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Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells)

Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells)


Postby yellowbelly » Sun Jan 22, 2012 4:51 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Bakestall, Blencathra, Bowscale Fell, Carrock Fell, Great Cockup, Great Sca Fell, High Pike (Northern Fells), Knott, Meal Fell, Mungrisdale Common, Skiddaw

Hewitts included on this walk: Blencathra, Bowscale Fell, Carrock Fell, High Pike, Knott, Skiddaw

Date walked: 17/05/2010

Time taken: 14.5

Distance: 39.7 km

Ascent: 2662m

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This walk was started by The Old Crown Pub in Hesket Newmarket several years ago. Walkers had to visit four summits, (Carrock Fell, Blencathra, Skiddaw and Great Cockup) whose name had been given to four beers produced at the Hesket Newmarket brewery behind the pub. They could start anywhere on a route of their choice (no need to include the pub in their route).
However, a couple of years ago, they brewed another ale, High Pike, and the walk was revised to include that fell and also to start and finish at the pub. This added about 3 miles to the original route. There is a book in the pub to record your attempt and I believe a free pint is available to finishers.
The fastest time is something ridiculous (a fellrunner friend of ours ran it in less than 4 hours), but our friend Lynda and I took our time to enjoy the day (really we couldn't walk any faster!).
An early start is required in order to finish in daylight and more importantly to arrive back at the pub before last food orders at 9pm. So we were ready to go at 6:15am.
2010_0517April0011.JPG

A couple of miles of roadwalking at the start towards Calebreck with a view of our first hill Carrock Fell ahead.
2010_0517April0013.JPG

It is possible to leave the road here, but we carried on over Carrock Beck then struck off cross country up Carrock Fell and soon arrived at the summit.
2010_0517April0014.JPG

We turned West towards Round Knott before heading downhill to the River Caldew and had to walk a little way upstream to find a suitable crossing point. In retrospect I think I should have kept my shoes on whilst crossing!
2004_0101April0019.JPG

A steep pathless climb followed aiming just West of Tarn Crags with a view of Bowscale Tarn below.
2004_0101April0020.JPG

On to the summit of Bowscale Fell with a view back to Carrock Fell.
2010_0517April0015.JPG

Our next objective Blencathra in the distance.
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And later still, Skiddaw.
2010_0517April0016.JPG

An easy walk from Bowscale Fell before the shale path up Foule Crag on Blencathra, Lynda getting to the top before me as usual!
2004_0101April0025.JPG

Onto Blencathra summit where there were plenty of people to ask to take our photo, showing Skiddaw behind.
2004_0101April0026.JPG

Headed North-West off the back of Blencathra towards Mungrisedale Common and soon arrived at its summit!?
2004_0101April0028.JPG

Next objective was Skiddaw House, now a Youth Hostel, via the Cloven Stone.
2010_0517April0018.JPG

We stopped to refill water bottles at Salehow Beck just before Skiddaw House in the trees behind.
2004_0101April0031.JPG

The sun started to come out warm now making it a real slog up over Sale How onto Skiddaw.
2004_0101April0033.JPG

Then North to Bakestall and along the top of Dead Crags before a very steep pathless descent to the track below where the pain was clearly showing in my face! (glad to be down that one).
2004_0101April0034.JPG

Turned right off the track towards Dash Farm then up and under Brocklecrag and headed onto Great Cockup.
2010_0517April0019.JPG

A descent into Trusmadoor and a steep climb onto Meal Fell followed. Walking poles were definitely needed at this point to help drag us uphill and the jellybabies were starting to run out! Up onto Great Sca Fell and across to Knott left us just one more fell to climb. It had turned into a beautiful sunny evening with hardly any breeze as we sped past Lingy Hut and onto High Pike (Blencathra and Skiddaw behind).
2010_0517April0023.JPG
2004_0101April0035.JPG

It was by now gone 7pm and we thought all was going well for finishing in good time for a meal at the pub. But you know how it goes, you get tired, you get lazy about navigation thinking you're nearly there and it's all downhill from here, what could possible go wrong! Well, with lots of old mine workings and tracks, one place looks much like another, and having to rely on the single win turbine behind Hesket Newmarket to aim at, we were getting desperate. We came to a large ladder stile at the fellside wall still not knowing exactly where we were. We should have gone over it to start with and found the name of the farm, but instead we went half a mile west along the wall to find no way, and came back again. So over the stile it was and we soon arrived at Wood Hall for another mile on tarmac back to the pub for 8:45pm. Just in time to order some food and a very welcome pint.
I can really recommend this walk when the daylight hours are long and preferably the weather forecast is dry. It is possible to do it in trail shoes as I did and travel fairly light.

Old_Crown_Round.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Last edited by yellowbelly on Tue Jan 24, 2012 3:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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yellowbelly
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Re: Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells

Postby skuk007 » Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:46 pm

Well done yellowbelly, that's some trek for a free pint, bet it tasted sweet though.
Looks like you had a good day for it too, worked up a thirst. :)
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Re: Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells

Postby yellowbelly » Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:15 pm

Thanks skuk007 - needed a couple of pints actually. Would have been really gutted to miss last food orders as well!
Definitely need good weather for this but not too hot.
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Re: Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells

Postby ChrisW » Tue Jan 24, 2012 2:51 pm

Great report Yellowbelly, glad you had time to grab some beautiful photos along the way. It's a hell of a trek for a free beer are you sure you're not from Yorkshire :lol: ...(before anyone gets upset by that I am a Yorkshireman so your argument is void :lol: )
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Re: Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells

Postby yellowbelly » Tue Jan 24, 2012 3:06 pm

ChrisW wrote:Great report Yellowbelly, glad you had time to grab some beautiful photos along the way. It's a hell of a trek for a free beer are you sure you're not from Yorkshire :lol: ...(before anyone gets upset by that I am a Yorkshireman so your argument is void :lol: )


ChrisW, I think you're onto something there! Although I was born in Lincoln (hence the Yellowbelly), I subsequently lived in Yorkshire for 35 years, so the characteristics must have rubbed off. :lol:

I have now just worked out how to put my route on, so have added to the bottom of my post.
Last edited by yellowbelly on Wed Jan 25, 2012 2:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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yellowbelly
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Re: Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells

Postby kaye.cantlay » Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:40 pm

I SO want to do that walk...great report and pics....
I love the Northern Fells!
Will wait until the days are longer though...8 hours of daylight is not enough for me (my OH might manage, but I wouldn't) - well done 9I realise report is a bit old now though!
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Re: Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells

Postby yellowbelly » Wed Jan 25, 2012 2:54 pm

kaye - hope you get to do it in the summer. Although I did it 18 months ago, I thought it would give some ideas for others following recent interest also from north of the border.
Looks like you should finish the Wainwrights soon - good luck.
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Re: Old Crown Round (circuit of Lake District Northern Fells

Postby Morecambe Monkey » Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:55 am

That's a good long round,not heard of it before. Also gives an excuse for a re-aquaintance with some lovely Hesket Newmarket ales! :D
Duly pencilled in on my 'to do' list.
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