After my epic journey over High Street 2 weeks ago I was looking for something a bit more straightforward this time. It’s a rainy Saturday but there looks to be a break in the weather in the middle of the afternoon so I head to Threlkeld.
There’s a car park high up the fell road near the Blencathra Study Centre and only a few cars are parked there. A wooden sign points me up the side of the fell, but before too long the path splits. This isn’t marked on my map - it’s an old map and I guess new pathways have been created since the map was made. Though the new path looks more well trodden, I go with the map and spend the first half hour slogging up towards the first small summit of Blease Fell.
Looking back from Knowe Crags
There are only a few other walkers out and they’re all coming back down the fell. Blencathra so far doesn’t have the majesty of some of the other fells, but as I climb and look back every few minutes it’s easy to see why people come. The views of the rest of the lakes are just stunning.
Gategill
As I reach the summit of Knowe Crags the path leads close to the edge of Gategill and suddenly I’m blown away by the enormity of the gill. I have had this feeling several times now (especially on the last trip at the top of The Nab) where the scale suddenly hits you and I feel humbled, insignificant by mother nature.
Looking North from Knowe Crags
After the steep climbs earlier on, I’m glad to be on the wide paths and a slow ascent to the top of Blencathra. The views are stunning, the whole of the lakes to the south and the emptiness of Mungrisdale Common to the North.
360 degree view from Blencathra sumit
It’s only taken just over an hour to get to the top. The wind is blowing and I lose my hat, managing to catch it before it goes over the edge. I’m quite attached to this hat now so decide to head back the way I came. No adventures this time and I’m happy with that.
On the way back down I am rewarded with a break in the clouds over Skiddaw. I can tell from here that it will be more than an hour each way to the top, but Skiddaw is now firmly at the top of the list for the next adventure.