Lonscale Pike, Skiddaw Little Man, Skiddaw and Bakestall

Paul in contemplation of his route down the scree at Bakestall

An early start today as both Paul and I needed to be back home for about 1pm.  We met up at 7am and, after some consideration of the cloud level, changed from the proposed route of The Dodds to Helvellyn and back to a route up and around Skiddaw where navigation in low cloud would be much easier.  We parked at the Latrigg carpark and headed towards the steep path.  We turned off to bag Lonscale Fell then retraced our steps along the fence, carrying on to the summit of Skiddaw Little Man.  We then carried on to Skiddaw, straight over to follow the fence down to Bakestall summit at the fence corner.  We followed the fence down and then veered off to pick up the scree run down joining up with the Cumbria Way track.  On past Skiddaw House and around Lonscale Fell then looping around to the start.  A really nice run in not so great conditions.

just over 11 miles - just under 3 hours

I think this is actually Skiddaw Lesser Man which we came across just before dropping down and back up to Little Man

Skiddaw Little Man

up on Skiddaw

from a very different walk, here is part of where we went today

Bakestall summit cairn

Scree

Windy and cloudy today which made for tough going.  We went at an easy pace, chatting along the way.  I think the climb to Lonscale Fell and then the alternative route over Jenkin Hill took some of the steepness out of the climb.  From the top of Skiddaw there was a decent run down to Bakestall and then to the scree run which was great fun.

Once on the Cumbria Way track, we climbed up to Dash Falls and then the running got much easier after that.

On our way around Lonscale Fell, we met a couple who thought they were on the track to Skiddaw.  It's difficult to know what to do, because they were struggling with the Cumbria Way track so I really think Skiddaw was beyond them (apart from their major navigational error).  We asked them if they passed a stone cross (The Hawell Memorial), yes they had.  We told them they should have carried on up the steep track at that point, rather than turning right.  They looked as if they planned to go back and try to go up the right path.  If they did, I hope they made it.

Skiddaw House