| Black Combe - A walk with Gerry & Bob - Tues 25th August 2009 | |
| I met up with
my old pal Gerry at the small parking area at Beckside
along the A595 under the towering flanks of Gt. Combe
GR:1526 8468. We left my car there and travelled in Gerry's the further couple of miles down the road to the church at Whicham. There is ample parking here and the old school adjoining has now become a craft shop. |
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The parking area by the old school and church |
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| St Mary's
Church, Whicham Reputed to have originally been built in the 12th century |
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| We passed through the snickett between the church and the school to join the lane leading up through Kirkbank and out onto the open fell. |  |
| A steady
unrelenting climb now towards the summit of Black Combe. The scenery was just fantastic with the Heathers and Gorse in full blossom and the unfolding views of the coastline as we climbed higher. It was good to be out today! |
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| Glorious sunshine as we climb the ridge |  |
| We eventually
reach the summit of Black Combe 600m/1968ft. The weather was clouding over now, it was becoming quite chilly as we sat and ate our lunch in the shelter. Along came a man with his young son, they stopped and chatted for a while. They hadn't brought any coats with them and the young lad was only wearing a thin teashirt, he was shivering quite badly, I felt a bit sorry for him actually. They soon moved off and Gerry and I reflected on how some people don't realise how quickly the weather can change in the mountains. |
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| After putting the world to rights on the summit of Black Combe we headed off north east above Blackcombe Screes and on to Whitecombe head before reaching the small cairn marking the spot ht at Stoupdale Head 472m/1548ft |
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| We then descended south east to White Combe with its large cairn and shelter 415m/1361ft. Affording great views of the high lakeland fells in the distance. |  |
| The weather was improving again as we carried on descending south east down the ridge overlooking the Dudden Estuary. |  |
| We stopped at the coll to admire the view we now had of Black Combe and the route we had taken along its top. |  |
| Our final
summit of the day - White Hall Knott 311m / 1020ft |
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| We descended
steeply off White Hall Knott to gate at the bottom of the
field. A group of horse riders making their way up the fell
passed us by.
We passed through the gate and joined a narrow overgrown track, following it south for a few hundred yards we eventually emerged caked in mud out onto the A595 just a few hundred yards up the road from where I had left my car at Beckside. A very enjoyable walk of around 11.5km / 7miles |
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