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Blencathra via Hall's Fell Ridge

Hurrying along with all the other traffic on the A66, looking up at Blencathra one cannot help but be moved by its shear scale, and those slender fingers of rock running southwards from its high ridge line must either frighten, or excite. Likely both, in equal measure, when contemplating walking any of them!

Hall's Fell Ridge, topping out at the highest point of Blencathra, is as Wainwright describes: "For active walkers and scramblers, this route is positively the finest way to any mountain top in the district" - a very high accolade indeed.

Once on the ridge there are many bypass paths which avoid some of the difficult sections, but much is still required. Even bypasses require good judgment, confidence, and movement skills to mitigate the risk of a simple slip ending over a precipice, or tumbling down steep grass and scree.

People have slipped from this ridge and died. The risk is very real!

Also consider if you take a dog, does it too have the skills and temperament to tackle the ridge? The mountain will be there another day, perhaps after some shorter less intense scrambles have been successfully tried by handler and hound.

Starting in the pretty village of Threlkeld where although there there is quite a bit of car parking, getting there early is certainly recommended, especially at holiday times. Parking is available above Blencathra Centre, within the village there are two car parks: one behind the houses on the old main road with toilets. And a small upper car park on the road to the Centre. For the purposes of where to start the walk we will use this one, it has an honesty box for donations to village funds. Further parking is also available lower down on the other side of the A66, and on the approach road to the village. Wherever you park, please do so considerately, and put some money in the honesty box.