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Blencathra Summit – Blease Fell loop from Scales

Routes

Running trails & routes

Blencathra Summit – Blease Fell loop from Scales

Hard

runners

Blencathra Summit – Blease Fell loop from Scales

01:56

12.0km

680m

Running

Hard run. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: April 15, 2026

Tips

Includes a segment that may be dangerous

A part of this route comprises technical, difficult, or hazardous terrain. Specialist equipment and prior experience may be required.

After 10.5 km for 21 m

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

3.12 km

Blencathra

Highlight • Climb

Blencathera or Saddleback is a brilliant fell to run. Some of the ascent/descent routes are awesome scrambles and some are tough but steady trails. The views south across the Lake District are stunning!

Tip by

3.13 km

Blencathra Summit

Highlight • Summit

A bona fide scrambler’s paradise, Blencathra serves up two glorious ridges in a truly memorable horseshoe. The grade one scramble up Sharp Edge, a razor-like spine featuring the notorious Bad Step, gets the juices flowing, before an equally thrilling descent of the craggy towers and rocky arête of Hall’s Fell ridge.

Tip by

3.85 km

Gategill Fell summit

Highlight • Viewpoint

At 2,792 feet (851 m), Gategill Fell's summit is the second highest summit on the Blencathra massif, standing proud at the head of a ridge which rises from Threlkeld. It's only a short walk from here to Blencathra's true summit, Hallsfelll Top, which like Gategill Fell stands at the head of a narrow ridge.

Of Blencathra's three central ridges, Gategill is the wildest, with less defined paths than on Halls Fell and Doddick Fell. It doesn't boast the same scrambling interest as Halls Fell but it's still an atmospheric way up. From the Gategill Fell's summit, you can descend via Blease Fell and enjoy stunning views across Derwent Water to the mountains in the west of the national park.

Tip by

4.63 km

Blease Fell

Highlight • Viewpoint

One of the gentler ways up Blencathra. Where the likes of Gategill Fell, Halls Fell, Doddick Fell and Sharp Edge are narrow and, in some cases, thrilling, Blease Fell is rounded and relatively easygoing by comparison. The views west towards Derwent Water and beyond are glorious, which makes it a particularly fine option in descent. The gradients also make it great for running down.

Tip by

5.43 km

Blencathra Zigzags

Highlight • Viewpoint

Big fan of zig zags, particularly on the descent, sometimes you feel theres a lot of walking and you are not getting anywhere, but if it wasnt for these the straight up route be silly steep.

Tip by

8.06 km

Blease Gill Waterfalls

Highlight • Waterfall

On the way down from the summit take the time to take the less travelled route to this stream, plenty steppi g stones to get over, but its nice to stop and look up at what you have achieved while you finish off your grub.

Tip by

9.72 km

Doddick Gill Stream

Highlight • Trail

This is a wonderfully quiet spot on a little used route to the summit, take full advantage of the lack of traffic to take in the views over to Derwent, and the Cat Bells range.

Tip by

10.4 km

Scaley Beck Rock Step

Highlight • Climb

A sudden rock step presents itself on the western side of Scaley Beck. Although only short, it presents a tasty little challenge to unsuspecting walkers and a little extra excitement on the path along the foot of Blencathra. I'd say that it's difficulty is comparable to a grade one scramble.

Tip by

12.0 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.69 km

4.30 km

1.36 km

606 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

6.47 km

3.75 km

985 m

606 m

188 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (840 m)

Lowest point (230 m)

Weather

Sunday 5 July

19°C

14°C

22 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 25.0 km/h

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Blencathra Summit – Blease Fell loop from Scales

Blencathra

Blencathra Summit

Gategill Fell summit

Blease Fell

Blencathra Zigzags

Blease Gill Waterfalls

Doddick Gill Stream

Scaley Beck Rock Step

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