| Name of walk | Skiddaw in Snow |
| Date of walk | 2010-11-10 |
Snow 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 via Skiddaw House through the Back o’ Skiddaw. A walk of 12 miles.
Today we had a break from the rain and gales of recent days and it was a blue sky sunny day! From the Hawell Monument looking up Jenkins Hill. Kas is eager to get going and shoots on ahead sniffing out the route!
Looking across Keswick and Derwent Water to the North Western Fells
No snow on Catbells
We turned off the main path to take the hill up to the Lonscale Fell path. It was warm in the sunshine. Ged with Skiddaw behind him
Lonscale summit with Blencathra behind, we then head for the minor peak ahead left, and the views out
The Back o' Skiddaw. The map labels this as Skiddaw Forest, but the only trees to be seen are around the isolated Skiddaw House, centre right. Great Calva is back right with Knott behind. Bakestall far left.
A sheer drop on the edge of Lonscale. Looking down to our return route and Glenderaterra Beck and across at Blencathra
Heading up to the first cairn.
Looking back to pointy Lonscale Fell from the first cairn
Heading up to Skiddaw Little Man.
These ladies were from Scotland and doing their first ascent of Skiddaw. Great views across to Clough Head and the Dodds and to Loadpot Hill in the distance
Looking to Carlside and Ullock Pike
A close up with the wind turbines of the Solway Firth behind Ullock Pike and Longside Edge, and snow on the Scottish Hills too!
The cold had started to bite, so back on with the coat and gloves and I also put on my microspikes for a safer descent. Ged hadn`t brought his as he had not realised it had snowed....D'oh! On the way down his backside soon had a sharp reminder that it had!
Easy to tell which way the wind had been blowing!
Looking back up to Skiddaw Little Man.
Kas, me and my trusty microspikes
Walking along the summit ridge. A popular place to be today!
It was lunchtime so there were lots of people sitting in the numerous shelters
Looking down Bassenthwaite Lake
Looking back at our route from Lonscale Fell, mid left, and out to the Hellvellyn range
Close up
Looking back up to Skiddaw.
Heading down to Bakestall. Great Cockup and the Uldale Fells ahead.
Bakestall summit cairn. We headed down the steep side of Birkett Edge to the Cumbria Way path, first taking a look at the rapids leading to Whitewater Dash Falls
From the Cumbria Way Path looking at the Back o' Blencathra. We did think of climbing Great Calva too (just to our left), but it would mean returning in the dark so we left it for another day. We stopped along here on the rocks for a late lunch in the last of the sunshine, before heading into the shade of Skiddaw.
Skiddaw House on the horizon.
Skiddaw House
It is quite a long track, but easy walking. Looking back at Great Calva as we head up the path around Lonscale Fell side.
The track keeps its height and gives good views across to High Rigg and Tewit Tarn, but it was four o'clock and we had started to lose light. It would be dark in 30 minutes
The clouds had come in and the sun had started to set as we take the track back towards the car park. Gales and rain were forecast tonight.
