Walkhighlands

A mixed day for a first climb of one of the Lakeland giants.

Longside Edge makes a terrific approach route (albeit only gained by a breathtakingly steep path up from the roadside, almost too much before the calves are loosened up…) - a great path along the gently climbing rocky ridge, with – until they were lost in the gathering mist – lovely views to Bassenthwaite Lake and bleaker ones to the towering slopes of Skiddaw.







The last view for an hour or more was the one leaving Carl Side, any sight of Skiddaw or its lower Men lost in the peasoup. The walking is easy enough, the path cutting up across the scree much firmer and easier than expected and little chance of losing the well-cairned route across the stony summit ridge, but you feel a little cheated not to see the famed views south.


The route down - and back into the sun - over Lonscale Fell and Burnt Horse into the brown hollow of Skiddaw Forest, is gentle and quick going, if it lacks the drama of the ascent. This area feels a very peaceful and remote wilderness, even so close to the crowds on Skiddaw.






After an impressive view of Dash Falls and the crags that terminate Skiddaw’s north ridge, it’s a pretty long contouring route back to the starting point, quite rough-going in the early stages until a half-path forms that skirts most obstacles, but can’t quite find a good way through the bogs of Barkbethdale. Perhaps starting this route near Bassenthwaite and taking the Cumbria Way down would have a nicer symmetry and better paths? – but the ascent is one well worth repeating.

Looks like you had a great day out Poppie (despite the cloudy summit). I did a similar route to you a few weeks ago (Ullock pike, etc.) but opted to drop off the north end to Bakestall instead of doing Lonscale. I never did pick up the return path you went on from Dead Crags which would have saved me a few miles of pounding Hard tarmac back to Ravenstone.

Great report of another long stretch P, strange to find that cloud lingering over the summit but the rest of the day looked beautiful, typical

I love the Ulock Pike aproach to Skiddaw, anybody who thinks Skiddaw is nothing but a big boring lump should try it. Also nice to see pics of one of the Lakes emptiest areas the back 'o siddaw. Nice report Poppie!

That looks like a nice long round, and a good way of seeing the less busy side of the 'boring lump'

I still haven't done Skiddaw (I don't think it has anything to do with its reputation, just never got around to it), but I'm looking at a couple of weekend routes in the Lakes for once I've finished the Welsh hills. I doubt I'll do this exactly, but there is lots of useful info for the more obscure bits there. Cheers

Thanks, all.

Skiddaw didn't really strike me as deserving of a 'boring' reputation', but perhaps the little bits I saw of the straight 'tourist' route up from Keswick might suggest that it's a fairly straightforward and unvarying route - hard to think that this way up isn't better.

Malky - looking forward to seeing the reports of those last few Welsh Hewitts. If you're anything like me, after a year or so constantly over there, with more than enough rough going, it feels a bit of a cakewalk to see good paths leading everywhere in the Lakes!