Skiddaw – The Greater Traverse 29th January 2011

Latrigg 368m  Longscale Pike 703m  Longscale Fell 715m Jenkin Hill 735m  Lesser Man –Skiddaw   815m  Little Man – Skiddaw 865m  South Top – Skiddaw 925m  Middle top – Skiddaaw 928m  High man – Skiddaw 931m

What an amazing day and it started of very well, I remembered to fill the car up with diesel and put the thing on the windscreen to stop the frost. a lovely frosty morning glorious sunshine.  We set of along a track which lead over the A66 and winded its way up Latrigg. there were amazing views from the top. the ground was well frozen – it was –5 when we set off. From the top we headed down to the car park. We then continued up a very steep slope to Lonscale Pike and then Lonscale fell.

It began to get a bit windy and cold on the top as we headed to Jenkin Hill. Here we joined the Highway which had come up the direct route up from the car park. There was suddenly a lot more people and the light became more interesting as mist and wind drifted over – very cold. We nearly missed the actual top of Skiddaw but realised and headed back to the trig point. A very steep decent lead us to Carl Side which we last went up with the Boys a few years ago. and then back to the road. There was a bit of a walk back on the road to the car. We then popped in to Keswick when i treated my self to a new light weight pair of Scarpa Gortex boots with my tax rebate that I got the email about on my way up Lonscale Pike – very good news as I thought that I might have a big bill!

A Lone tree above the plantation on Latrigg, the Dodds and Helvellyn range in the background

  Roger on the top of Latrigg with Blencathra behind

The summit of Lanscale Pike with Lonscale Fell and Jenkin Hill behind

Jenkin Hill with Lesser and Little Man and the broad path up to South Top – Skiddaw

The Whole Skiddaw range from Jenkins Hill

Us on Lesser Man

South Top in the mist and Ullock Pike and Long Side in the background on the left

South Top

On the summit of Carl Side – see the direct route down from Little Man – we came down the path on the left