Blencathra - March 2011

Blencathra, also known as Saddleback, stands shoulder to shoulder with Skiddaw. The two mountains look down on Keswick, which is one of the most picturesque towns in the Lake District.

I walked with a local Rambling group on this occasion, not something I intend to do again but more of that in my next blog.
The day was dry but overcast; getting clearer by the hour until eventually the day was warm and sunny. There were patches of fresh snow in places high on the fell, nothing that could be considered dangerous though.

Our walk started with a slow ascent of Scales, a narrow path of mostly dry ground but occasional mud patches made wearing gaiters a very good idea. As I had not done any fell walking for six months I found the going extremely difficult, in fact I was absolutely shattered in no time at all.

We did reach a flatter part of the path after the first mile or so, from where we got our first view of Blencathra and Sharpe Edge. We reached the fast stream that tumbles down from Scales tarn, from there we had to climb another steep but short section up to the tarn, crossing the ice-cold stream up near the top

Blencathra

Reaching Scales tarn was a welcome relief as we could finally sit down and rest our, I think I needed the rest and some food to eat before I collapsed in a heap. Scales Tarn is a small tarn left from the ice-age and sits quietly in a hollow overlooked by Blencathra and Sharpe Edge. The water looks very dark from above and almost round in shape, it seemed like a very favorable place for the local Ravens too who tumbled in the sky above the tarn.

Scales Tarn

We avoided Sharp Edge due the fact that it can be dangerous when the rocks are wet, so it is a place I can look forward to crossing on another occasion. Instead we climbed the hill on the left side of the tarn that leads directly up to the summit of Blencathra, there was more snow on the ground as we got further up this path and sudden drop in temperature.

Sharp Edge

The views from the summit, a large flat area, were fantastic. Looking south we could see Thirlmere glinting in the sunshine, on the left side of Thirlmere, Helvellyn towered above the water and had a very good covering of snow. Skiddaw was just to our right and surprisingly didn’t look to have much of a covering of snow, even though it stands higher than Blencathra.

Thirlmere

Derwent water and fells such as Cat Bells, Maiden Moor, Dale Head, Robinson and Causey Pike were all visible in the west, all under heavy cloud and mist. The colours of the fells changing constantly as the Sun struggled though the cloud cover, producing varying strains of light as if a dimmer-switch was in use.

Derwent Water

The walk down Blease Fell was quite an unattractive affair, it was just a long grassy slope with a stony zigzag path and due to the steep decline it was very tiring on our legs. Reaching the base of Blencathra we found a level dirt road that led us through a stile and onto a woodland track that led us to Keswick after a few miles, where a pint of beer was waiting to be drunk by a very tired man! Keswick was, as always, a welcoming sight and with Daffodils flowering and Chaffinches singing there was a very Spring feeling in the air.

Blencathra was now behind us and rain was now falling while we walked through the town, on the fells snow was falling and so we certainly had the best of the weather while we were walking.

That pint of beer was wonderful; somehow beer always tastes incredible after a long walk on the fells.

Derwent Water

Dewent Water