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Scale Force and some Western Fells

Scale Force and some Western Fells


Postby Broggy1 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 10:47 am

Wainwrights included on this walk: Great Borne, Hen Comb, Mellbreak, Red Pike (Buttermere), Starling Dodd

Hewitts included on this walk: Great Borne, Red Pike (Buttermere), Starling Dodd

Date walked: 24/09/2017

Time taken: 4.15

Distance: 18.4 km

Ascent: 1661m

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A good forecast for Sunday and with me staying over at my parents place in Appleby I thought it would be a good chance to head West and visit a few hills I've not been to for a while.

Starting with the magnificent, direct route up Mellbreak and then down to Mosedale and up via Scale Force - my first visit and a magnificent feature.

With Red Pike being just there, I decided to add that in quickly before doubling back for Starling Dodd, Great Borne and Hen Comb.

1 Mellbreak (1).JPG
Mellbreak - I love this hill


2 Looking down initial scree.JPG
Looking down the initial scree section which is far and away the hardest part of the route


3 South Top from NOrth Top.JPG
Southern (and higher) Top from the far more inspiring Northern Top


4 Great Borne and Hen Comb from South Top.JPG
Great Borne and Hen Comb from the Southern Top


5 Red Gill Grasmoor.JPG
Looking at the bulk of Grasmoor with Red Gill clearly visible. I'll never forget my day struggling up that once.


6 Descent to Mosedle.JPG
Descending to Mosedale with the Dale Head group visible


7 Scale Force.JPG
Scale Force - most impressive


8 Scale Force.JPG
Scale Force


9 Scale Beck.JPG
The route climbs steeply by the Force until easier ground is found as it continues alongside Scale Beck


10 Lingcomb Edge to Red PIke.JPG
After a dull section the path comes out on Lingcomb Edge with Red Pike (which I hadn't planned to visit today) taking the eye


11 Back to Mellbreak, Crummock Water and Grasmoor.JPG
Looking back at Mellbreak, Crummock Water and Grasmoor


12 High Stile from Red PIke.JPG
High Stile from the summit of Red Pike. With the route so obviously heading for Red Pike I had been convinced to head there.

I briefly considered continuing to High Stile but the wind was extremely strong and cold here and I'd be walking in to it that way so opted to get back on track with my original plan.


13 Starling Dodd and Great bOrne ahead.JPG
Starling Dodd and Great Borne ahead.

After two ascents this section was a joy - a proper ridge walk.


14 Red PIke, Gable and Pillar.JPG
Looking back to Red Pike, Great Gable and Pillar from Starling Dodd


15 Blake Fell from GB.JPG
Blake Fell from Great Borne


16 Steep descent to Floutern Pass.JPG
It's a steep descent from Great Borne to Floutern Pass


17 Great Borne and Floutern Tarn from F Cop.JPG
I took a brief diversion to the top of Floutern Cop to look over Floutern Tarn to Great Borne (which seemed a more impressive hill than the first time I visited it!)


18 Hen Comb now ahead.JPG
Hen Comb now ahead


19 Low Fell from Hen Comb.JPG
Low Fell from Hen Comb


20 Diresct descent from Hen Comb.JPG
I'd been worried that the beck may be to high to cross further down so I took an extremely direct and steep descent down to join up with the footbridge.


Only 7 Wainwrights remaining now for a second round. I've not been going for this particularly and my remaining ones are all smaller hills out west but I'm sure I will get round to it soon enough.
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Broggy1
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1172
Munros:111   Corbetts:19
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Sub 2000:8   Hewitts:274
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Re: Scale Force and some Western Fells

Postby Alteknacker » Tue Sep 26, 2017 3:37 pm

Crikey! Another super quick round! Are you sure you're not in training for the Bob Graham Round...???

Your report caught my eye because I'm planning a route to encompass the Hewitts in this general area, and some of the hills certainly look very fine indeed. There are so many ridges, so many options...

Mellbreak in particular looks very seductive (or is your pic actually of Raven Crag/White Crag on the way to Mellbreak? If I look on the map I can't see contours for Mellbreak or a metalled track nearby that would fit your pic).
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Alteknacker
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Posts: 3473
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Location: Effete South (of WIgan, anyway)

Re: Scale Force and some Western Fells

Postby Broggy1 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:10 pm

Alteknacker wrote:Crikey! Another super quick round! Are you sure you're not in training for the Bob Graham Round...???

Your report caught my eye because I'm planning a route to encompass the Hewitts in this general area, and some of the hills certainly look very fine indeed. There are so many ridges, so many options...

Mellbreak in particular looks very seductive (or is your pic actually of Raven Crag/White Crag on the way to Mellbreak? If I look on the map I can't see contours for Mellbreak or a metalled track nearby that would fit your pic).


Thanks.

Yes you are right the picture is looking from the road to Kirkgate Farm at the Raven Crag/White Crag side of Mellbreak. But I guess I've always put these crags as part of the Northern Top (509m) of Mellbreak.

I think - knowing your love for a big round - you'd love these hills in this area. Some of the best hills in the Lakes lie here imo.
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Broggy1
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1172
Munros:111   Corbetts:19
Fionas:5   Donalds:20+7
Sub 2000:8   Hewitts:274
Wainwrights:214   Islands:1
Joined: Jul 22, 2013

Re: Scale Force and some Western Fells

Postby trailmasher » Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:23 pm

A great walk Broggy1 :clap: and a great part of the LD. As you so rightly say there are some good hills around that area, :) ones that you can really get on with it 8)
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trailmasher
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Posts: 1302
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