A good day was forecast so we drove to the Old Sawmill Tearoom at Dodd Wood, north of Keswick. We planned to walk up to Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side and then down to Dodd. A 7 mile walk. Very little snow was left on even the high fells. The walk…
Category Archives: Northern Fells
Ordered by date descending
Ullock Pike, Carl Side & Dodd
11th January 2022Bowscale Tarn, High Pike & Carrock Fell
1st July 2021On Thursday I drove with Ged through Mungrisdale to Bowscale, parking in the parking spaces opposite the track up to Bowscale Tarn. We would walk up to the tarn then descend back to the valley floor, cross the river and walk up to Carrock Mine, then…
Blencathra Round
28th June 2021On Monday I drove to Mungrisdale to walk the Blencathra Round: Bowscale Fell, Bannerdale Crags, Blencathra and Souther Fell. A walk of just over ten miles. I left home at 6am, arriving at 7.30am. The forecast was excellent, warm with no wind. I arriv…
Blencathra & Mungrisdale Common
14th July 2017On Friday Ged, Kas and I drove to the Blencathra Center at Threlkeld in order to climb up to Blencathra. Blencathra is comprised of five separate fells. Today we would ascend via Blease Fell, a route that I have only used once, to descend by. We woul…
Dash Falls and Bakestall
5th July 2017On Wednesday Ged, Kas and I took a walk from Peter House Farm up to Dash Falls and then on up to Bakestall. The Orthwaite Road was closed (bridge work) so we had to find a route via Bassenthwaite Village to get to the farm. We didn’t start walk…
Souther Fell from Scales
6th April 2017On Thursday Ged, Kas and I drove to Scales, on the A66, to walk up Souther Fell. An easy, grassy, circular walk of six miles. The walk took about three and a half hours, a very easy walk. There were a couple of rock steps on the descent, but these co…
Longlands Fell, Little Sca Fell and Brae Fell
3rd March 2017On Friday Ged and I drove to Longlands, via the Orthwaite road, to do a circular walk over a few of the Uldale Fells. The weather was a bit dull, but the northern fells would see the best of the weather. We parked near the small United Utilities buil…
Blue Skies and Snow on Skiddaw
24th November 2016Thursday was going to be a glorious blue sky day, so Tom and I decided to have a walk up Skiddaw (3,053ft). Skiddaw is a very safe mountain in snow, there is nothing to fall off or over, if you take the Jenkin Hill route up. Microspikes help enormous…
Great Calva to Great Cockup
12th May 2016The A591 between Grasmere and Keswick reopened yesterday after six months, so no more detours via the Kirkstone Pass and Dockray to reach the fells on the other side. Today we would drive over Dunmail Raise to reach Peter House Farm near Orthwaite an…
Great Mell Fell and Binsey
31st March 2016After our recent energetic mountain walks in snow I thought it would make a pleasant change to walk up a couple of easy fells. We decided on Great Mell Fell (1762ft) and Binsey (1467ft), both are easy, short walks on grass but with excellent views ou…
Carrock Fell and High Pike with Father John.
18th August 2014On Monday I met up with Fr. John in the car park of Our Lady of the Lakes R.C. Church in Keswick and we headed for Mosedale, off the A66, in order to Climb Carrock Fell (2174ft) and High Pike (2157ft), then to return via Lingy Hut and Swineside. A wa…
Keswick Railway Path and Latrigg with Ness
13th August 2014On Wednesday my sister, Ness and I drove to Keswick to amble along the very easy Railway Path and up to the summit of Latrigg. A walk of about 6 miles. The back of Latrigg has a very gentle incline and is easier to go up than the Spooney Green Lane p…
Ullock Pike to Skiddaw
11th March 2014Yet another glorious, blue sky day, so I can’t waste it. Ged, Kas and I drive to Dodd Wood to walk up to The Edge, over Ullock Pike, Longside Edge, Carl Side and up to Skiddaw, then climbing down the back to Broad End and Barkbethdale, then Sou…
Bowscale Fell via the East Ridge and Around
17th December 2013Yesterday Ged, Kas and I drove to Mungrisedale to Climb Bowscale Fell (2306ft) by the east ridge and continued on to Bannerdale Crags (2241ft) and back via the Glenderamackin Valley. A walk of 9 miles. The weather was much better than it had been for…
Keswick Railway Path and Latrigg
1st November 2013Yesterday Ged and I went to Keswick and walked along the Old Railway Path and up to Latrigg. The weather has been awful for the past month, endless rain and gales. Ged was having a problem with a foot ligament so we just did something small and combi…
Blencathra via Hall’s Fell
8th August 2012On Wednesday Brendan, Ged, Kas and I went to Threlkeld to climb Blencathra (2847ft) via the Hall’s Fell ridge. A walk of about six miles. An excellent walk! Jo….
A Long Walk Around Skiddaw
15th April 2012On Sunday Brendan and I drove to Dodd Wood, parking on the free car parking spaces on the road just outside Mirehouse in order to start a 19 mile circuit of Skiddaw. We would include Latrigg (1203ft). The 19 mile walk had taken eight hours and 15 min…
Ullock Pike to Skiddaw via The Watches
28th March 2012Yesterday was due to be the last good day before the cloud and winds arrived on the hills, so I set out alone to climb the northern fells of Ullock Pike (2230ft), Long Side Edge (2405ft), Carl Side (2420ft) and Skiddaw (3053ft). I usually climb them…
Carrock Fell and High Pike
2nd May 2011This morning I drove to Mosedale to climb Carrock Fell (2174ft) and High Pike (2157ft). Only a six and a half mile walk that I could do in about three hours. I set off from home at 6.45am and was walking by 8.15am, early enough to have avoided all th…
Grisedale Pike, Great Calva and St. Bega’s Church
18th April 2011Yesterday I left home at 6.50am to drive to Braithwaite in order to walk up Grisedale Pike (2593ft). A walk of six miles. Then to do two more walks after that.I started walking at 8.20am from the car park at the start of the Whinlatter pass where the…
Four Walks, Six Fells and a Puncture
3rd April 2011Yesterday I decided to climb a few odd fells in four distinct small walks. The rest of this week was due to be windy so Sunday seemed to be the best day. I set off at 7.15 am and had completed Latrigg (1203ft) before 9am. I had meant to do this fell…
Skiddaw in Snow
10th November 2010Snow had fallen on the higher fells on Monday night, so on Wednesday I drove to the Latrigg car park with Ged and Kas to climb Lonscale (2344ft), Skiddaw Little Man (2837ft), Skiddaw (3053ft) and Bakestall (2208ft) returning on the Cumbria Way track …
Wild-camping at Bowscale Tarn
25th August 2010I haven’t done any wild-camping since over-nighting on the summit of Carran in County Kerry over two years ago. Brendan and I haven’t done any together since touring the Outer Hebrides 20 years ago! Where did all the years go? So on Wedn…
Bowscale Fell and Bannerdale Crags
12th July 2010Today Ged, Kas and I went to Mungrisedale to climb Bowscale Fell (2306ft) and Bannerdale Crags (2241ft) via the track to Bowscale Tarn. The walk was 6.75 miles and took four and a half hours….
Blencathra via Sharp Edge
18th May 2010Yesterday Ged, Kas and I went to Scales to climb Blencathra (2847ft) via the Sharp Edge ridge. I`ve done it twice before by the Halls Fell ridge, but as it was dry and windless we decided that today would be ideal to tackle the infamous Sharp Edge. T…
Eight Uldale Fells
12th May 2010Yesterday I chauffeured newly elected Labour Councillor Sweeney (formally known as Brendan) to Longlands and parked by the bridge, heading off along Longlands Beck towards Trusmadoor. We had planned to climb Great Cockup (1720ft), Meal Fell (1770ft),…
Ullock Pike to Dodd in Snow
4th March 2010On Tuesday we decided to drive north of Keswick and climb Ullock Pike (2230ft), Long Side Edge (2405ft), Carl Side (2420ft) and Dodd (1646ft). A walk of about 7 miles. We started from the car park at the Sawmill Tearoom at Dodd Wood and walked throug…
Carrock Fell and High Pike
5th October 2009Yesterday Ged, Kas and I went to Mosedale to climb Carrock Fell (2174ft) and High Pike (2157ft). On the Mungrisedale to Mosedale road we came across a group of Fell Ponies……so cute and friendly! An interesting walk of about eight miles. W…
Binsey
3rd October 2009Today I was at the Rheged Centre, Penrith for a course on “Conquering Challanging Behaviour For Effective Learning”. What a great way to spend a Saturday Morning! After the course I looked around Rheged, having not been there for at least…
Lonscale Fell, Latrigg and Whinlatter
1st October 2009Today was a sunshine and good visibility day so I decided to climb Lonscale (2344ft), Latrigg (1203ft) and Whinlatter (1696ft). I drove to the Gale End car park for Skiddaw arriving at 9.30am. The car park was already full with like-minded people, so…
Eight Uldale Fells in Mist
24th September 2009The weather today was supposed to be better than Tuesday`s. It wasn`t! We drove to Longlands and parked by the bridge, heading off along Longlands Beck towards Trusmadoor. We had planned to climb Great Cockup (1720ft), Meal Fell (1770ft), Great Sca F…
Great Calva and Bakestall
22nd September 2009Today Ged, Kas and I went to do a couple of fells from Back O`Skiddaw. Great Calva (2265ft) and Bakestall (2189ft). We parked at Peter House Farm and walked part of the Cumbria Way path which leads to Skiddaw House. The walk took us five and a half h…
Bowscale Fell to Souther Fell
11th May 2009Yesterday Ged, Kas and I went to Mungrisedale to climb Bowscale Fell (2306ft), Bannerdale Crags (2230ft), Mungrisedale Common (2068ft) and Souther Fell (1680ft). A walk of nine miles. It was a fine sunny day but the forecast was for 50mph winds on th…
Ullock Pike to Skiddaw
3rd January 2009Today Ged and I decided to do four northern Fells, Ullock Pike (2230ft), Long Side Edge (2405ft), Skiddaw (3053ft) and Carl Side (2420ft). A walk of about 7 miles. We started from the car park at the Sawmill Tearoom (which was shut until February!) a…
Skiddaw in Sunshine
1st May 2007On Tuesday I took Brendan up Skiddaw (3053ft) and Skiddaw Little Man (2837ft). Another nice day but very windy even at the car park. We took the tourist route up. A large, smooth path that goes all the way up. I left my walking pole on the car bonnet…
Dodd, Lord’s Seat, Barf and Great Cockup
22nd February 2007On Monday we set off for three days in the Northern Fells. Staying in a B&B at Maple Bank in Thornthwaite. There was low cloud so we went to Dodd Wood. First we visited The Old Sawmill Tearoom for a coffee before setting off on one of the trails…
Blencathra via Halls Fell
26th July 2006Went up Blencathra (2847ft above Keswick) with Ged and Kas the dog on Wednesday, via Halls Fell and ridge. I went up this way last Easter but without my camera, so I did it all again! Halls Fell is the ridge that leads to the top summit (seen below)…