Managing a second free consecutive Sunday I head towards the Northern Fells. Other than my first Wainwright, Blencathra, Skiddaw as part of The Lakes 3000, and a short dash up Carrock Fell, the region has not been much visited so far. The planned walk takes in 7 Wainwrights, Great Calva, Knott, Great Sca Fell, Brae Fell, Longlands Fell, Meal Fell, Great Cockup, starting in Orthwaite. Great Calva is reached along mainly grassy terrain with the final fell of the day, Great Cockup on the left all the way up.
The south top, not the actual top which is 130 yards away, is marked by a cairn supporting various elements of metal work and new fence. A much better set of photographs.
The next 3 fells, Knott, Great Sca Fell andBrae Fell, are broadly an undulating stride. Wainwright mentions peat-hags and bogs, but in mid summer I find the route easy. Knott is flat and appropriately marked by a flattish cairn. The route to Great Sca Fell has even less up and down, just 50 feet and a slightly more cairn-like cairn, if smaller adorns it. The area just as flat. It’s very similar to reach Brae Fell, which at least has a significant pile of stones at it’s top.
Brea Fell is essentially a slight detour off the ridge walk to Longlands Fell. From the Top one sees Little Man, Skiddaw, Long Side and Ullock Pike, plus Over Water the tarn near Orthwaite.
The penultimate hill is Meal Fell. It is reached by retracing steps to just before Great Sca Fell when the path turns east. I saw goodbye to the views of Skiddaw. The summit is a fine circular wall-shelter
A great day out is rounded off by reaching Great Cockup before heading down the fell to the car.
