Top up your logbook day 1.
Walking with Kevin, Sarah and Tom.
Combination of OS 1:50 & Harvey's 1:40.
Weather, cloudy, clear visibility, snow flurries, temperatures down to minus one on Blencathra.
Planned walk to summit both Blencathra and Skiddaw.
Parked at end of road to Blencathra Field Centre
Took rough path up Blease Fell to Knowe Crags to follow ridgeline up to Blencathra. Lunch just after summit at Tarn Crags. Followed NW to Mungrisdale Common. Used bearing to Skiddaw House. Followed boundary round YHA Skiddaw House to Sale How and up onto saddle between Little Man and Skiddaw. Decided light was not going to last long enough to summit Skiddaw and too windy for Little Man so took path to east of summit past Jenkin Hill to parking NY281254 decending into Derwentfolds before ascending to Blencathra Field Centre.
Head torches on from just after parking.
Saw oak eggar moth caterpillar, mouse, silver birches with witches broom. Kevin taught us all about juniper bushes.
Area :
Northern Fells
The Northern Fells occupy a circular area about 10 miles in diameter. The centre is slightly lower, an area of upland grazing and marshland known as Skiddaw Forest. This name may be misleading since the only trees form the windbreak of Skiddaw House. This isolated building, was once a shepherd's bothy. It currently serves as a youth hostel. Skiddaw Forest stands at the head of the three major rivers of the Northern Fells. The Caldew, Dash Beck and the Glenderaterra. These streams divide the circular area into three distinct sections.
