KEEPING YOU IN TOUCH - YOUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSPAPER DELIVERED DOOR-TO-DOOR FOR 33 YEARS


In View WALKS FROM THE DASH VALLEY with Stan Leigh


This month, I have a beautiful area for you to explore with two fell walks that start from one of my favourite locations, The Dash Valley.


To extend this route, it is possible to carry on to Great Sca Fell, Knott, Burn Tod and Brockle Crag to create a circuit of 8¾ miles. Have a look at the map via this link to view these two walks:


http://www.peakwalker.net/2011%20walks/2011-09- 18map.php


Bakestall Summit Track to Skiddaw House


The valley has few buildings and is flanked on the north side by Orthwaite Bank, Great Cockup and Meal Fell and on the south side by Bakestall and Skiddaw. At the head of the valley, Dash Falls [also known as Whitewater Dash] falls approximately 260 feet and then Dash Beck, flows through the valley towards Bassenthwaite Lake. A private road leads up the valley to the Dash farm and a track [The Cumbria Way] branches off, passes the Falls to Skiddaw House and on to Gale Road at Keswick.


Bakestall from Peter House Farm. Start from the parking area nearby [Grid reference 249323]. Head SE on the private road and path to reach the Cumbria Way track for approximately 1 mile, passing Dead Crags on your right and then Dash Falls on your left. Just after passing the Falls, turn right on the path [Birkett Edge] that ascends with a fence on your left for approximately ²/³ mile to reach the summit.


are good, go for it! From Bakestall, to Skiddaw summit is 1¼ miles with 900 feet of ascent.


The return to Peter House farm is also via Broad End and Cockup.


The following websites provide a map and additional photographs of similar walks for you to enjoy:


https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/bakestall.html https://www.masarnenramblers.com/bakestall--great- calva.html


Great Cockup with Meal Fell beyond


For an overview of these routes, I recommend using OS Explorer Map OL4 [North – Western area] and Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide Book 5 – ‘The Northern Fells of Lakeland’.


This area is particularly nice throughout the year and is does not attract large numbers of walkers. It is well worth a visit. You won’t be disappointed!


Orthwaite Hall Great Cockup and Meal Fell from Orthwaite [6 miles] Dash Falls


A convenient route back to the start, is to head west to Broad End and then north to Cockup [not to be confused with Great Cockup], before descending to Melbecks via the path alongside Cockup Gill. Peter House Farm is the less than ½ mile NE on road.


However, after the 1²/³ miles to Bakestall, there is an alternative - you are within striking distance of


reaching Skiddaw. If you are able and the conditions INFO@COCKERMOUTHPOST.CO.UK


There is a small parking area [Grid Re NY252342 between Orthwaite Hall and a gate [marked ’Uldale Common’]. Head south from the parking area, through the gate and then turn immediately left uphill to walk alongside the wall. You’ll soon see a faint path that heads up to the right to reach a small summit cairn at Orthwaite Bank. From here, there is a magnificent view of The Dash Valley. A path continues SE and the NE to the small cairn at Little Cockup. Continue SE, then NE on a good defined path to Great Cockup via grouse butts. The path continues NE to lose height to descend to the delightful pass of Trusmadoor. Cross straight over to ascend to Meal Fell summit.


From here, you can return to Orthwaite by via Trusmadoor, then S via Burntod Gill and SW via Brockle Crag.


ISSUE 439 | 27 FEBRUARY 2020 | 30 Meal Fell with Great Sca Fell beyond


To finish, I know that many of my readers are interested in the 214 Wainwright Fells. You might be interested to know that I am currently posting Wainwright images [1 summit per day] on Twitter – I started with the lowest, Castle Crag at 951 and I expect to complete with Scafell Pike next summer. I’ve found that visiting the Wainwright Fells by slippers and laptop or mobile is great fun and is a comfortable way of exploring. However, I’m not ready to hang my boots up just yet!


If you would like to join me to visit the summits this way, you can find me on Twitter on @StanLeigh18.


Explore and discover! Stan


Bakestall and Dash Valley


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48