Glenderaterra Beck, Skiddaw House, Bakestall, Skiddaw, Cumbria.
[ 16.6 km] Thu 27 Mar 2008

II arrived at the muddy car park above Applethwaite just before 8am. It is the car park for people taking the main path up Skiddaw and as I hadn’t been on it for a while I was apprehensive as I approached as I thought it could have been converted to a pay & display. Fortunately it hadn’t, for the time being.
I was the only car there but shortly before I set off another car and walker turned up. I set off along the path towards Lonsdale Fell, crossing Whit beck on the way. It was wet and difficult underfoot as there was thin snow on the ground. It was generally low cloud but some small patches of bright weather broke through over the Threlkeld area. I was on the Cumbria Way and following the path along the steep valley side of Glenderaterra Beck. It was an impressive sight looking up the valley. One reason to come this way to check out Skiddaw House, which I haven’t seen for a couple of years.

Skiddaw House.

Skiddaw House door.

I kept hoping the cloud would lift as brighter weather had been forecast for later. I followed the path all the way to the house where I was surprised to see a Mitsubishi Shogun vehicle parked at the side and it was nice to the YHA sign on one door and ‘Hostel Entrance – Welcome to Skiddaw House’ on another door. I stopped to take a photo and a woman popped here head out from one of the doors then ducked back in again. I hope the building gets well used. I continued along the track towards Whitewater Dash. On the way a group of youths approached from the other direction. I descended the zig zag track to the gate at the top of the waterfall, passed through the gate and turned left up the fell towards Bakestall.

Skiddaw Summit

 The snow soon got quite deep in places and I searched out a sheltered spot to stop and eat my sandwiches. I continued up and was soon in thick cloud and bad snow. Luckily I was following the fence which also forms the path line. It was slow going and as I left the fence to follow a compass bearing towards the summit trig point I was easily disorientated due to the white out conditions. Eventually I reached the trig point and took a couple of quick snaps before following tracks in the snow towards the main descent path. There was no sign of the path itself due to the snow so I kept following the tracks. I soon found myself descending too steep. I followed a compass bearing to bring me back to the correct path and soon was below the cloud and had a nice view of the correct way ahead. By now many people were coming up but I thing it was really too late in the day for an ascent. Once on the main path it was an easy walk back to the car park.