Author Topic: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands  (Read 1721 times)

karl h

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11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« on: 18:25:27, 12/04/21 »
Not quite the walk I had planned today because as I passed Lancaster I realised that I'd left my map case and phone on the kitchen table. No worries I thought I'll stop at Tebay services, they are sure to sell O/S maps, which they did, but unfortunately I bought Lakeland north east when I needed Lakeland north west.
Never mind, its another beautiful day with the normally boggy ground holding a good firm frost. I decided to walk the round in the reverse direction to which I had planned. So after parking in one of the few spaces by the start of the track I headed up the steep pull to Longlands Fell. Skiddaw still has a very fine dusting of snow
It is a bit of a brutal start but the top is in sight most of the way.
On the top now looking across to Scotland.
Nice view of the Ullock Pike ridge with Grisedale Pike,Crag Hill and Grasmoor in the distance.
After Longlands it's down then up over Little and Great Sca Fell then a steady climb to Knott. I'm heading on a there and back to Great Calva, the pointed peak in the near distance. Beyond that is the full panorama of the Skiddaw group from Lonscale Pike on the left to Bakestall and Dead Crags on the right.
Zooming in over Great Calva to the full line of the high fells from Bowfell on the left then Esk Pike, Great End, Scafell Pike, Lingmell and Great Gable.
More to the east and a bit nearer are Mungrisdale Common and Blencathra.
Looking back up the steep drop down to the col between Knott and Great Calva. ( And all the time I'm thinking that I've got to come back this way ).
But first I have to climb Great Calve which is not too bad especially as the normally very wet approach is frozen solid.
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Great view from Calva down the central fault with a tiny bit of Thirlmere in the distance.
And looking back to Knott.
After climbing back over Knott which wasn't too bad I headed off the path to find the top of Yard Steel. This is High Pike over the upper reaches of the Dale Beck valley..
On the descent from Yard Steel now with Dale Beck below.
And Yard Steel seen from the valley floor.
I think this is probably the only tree in the valley.
The forecast was for hail and here it comes.
The hail only lasted around twenty minutes although the skies have now clouded over. I followed the Cumbria Way, which leaves the road at the wonderfully named Burblethwaite and followed it back to Longlands.
With Skiddaw quite a bit darker than this morning.
My route was -
Route. Longlands - Longlands Fell - Little Sca Fell - Great Sca Fell - Knott - Great Calva - Knott - Yard Steel - Dale Beck - Fellside - Burblethwaite - Longlands . ( about 12 miles 3000ft ascent)

richardh1905

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #1 on: 18:38:19, 12/04/21 »
Excellent walk and photos, Karl - I could see Great Calva (and Criffel) from Helvellyn on Sunday - in fact, I can easily see it from Hampsfell up the full length of the central fault that cuts through the Fells. And wasn't it a grand day to be out, despite the wintery showers?


I don't know these smaller hills to the NW of Great Calva and Knott; must visit sometime. What is the parking like at Longlands?
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karl h

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #2 on: 18:42:24, 12/04/21 »
Thanks Richard O0
There is room for probably 5-6 carefully parked  cars spread over a couple of dirt lay-bys but on Sunday two people had decided to leave their cars parallel to the road so that only left a couple of spaces >:(

Ridge

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #3 on: 18:52:55, 12/04/21 »
They are lovely photos Karl, I was going to pick out my favourites but there are just too many to choose from.  O0

vghikers

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #4 on: 19:24:04, 12/04/21 »
Beautifully clear views and pics, well away from the popular peaks too - nice  O0


pdstsp

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #5 on: 19:27:02, 12/04/21 »
Lovely pics Karl - I love that area for its quietness.  I often park at Over Water at the little pull in which holds half a dozen cars, though it makes a bit of a walk in on the lanes.

richardh1905

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #6 on: 19:50:01, 12/04/21 »
Thanks for the parking info Karl, pdstsp - I have been toying with the idea of a grand circuit of the Skiddaw hills, with a wild camp on Mungrisdale Common, which would be about half way around if I started in the NW.
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MkPotato

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #7 on: 19:50:33, 12/04/21 »
Great pics, there. There’s been some fantastic air clarity recently.

richardh1905

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #8 on: 19:53:54, 12/04/21 »
Great pics, there. There’s been some fantastic air clarity recently.


Indeed - I could see Snowdonia from Hampsfell on Saturday morning ~ 80+ miles.
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Percy

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #9 on: 08:19:25, 13/04/21 »
Re: parking - there is a good quantity of parking on the wide verges at Burblethwaite/Green Head which would set you up for this walk with a very slightly different starting point. About a mile NE of Longlands.

richardh1905

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #10 on: 09:17:05, 13/04/21 »
Thanks Percy - very helpful.
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Percy

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #11 on: 10:37:33, 13/04/21 »
Nice TR Karl. The last time I went up Great Calva there was several feet of snow on the ground and two inches of rime on the fence at the top. March 22nd 2017 according to ViewRanger.


I went waist deep in rather cold water in a pothole along the fence line up from Little Calva. Completely hidden by snow covering its top. It was lucky I was staying at Skiddaw House and only had a mile to get back and out of soaking boots and trousers.

karl h

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #12 on: 22:30:20, 13/04/21 »
Cheers all O0


Re: parking - there is a good quantity of parking on the wide verges at Burblethwaite/Green Head which would set you up for this walk with a very slightly different starting point. About a mile NE of Longlands.
Yes forgot to mention that,  probably a better bet as plenty of room by the road :)

MkPotato

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #13 on: 08:03:45, 14/04/21 »
I think what’s particularly interesting to me is that it’s unusual to be looking south to Skiddaw and Blencathra. They normally dominate the northern vista.

forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: 11th April - Great Calva from Longlands
« Reply #14 on: 19:31:54, 14/04/21 »
Thanks for posting this Karl.  Tempted to head towards Caldbeck and walk in from the 'back of the fells' and hit Dale Beck/etc and work towards the Cumbria Way link up.  Tend to stay away from these routes but a few days meandering through seems quite attractive at the moment!

 

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