Blencathra fells 17-18th October  2009

Route- Day 1 - Bowscale - Souther Fell - Sharp Edge - Blencathra - Lonscale Fell - Skiddaw Little Man - Sale How

Day 2 - Sale How - Mungrisdale Common - Bannerdale Crags - Bowscale fell - Bowscale Tarn - Bowscale

It's been a few weeks since my last wild -camp so the promise of a couple of days fine weather was the spur I needed to load up my gear and head for the Lakes. The trip turned into a walk of two halves with glorious weather on Saturday but low cloud and drizzly rain all day Sunday.

Souther Fell towers over Mungrisdale.

Bannerdale Crags between Souther fell on the left and The Tongue on the right.

On the steep flanks of Souther Fell with a hazy view towards the Mell Fells and beyond.

First view of Blencathra seen over Bannerdale Crag.

Zooming in on Sharp Edge, from here you would think that there was no chance of climbing up by that route. 

At Scales Tarn now and Sharp Edge looks a little less formidable.

Looking down Sharp Edge. The weather on Saturday was ideal with no wind and completely dry. i  think that the climb would have been a lot harder on Sunday with the rock wet and the wind blowing.

Scales tarn. From near the top of Sharp Edge.

On Blencathra now, looking across  to Gategill Fell  top from Hallsfell top

Really extensive views from Blencathra looking to the Far Eastern fells.

Looking in the other direction you can just make out Derwent Water and the Western fells through the haze

From Blencathra I endured a long boggy slog to start my climb to Lonscale Fell (in shadow on the left).

Looking back to Blencathra from the climb up Burnt Horse.

Great and Little Calva from Burnt Horse

The South East ridge of Lonscale Fell.

On the top of Lonscale fell now looking across to Skiddaw in cloud, but I am only going as far as Skiddaw Little Man( the pointed fell in the centre). The path takes you over the subsidiary summit of Jenkin Hill

Blencathra from Skiddaw Little Man. The temperature was now dropping like a stone so I wasted no time in walking down to Sale How where I camped for the night.

After a chilly but fine night the next day promised to be fine but the cloud came down and a fine rain started to fall. I packed up and headed for the top of the much maligned Mungrisdale Common

.

On my way I passed the remote Skiddaw House youth Hostel.

Not much to see at the top of Mungrisdale Common.

My route took me round towards Mousthwaite Comb and round the back of Sharp Edge where a few brave souls were climbing up.

Onto Bannerdale Crags now looking back to Souther Fell.

Bannerdale Crags from the gentle climb to Bowscale Fell.

Bowscale Tarn

Walking down the pleasant track to Bowscale.

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