Blencathra & Sharp Edge

21st March 2009

Blencathra and Sharp Edge had got to be on any serious Fell Walkers list and mine wasn’t any exception.

Id put it off over the winter months for obvious reasons and just when were approaching almost spring with its crisp clear skies and low temperatures I couldn’t put it off any longer ..It was just a case of finding the absolute perfect weather window & this weekend was just that.

 

Wainwright Guidebook Five

The Northern Fells

 

 

Overview
Ascent: 2,847 Feet - 868 Metres
Wainwrights: Blencathra
Weather: Crisp Clear Sunny Skies ,Cloud Cover On The Tops
Parking: Lay By On The A66, Scales
Area: Northern
Miles:  
Walking With: Stephen Harrison
Ordnance Survey: OL5 (1:25)
Time Taken:  
Route: Scales - Sharp Edge - Foule Crag - Blencathra - Doddick Fell Top - Scales Fell - Scales
 

Map and Photo Gallery

 
 

Starting our walk at Scales and its a Beautiful Morning.

 

Beautiful yet extremely hazy.

 

Our first view of Sharp Edge and this I guess is where the butterflies started.
 

Looking back along the path we’d taken with Souther Fell and the River Glenderamackin below.
 

Still at this point we was pretty undecided on whether we were going to do Sharp Edge.

We wanted to wait until we actually got up to the path and check how breezy it was up there, but for me, In my head before telling Ste I knew I was doing Sharp Edge today.

The path which would lead us up to Scales Tarn.
Time for a quick rekey at the job ahead and maybe a quick coffee.

Sharp Edge seen from the path leading up from Scales Tarn.

 

Sharp Edge, no going back now its perfect.

 

Scales Tarn capturing the sun.

 

Sharp Edge.

Ste will take the posing shots and I guess this is as good as it gets!

Sharp Edge.
 

Must be my turn to take the pictures.
Ste enjoying every minute.

Looking back on Sharp Edge.
 

Ste, Sharp Edge.
 

Taking in the view while trying to wipe the grin of my face.

 

Zooming in on Blencathra summit from Sharp Edge.

 

The view back down Sharp Edge from Foule Crag.

Thinking back its hard to describe how I felt after doing Sharp Edge. To the hardened walker who can scale this in a hop, skip and a jump or words to that affect (which we did witness on the day) it maybe just Sharp edge on a good day..But for me it was a huge achievement, especially as it was my first time. It did take a good couple of days to forget how chuffed I was with myself.


Blencathra Summit cairn and I promise this is the last mug shot of me.

 

Our decent route, Scales fell.

 

Fed and watered it was time to head down.
You cant actually see in this picture but the weather was closing in just behind us.

Its a little steepish coming down Scales Fell and the knees where definitely trying to tell me something...
"Paul you've had two damaged cruciate ligaments and a broken leg" Slow Down.

Nearly back at the car and time for a celebratory pint at the Horse And Farrier, Threlkeld.
 



 

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