Two more Cockups
1 NY249323 The Cumbria Way track towards Skiddaw House starts opposite Peter House Farm (a parking lay-by just to the south-west). The track wanders into the valley of Dash Beck. It climbs steeply above the Whitewater Dash waterfalls, then crosses the stream and passes through the wide gap between Calva (left) and Skiddaw. It levels off for 800m, and crosses Dead Beck. Here a rough path sets off up Great Calva but it’s better to continue for 300m, gently downhill, to the point where a contouring path runs off on the left.
2 NY283298 At this same point, a small peaty path forks up sharp left through the heather, then up the stonier summit cone of Great Calva to a fence corner and cairn. The main cairn is 200m ahead along the fence.
3 NY290311 A path heads down north-west to the left of the fence, and across a soggy plateau to a stile with a gate just beyond. The path strikes off roughly north across the peaty plateau, then along the top of the slope of Wiley Gill, before slanting down to cross a wide saddle. A steepish grass slope soon eases off and rises gently to the flat summit of Knott.
4 NY296329 Turn left, north-west, on a path down to a swampy col, where it divides among the soggy patches before running north up Great Sca Fell. At the cairn turn left on a path running west. This soon dips steeply down a grass slope to a saddle leading to the slight rise onto
Meal Fell.
5 NY281337 The summit of this ‘Hump Hill’ consists of a dip whose rim leads round to the walled shelter cairn. Similarly, the hill itself occupies a hollow surrounded by higher hills. The path leaves the summit west, then bends down south-west to the sharply defined Trusmadoor gap. Cross this at its left end, just a few metres above Frozenfell Gill. A stony path runs up to the right, along the top of the craggy side of the gap. It bends left along grassy slopes to Great Cockup’s summit, with a small cairn or none.
6 NY273333 Bear right (north of west) to Great Cockup’s nearby west top, then slant down south-west for a grass path along the level shoulder leading to the western shoulder at 450m.
Before the high point, a circular cairn turns out to be a stonewalled fox trap hole. The uncairned top beyond is ‘Little Cockup’ on Harveys. But for the OS’s Little Cockup, bear right down grassy slopes to a small top sticking out of the slope at 400m level. From its little cairn (but bigger than Great Cockup’s one) is a great view over Over Water to the Solway and Criffel. bike wheeltracks running down to the wall at the fell foot. An intermittent path runs to the left above the wall, with occasional swampy streams to cross, before dropping to meet a stony track. Turn back right on this to the tarmac lane just below.
8 NY252337 Turn back left, down to a junction. Here, right is signed for Bassenthwaite – but keep ahead over Dash Beck and gently uphill to the walk start at Peter House Farm. Narrow hedged roads lead down to Bassenthwaite village, where the Sun Inn is great for food and beer (we recommend booking in advance).