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Blencathra Summit – Blease Fell loop from Scales

Routes

Mountain hikes & routes

Blencathra Summit – Blease Fell loop from Scales

Hard

hikers

Blencathra Summit – Blease Fell loop from Scales

04:55

12.7km

680m

Mountaineering

Hard mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: April 18, 2026

Tips

Includes segments that may be dangerous

Parts of this route comprise highly technical, difficult, or hazardous terrain. Specialist equipment and prior experience is required.

After 3.43 km for 371 m

After 11.8 km for 21 m

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

2.89 km

Scales Beck Waterfall and Stone Steps

Highlight (Segment) • Natural Monument

A great place to stop off on the way up Blencathra

Tip by

3.70 km

Sharp Edge (Blencathra)

Highlight • Summit

Sharp Edge is one of the Lake District's classic ridge scrambles. It's arguably the most exciting way to the top of Blencathra, though Alfred Wainwright was convinced Halls Fell Ridge was the finer approach to the summit.

The arête itself is not overly technical, coming in at a grade one scramble, the same grade as the famous Striding Edge on Helvellyn. Difficulty wise, Sharp Edge is a small step up from Striding Edge and feels slightly more airy. It is not as difficult or exposed as Snowdonia's classic Crib Goch ridge, another notorious grade one scramble.

However, in windy or wet conditions, Sharp Edge can be very dangerous. Due to its popularity, the rock in some places has become smoothed by the passage of many boots. Such polished rock is particularly slippery in the wet. One section is known as the Bad Step due to the hazards it poses in challenging conditions and the gully below is known to Mountain Rescue as 'the Usual Gully'. With this in mind, Sharp Edge is best saved for days when the conditions are on your side.

Tip by

4.43 km

Blencathra

Highlight • Climb

Blencathera or Saddleback is a brilliant fell to run. Some of the ascent/descent routes are awesome scrambles and some are tough but steady trails. The views south across the Lake District are stunning!

Tip by

4.44 km

Blencathra Summit

Highlight • Summit

A bona fide scrambler’s paradise, Blencathra serves up two glorious ridges in a truly memorable horseshoe. The grade one scramble up Sharp Edge, a razor-like spine featuring the notorious Bad Step, gets the juices flowing, before an equally thrilling descent of the craggy towers and rocky arête of Hall’s Fell ridge.

Tip by

5.94 km

Blease Fell

Highlight • Viewpoint

One of the gentler ways up Blencathra. Where the likes of Gategill Fell, Halls Fell, Doddick Fell and Sharp Edge are narrow and, in some cases, thrilling, Blease Fell is rounded and relatively easygoing by comparison. The views west towards Derwent Water and beyond are glorious, which makes it a particularly fine option in descent. The gradients also make it great for running down.

Tip by

6.74 km

Blencathra Zigzags

Highlight • Viewpoint

Big fan of zig zags, particularly on the descent, sometimes you feel theres a lot of walking and you are not getting anywhere, but if it wasnt for these the straight up route be silly steep.

Tip by

11.0 km

Doddick Gill Stream

Highlight • Trail

This is a wonderfully quiet spot on a little used route to the summit, take full advantage of the lack of traffic to take in the views over to Derwent, and the Cat Bells range.

Tip by

11.6 km

Scaley Beck Rock Step

Highlight • Climb

A sudden rock step presents itself on the western side of Scaley Beck. Although only short, it presents a tasty little challenge to unsuspecting walkers and a little extra excitement on the path along the foot of Blencathra. I'd say that it's difficulty is comparable to a grade one scramble.

Tip by

12.7 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.11 km

4.32 km

2.78 km

382 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

5.51 km

3.70 km

3.16 km

188 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Saturday 16 May

12°C

6°C

59 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 21.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Blencathra Summit – Blease Fell loop from Scales

Scales Beck Waterfall and Stone Steps

Sharp Edge (Blencathra)

Blencathra

Blencathra Summit

Blease Fell

Blencathra Zigzags

Doddick Gill Stream

Scaley Beck Rock Step

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