Words & Photos Martin Salter-Smith

September 01 2010

If you enjoy long striding on pathless uplands and the elemental joy of solitude, you will be at home in Blengdale. It’s never busy.

I parked before Blengdale house and followed the riverside path through trees to reach a footbridge. Hidden woodland glades made a short cut up to Scalderskew. This Viking settlement still thrives on the edge of Stockdale Moor, which contains traces of neolithic or Bronze Age settlements such as the enigmatic Samson’s Bratfull.

The moor offers no manicured route and no paths for fellwalkers, but a trail made by the farmer’s quad bike leads across this wild expanse, making route finding easier. Crossing this sweep of grass I gained a foothold on the drier and steeper slopes of Raise and the long pull to the summit ridges of Caw Fell and Haycock.

On this fine day of blue sky with larks and curlews calling overhead it was a wonderful place. The glen of the River Bleng fell away to my right with the north-west face of Seatallan brooding over it. The Scafells appeared like distant spies, peeping over Yewbarrow to track my progress.

From Caw Fell’s western cairn I followed the Ennerdale Wall to the summit of Haycock. The pink granite of the wall gave way to the stark grey of Borrowdale volcanic, and after all that grass-walking the approaches to Haycock’s summit were surprisingly rocky. The crags of Steeple caught my eye to the left, and to the right the central roof of the Lakes loomed closer. Haycock summit gave marvellous views all around. I trotted down to the southern cairn and began the steep descent, picking my way on grass between bouldery outcrops.

Now the views were stunning: Scoat Fell, the Scafells, Gable and onwards to the back of Coniston Old Man. From the foot of Haycock I crossed almost dryshod through the bogs and launched myself on the relentless slopes of Seatallan. Then, at last, the top, the ancient cairn and the lazy serpent of the Bleng, meandering far below.

Now the slow sinking of the ridge, aiming for Ravenglass, drawn on by the sun hissing down into a tranquil blue sea. With Wastwater and the screes to my left, it was a descent of delight, a fellrunner’s fairytale, soft grass, easy angled, arrowstraight; then steeper, down to the fell wall, picking up sheep trods and tractor tracks to join the bridleway.

Finally I turned onto the forest track which follows the line of the old drove road heading for Sergeant Ford. Before the descent to this long-disused river crossing I turned left to find my outward path by the river’s edge and an easy return to the car.

Distance: 13 miles/21km Ascent: 2970ft/900m Time: 6-7 hours Start/finish: Parking space before Bleng Bridge N of Gosforth (GR: NY 084053) Map: Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer sheet OL6 (English Lakes – South Western area) Information: Egremont TIC, 01946 820693 Travel: X6 Bus Millom to Egremont; Train to Seascale & taxi; Traveline: 0871 200 22 33, www.traveline.org.uk

Technical Spec
Cross Bleng Bridge, follow riverside path to footbride. Cross and bear left then climb to Scalderskew access track. At bend (NY 093076) turn NE and climb broad grassy ridge to Hause, then NNW to Caw Fell cairn. Follow wall rightwards to Haycock summit. From summit, S down steep rocky slopes to marshy saddle, then steep climb to summit of Seatallan. S then SW to cross bridleway, skirt wall and cross footbridge. Follow straight drove road for 1km, then turn right. After 1.25 km, turn left and follow track back to Bleng Bridge or pick up footpath down to River Bleng and return by outward path.