Ascent: 2540 ft
While not the best route for Wainwright-bagging, as there are three other peaks adjacent, Blencathra via Sharp Edge is a fantastic short walk with a little bit of scrambling thrown in; easily up and down in a few hours.
We parked in a layby between the two turnings for Scales on the A66, then walked along the road towards Keswick for maybe a few hundred feet before picking up the path (clearly marked so difficult to miss) and doubling back on ourselves to the north east. The first mile of the path climbs quickly, before following a picturesque and more level valley with the first views of Sharp Edge ahead.
This valley path leads to Scales Tarn which sits below Sharp Edge and the summit, where the path splits to the right to scramble up the ridge, or left to bypass round the other side of the tarn.
Sharp Edge from the fork in the path at Scales Tarn
A short way up the path and we were on the ridge proper, which is fairly narrow and with a little scrambling required in places.
Looking back down Sharp Edge
Looking back to Sharp Edge from the path to the summit, with Scales Tarn to the right
Once at the top of the ridge, the summit was in in sight, and it was just a short walk to the top.
From the summit there are a few choices of decent routes, and we chose Halls Fell Ridge immediately to the south, not as narrow as Sharp Edge but still an interesting route.
The descent via Halls Fell Ridge
Once down off Halls Fell Ridge we had a relatively easy stroll in a generally ENE direction along the footpath following the wall, back to the original point at which we left the road. We only deviated at one point where it appears the land owner of one particular field has decided to no longer allow walkers across, and wired the gate shut.
Our total time for this walk was recorded as 3h 10m, but then we did run the entire way down Halls Fell ridge - probably best to allow about 4 hours for this route under normal walking conditions!
As this was just a quick up-and-down exercise, we will be back at some point to take in the adjacent Wainwright peaks of Bannerdale Crags, Bowscale Fell and Mungrisdale Common.
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