Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Walk & Event Reports

Sunday 26th November 2017

A Walk

Fellside-Great Sca Fell-Knott

9 Miles Grade 2

Leader: Ian Rowley

Report by Ian Rowley

Ten walkers set out from Fellside after it transpired that the coach driver was used to travelling the narrow lanes above Caldbeck.

Although dry and clear it was obvious that there was a sticky band of cloud shrouding the tops of the relatively modest fells.

The walk followed the narrow gorge of Roughton  (pronounced Rowton) Gill with it’s fine series of waterfalls that are well worth exploring although today was not one for lingering. There followed a steep climb up untracked heathery fell side then a further half a mile or so across snowy and mostly trackless fell. The low cloud made visibility poor and without much in the way of landmarks there were a few moments of uncertainty in the mind of the leader despite the re assurance of GPS. Fortunately the small cairn on Great Sca Fell was spotted and the obvious track to Knott was then picked up. With fresh snow under foot and a wind chill that made the scene more like Arctic Tundra than Lakeland fell quick progression was made over Knott then down to the boggy area above Mosedale. Lunch was taken in the welcome refuge of Lingy Hut that just about fitted the ten of us in comfortably. It felt as though the wind had picked up after lunch and the short climb up to High Pike was made in freezing conditions with again no desire to linger. Finally dropping out of the clouds above Potts Gill the rest of walk was an easy stroll down into Caldbeck.

A fine winter expedition marred by the lack of views but still with plenty of interest and hopefully instilling a desire

to return to these lonely fells again.

Thanks to all the A walkers in the group today, including Chris joining us for the first time.

Ian