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Nov 26

Blencathra 2011

Route distance 11.3 km
Total ascent 882 m

We set off at our usual time of 6 am in order to miss the traffic chaos on the M62 around Manchester, and arrived at Threlkeld at about 8.30. Parking outside The Horse and Farrier Inn, we noticed it was serving breakfasts and as it was raining we decided to delay the trip for a bit til after eating. Very nice it was too. The weather had settled down a bit as was forecast, and we set off in good spirits and confident that this walk wasn’t too difficult to navigate, even with our limited skills.

Just checking the route

After a short walk through the village, we left the tarmac and crossed a very muddy field that would lead us towards Blease farm and there we picked up the path that would take us along the bottom of Halls fell and Doddick fell and eventually take us onto Scales fell.

Cloud cover on the other side of the valley..

Doddick gill?

Scales farm

After a couple of kms of good walking we headed north and started to climb.

Mousthwaite comb

We were very confident as the path was very easy to follow and the views as we were climbing were great, Mousthwaite comb being great to look at.

Cloud bubbling up

Still enjoying myself

The walking was easy as we followed the river Glenderamackin towards Scales tarn.

A steep climb up to scales tarn

The gradient got steeper as we head up to Scales tarn and the weather was getting worse. Still, we were in good spirits and got to the tarn in good time.

Very misty at Scales tarn

We got to Scales tarn and was looking forward to catching our 1st glimpse of Sharp edge. Unfortunately it was covered in mist and we couldn’t see it. A sign that things weren’t going to be as easy as we thought they would be. We stopped for a while and had some lunch while we worked out where to go from here.

What we could see of Sharp edge

It wasn’t long before we were having doubts about sharp edge, visibility was very poor and the rocks were quite slippy. We were walking on a path that was below the ridge until that ran out, so we scrambled up to the top and had a look over the top. We didn’t like what we saw, which was nothing. I’m not sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing, because i may well have turned back if i could see what was below us. After a discussion, we decided to drop down and try and find the path to carry on. As luck would have it, a group of lads were about 20 ft below us and more importantly looked as if they knew what they were doing. They were even laughing and joking, something we hadn’t done for about 15 minutes. Pride swallowed, we asked if they wouldn’t mind if we joined up with them un til we got across Sharp edge.

our saviours

We slid down and followed our new best friends. Even with the lads leading the way, me and Dave were not enjoying it at all. And then we came to the “bad step”….

Dave trying to be brave

Looking back at the bad step

It was at the “bad step” that we realised just how dangerous walking in the Lakes could be. We were the last to cross this dodgy bit and were waiting for 2 other lads to cross 1st. I don’t know what one of them had on his feet but he just couldn’t get any grip at all and was shaking like a leaf as he was slipping towards the edge on the slippery rock. His mate reached out for him whilst holding the edge of the rock with me holding onto his belt. We eventually dragged him back towards relative safety and he decided that he wasn’t going to carry on. I don’t blame him as his confidence was shot and was shaking like a leaf. Him and his mate decided to head back, we on the other hand thought that it was harder to go back than it was to carry on. Its fair to say that the next 20 minutes were nerve racking, not many photos were taken. I went 1st and stepped down off the ledge and just straddled the short ridge to get to the other lads. Thankfully we did bump into the lads and they talked us through what to do and where to put our feet. I don’t know how we’d have got across if they weren’t there.

Safely across and Dave looking a bit shaken

All smiles now

Everyone was all smiles now we’d made it to the top. As we rested here we had a chat to the lads and found out one of them lived about a mile form us, small world…. A short walk from here and we got to the summit of Blencathra… 868 meters

The view from lower down the slopes

The walk down from on Blease fell was a delight, the clouds had lifted and the views were fantastic. We had another meal break on the slopes and just took in the sight that had opened up in front of us.

 

Great spot for a break

We stayed here for about 15 minutes and set off on the last leg back to Threlkeld.

Dave loving it. Threlkeld in the background

Threlkeld

Eventually we arrived back at Threlkeld. A fantastic and frightening days walking was finished at the Horse and Farrier Inn, where a well deserved pint was in order. As we were sat outside the pub, the lad that turned back on sharp edge walked passed us. He told us that as they were scrambling down from the Edge, his rucksack came off and it just missed a waoman that was climbing just below her. All she could see was a load of colours falling past her and she thought it was a body. This scared her to death and she couldn’t move (cragfast), and he had to help her back down off the hill. It was good to see he had made it down in one piece and that he was going to get some new boots when he got home. After our pint it was time to head for Keswick and see what the night had in store for us there. I can tell you it was a bloody good night, although we embarrased ourselves in the pub quiz in The Golden Lion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 comment

  1. tracey

    sounded abit scary that one paul…if i ever go with you on one of your walks i,ll wait for you in the pub..lol!..x

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