Blencathra 7.1Km/4½ Miles 3½ Hours

Blencathra 7.1km/4½ miles 3½ hours

Here’s a two-ridge route up and down the iconic Lakeland peak of Blencathra.

1 NY320253 From the Heading up Hall's Fell, with Doddick Fell centre of Threlkeld (return leg) behind the wispy cloud. follow the road through the village east past the church for 300m to a lane on the left for Gategill. Join the lane and follow it for 200m to a farm access track (bridleway) on the left. This is followed north-west, through the yard to a gate in the intake wall.

NY324262 Go 2 through the gate then turn right and cross the beck. A short section of path beside the wall now leads to a fork. The left branch is the approach route to the base of Hall’s Fell Ridge. It is up very steep grass CHALLENGING WALK CHALLENGING and heather. The first TOM BAILEY TOM section is a bit of a slog sections close to the zigzags with views out climbing a broad ridge, crest, so cast about for above Scales Tarn and as height is gained options that suit you, but towards Sharp Edge. This the ridge starts to narrow don’t go too far off-line, 5 is actually the Scales Fell and become rockier. as the terrain further 4 path. About 650m along it away from the crest you’ll come to a path that NY326270 This is starts to become less forks off right. 3 the true crest of reliable. The upper Hall’s Fell Ridge. Once section of the ridge NY329277 The fork on it, follow the crest as becomes slightly 5 marks the top of closely as possible. The steeper but again you’ll Doddick Fell, and the scrambling is generally always find bypass 3 path descends its crest. easy and you can vary the paths, if you choose The path is fairly steep line to make it as easy or to avoid particularly but underfoot its grass as hard as you like. There exposed moves. is flanked by heather, are always easier bypass and is less technical 4 NY323277 than Hall’s Fell Ridge. ROUTE STATS The summit of It’s worth taking your Blencathra is poised time with the descent, Strenuousness lllll right on the edge of as the backward views Navigation lllll the crags at the top of across the crags and Technicality lllll Hall’s Fell Ridge. It’s towards Hall’s Wainwrights 1 a superb viewpoint and Fell Ridge are both an excellent place to stop spectacular and Distance 7.1km for a breather to enjoy the 2 revealing. Eventually the (4½ miles) surroundings. The view path eases at Total ascent 800m back down the ridge a shoulder, turns Time 3½ hours looks mighty impressive south-west and then Start/finish Threlkeld from the summit, and steepens again for the (NY320253) it’s definitely one to file last bit down to the intake Nearest town Keswick in your memory banks. wall. Once you reach the To descend, head Terrain Village wall, turn right and follow north-east then east lanes, farm access the path beside it back to off the summit and (bridleway), wallside the gate at Gategill. Pass follow the path, steep mountain, through the gate and constructed path steep rocky ridge, rock retrace your steps back down a series of 1 steps, stony summit, to Threlkeld. rounded summit ridge, narrow grassy ridge GRADIENT Maps OS Explorer PROFILE Start Hall’s Fell Blencathra Finish

(1:25,000) OL5, OS 1400 Landranger (1:50,000) 1200 METRES 1000 90, Harvey Superwalker ABOVE 800 XT25 (1:25,000) Lake SEA 600 LEVEL 400 1 2 3 4 5 District North, British 200