Great Cockup
1
NY266358 From the Longlands lay-by, walk south along the road. After Orthwaite Hall, go over a small rise in the road, then on the downhill, take a track left signed ‘Public Bridleway Burton 3 miles’.
2
NY252337 Enter Uldale Commons through a gate, then immediately head left off the track, following a wall line uphill. As the wall bends left follow a faint grassy quad track which slowly diverges from the wall-line sidling slightly uphill crossing a small stream between two boggy bits before returning to the wall by a gate.
3
NY256339 Stay this side of the gate, initially continuing near the wall line, then forking right on a narrow path as the wall turns a corner left. This fades into sheep-trods as it leads up the western flanks of Little Cockup. A small pile of cairns on a flatter grassy area is all that marks this ‘summit’ but it’s a lovely viewpoint across Over Water and Binsey.
4
NY261337 Rise up the grassy hillside into the edge of a grassy ridgeline, re-joining a path which arcs left over grassy slopes, first to a false summit then on to the main summit of Great Cockup. (Both of these are marked by a small pile of stones, however the lines of grouse butts marked on OS map have all but disappeared.)
5
NY273333 Head roughly north-east following the continuing track from the summit, this descends in a gentle arc rightwards to the stream and col at Trusmadoor. Cross over the col (formed by an interesting geological weakness at Trusmadoor) and a track, heading directly up the steep slopes of Meal Fell on a trodden path. (NB This is not the wider crossing path sidling round its right-hand edge and into the valley). Pass a small cairn and continue on a gentle arc around the perimeter of a bowl holding a large set of shelter stones.
6
NY282337 Continue east down across a slight saddle then straight up the slopes of Great Sca Fell. At a fork there’s no need to collect Great Sca Fell’s summit if you’re also doing this
weekend’s first route (opposite), as you will pass it in the other direction. Instead fork left on a shortcut path to the col between Great and Little Sca Fell. Fork left at a small pile of rocks and up to the summit of Little Sca Fell.
7
NY289342 Continue on the main ridge path off the summit then fork left onto the broad grassy ramp leading down to Broad Moss and Lowthwaite Fell.
8
NY285345 Look for a fainter path left as the bridleway path turns right; this lets you remain on the tops of Lowthwaite and Longlands Fells, trending roughly north from Lowthwaite over Longlands.
9
NY275359 At about the 380m contour the track divides into two broad tracks. Fork left, now aiming slightly left of a transmitter station on the horizon. Soon you will see the bridleway below, leading back to the lay-by. It’s access land so you can shortcut over steeper and rougher ground if you wish, otherwise the path leads to a junction where you take the left fork towards a gate in the wall below then fork left onto a wide track. This takes you back to the start at Longlands.