Lonscale Fell

Parking at the top of Gale Road - A high elevation to start for walks to the Skiddaw range or even an easy wander over to Latrigg. Anyway, I was headed for Lonscale Fell today on a cold and very windy Tuesday morning.

The start of the walk with Lonscale Fell in view - but also Blease Fell in the distance

The Hawell monument (in memory of two local Skiddaw shepherds) is soon passed on the main Skiddaw path.

A rare bit of sunshine to illuminate Latrigg behind me.

The Skiddaw path carries on - but I turn right and follow the wall with views down to Whit Beck on the right.

A small path guides you to the gentle col between Jenkin Hill and Lonscale Fell.

Picking up the path at the top of the valley, it's a right turn with Lonscale summit just coming into view.

Looking back towards Skiddaw Little Man and further on, Skiddaw. It was so windy here, I was quite pleased to be headed for a lower summit today, I can only imagine what it would be like at the top of Skiddaw.

Approaching the summit with my route down coming up on the left.

Lonscale Fell summit.

Couldn't miss a short hop over to the small cairn on the East peak - "a magnificent belvedere" AW. It wouldn't be long before I would be peering up at this craggy tower from the Cumbria Way below, but for now I was able to enjoy the fine views over to Blencathra.

Back past the summit and then a right turn northwards at the fence junction.

There's the East Peak of Lonscale Fell where I stood on the edge of 15 minutes ago.

A grassy but steep descent in the direction of Burnt Horse (ahead). There are quicker ways to get back down from the summit of Lonscale Fell, straight down the southern nose or even returning by the same route on the Skiddaw path. But I like this route best, even if I did end up on my backside a couple of times.

A much more gentle descent now after Burnt Horse with Great Calva appearing in the foreground.

One fell, but with two different sides. A gentle rounded lump at the end of the Skiddaw range which is what most folk see from the A66 - but from the Glenderaterra Valley on the other side, you see a dramatically shaped mountain. I know which I prefer.

Views over to High Rigg and the Dodds behind.

As I round the side of Lonscale Fell, Latrigg comes back into view and it's time to decide what to climb next as I near the car park at Underscar.