below is the tranquil vale of St John’s with its traditional Lake District cottages and carpets of fields with grazing sheep and cows. There is a little bit of a tricky descent and then up again through a gap in the wall. Then follows a lovely descent through aromatic pine/fir trees with the forbidding Castle Crag loved by the Lake District's climbers in front of you.
The path twists and turns almost to the road but at the big oak tree on your left turn left and you will be on the path which will take you eventually along the river up St John’s in the Vale back to the church. The path descends towards the river. After about ¾ mile you will find a warm welcome at Low Bridge End farm selling homemade cakes and soft drinks – a welcome pitstop! Dogs on leads though – a handsome turkey roams freely. The path then meanders beside the stone wall with the massif of Blencathra and Threlkeld nestling below always in front of you.
A slight incline brings you up to the road leading to the church where you turn left back to your car. The church has been there’re at least since 1554 and was once part of an important route from Matterdale to Wanthwaite and conveniently placed for people both sides of the fell.There is a good Lake District pub in Threlkeld, the Horse and Farrier, 5 minutes drive away.
A walk to Tewet Tarn near Keswick in the Lake District
This walk starts at the little Church in St John’s in the Vale. To get there, take the A66 from Keswick and then just outside of Keswick, turn right (signed Burns). This takes you on the old A66 road. At the end of this road, turn right and then follow signs for the church. Park opposite the church and go over the wall through the stone stile to the left of where you park.
Then all you need to do is follow the pathway over the fellside until you get to the tarn. It’s not too hilly (fine for a two year old to walk).
You can carry the walk on along over Naddle Bridge and to Castlerigg Stone Circle in Keswick if you fancy it, although our little legs were starting to tire and it was time to go home for us. If you do decide to go to Castlerigg Stone Circle, you can make it a circular walk by coming back along Castle Lane and Nest Brow before getting back to the church at St John’s in the Vale.
The stone circle dates from around 3000BC and is one of the most impressive stone circles in the UK, with fabulous 360 degree views of the surrounding Lake District mountains - Skiddaw, Blencathra and Lonscale Fell.
If you have kids, it’s also a good place to play hide and seek. All in all, the circular walk is about 5 miles of some lovely Lake District rambling, fairly gentle with ascents of about 1000ft in total. If you don’t have a small child with you, the walk takes around two hours to complete.
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Sally’s Cottages 7 St John’s Street Keswick Cumbria CA12 5AP Tel: 01768 780 571 Email: [email protected]