Little Calva & Great Calva - Saturday 9 December 2017
Route
Peter House Farm - Cumbria Way - Dash Falls - Little Calva - Great Calva - Dead Beck - Cumbria Way - Peter House Farm
Parking
Peter House Farm (Donation - see below) - Grid Ref NY249323. Nearest Postcode is CA12 4QY. There are two verge parking areas 100 yards apart with room for a total of approximately 14 cars.
Mileage
7 miles
Terrain
Much snow on the ground therefore apart from when we were on The Cumbria Way, locating paths was difficult. Low level paths were very icy but easily avoided. On days like this it reinforces the need to have and know how to use navigational aids.
Weather
Grey outlook with light snow showers however the visibility was pretty good considering.
Time Taken
3hrs 50mins
Total Ascent
1843ft (562m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western Area)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge
Peter House Farm - Cumbria Way - Dash Falls - Little Calva - Great Calva - Dead Beck - Cumbria Way - Peter House Farm
Parking
Peter House Farm (Donation - see below) - Grid Ref NY249323. Nearest Postcode is CA12 4QY. There are two verge parking areas 100 yards apart with room for a total of approximately 14 cars.
Mileage
7 miles
Terrain
Much snow on the ground therefore apart from when we were on The Cumbria Way, locating paths was difficult. Low level paths were very icy but easily avoided. On days like this it reinforces the need to have and know how to use navigational aids.
Weather
Grey outlook with light snow showers however the visibility was pretty good considering.
Time Taken
3hrs 50mins
Total Ascent
1843ft (562m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western Area)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge
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GPX File
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Route Map
The parking area at Peter House Farm. In addition to this area which fits about 7 cars (unless you arrive on a day when one plonker decides to park like this) there are another 6 or so parking spaces just 100 yards up the lane.
The parking honesty box at Peter House Farm - just pop a few quid in and you will receive an enormous sense of well being.
Snow on the ground heading up the farm track as Fudge has a good old rub in the snow. The hill in the centre of shot is Cockup with Dead Crags sticking out to the left.
The track from Peter House Farm is on The Cumbria Way. Ahead are Burn Tod, White Hause, Little Calva & Great Calva.
Binsey
Snow has got to be Fudge's favourite terrain
After just under a mile a path junction is reached. The left hand path heads to Dash Farm whilst The Cumbria Way carries on to the right.
This patch of water was frozen solid and whilst the path was clear of snow care still needed to be taken.
Further up the track and Dash Falls comes into view with the lower slopes of Little Calva to the left and Birkett Edge on Bakestall to the right
White Hause & Little Calva with Foul Gill running between the two
Looking back to Dead Crags on Bakestall
Dash Falls. It is difficult to get really close in order to see the fall in full flow. The ground is way too precipitous.
Reaching a gate we had a decision to make. We were originally planning to turn right here and go firstly up on to Bakestall then over to Skiddaw and descend back to The Cumbria Way via Sale How. However looking up at Birkett Edge the weather and low cloud were not looking too promising therefore we turned left to head up to Little Calva then on to Great Calva. It was a route we had never done before.
Looking back to Binsey from the gate. The route to Little Calva follows the fence line to the right however it is best to continue along The Cumbria Way for a short while until it doubles back on itself. The fence line can be then be followed more easily.
Birkett Edge to the left and the ridge line from Dead Crags on Bakestall
The steep fence line to Little Calva. There is a path of sorts through the heather but it didn't matter today - it was all covered over in snow.
Looking down The Cumbria Way with the pointy top of Lonscale Fell in the distance
The very pleasant ascent up Birkett Edge to Bakestall from the fence line on Little Calva. Skiddaw is out there somewhere in the low cloud hence our decision to leave that walk for another day.
Someone has been arsing about in the white stuff
The fence line can just about be seen heading towards Little Calva ahead after making a sharp right turn - we cut the corner off
As can be seen it was a tad Baltic up here today
Looking back down the fence line to our route of ascent
Fudge and I leave the fence line to walk the 100 or so yards to the summit of Little Calva
The summit of Little Calva
Back at the fence line which we would now follow all the way to the summit of Great Calva. This stile gives access to the path over to Knott which can be seen rising up in the distance.
With Fudge on the summit of Great Calva - it was a bit tasty up here
Carrock Fell is over there somewhere as we look across Pike & Coombe Height from Great Calva's summit.
Looking down the fault line as we head across Great Calva's summit ridge towards the south cairn. Wainwright described this geological fault line as:
"....a deep trough running north & south across the district. The lakes of Windermere, Rydal Water, Grasmere and Thirlmere lie in this trough and the main road north of Ambleside takes advantage of the simple passage it affords, Dunmail Raise at 782ft being the highest point. The rift continues through the Vale of St John's and the Glenderaterra valley to Skiddaw Forest where, situated exactly at its head, sits Great Calva. (Great Calva 10)
"....a deep trough running north & south across the district. The lakes of Windermere, Rydal Water, Grasmere and Thirlmere lie in this trough and the main road north of Ambleside takes advantage of the simple passage it affords, Dunmail Raise at 782ft being the highest point. The rift continues through the Vale of St John's and the Glenderaterra valley to Skiddaw Forest where, situated exactly at its head, sits Great Calva. (Great Calva 10)
Fudge gets into the Christmas spirit at Great Calva's south cairn
Looking back to the summit of Great Calva from the south cairn
The south cairn on Great Calva
The path was fairly easily to follow as we made our descent from Great Calva - this is the path that comes up from Dead Beck on The Cumbria Way.
The tree marking the point where we would rejoin The Cumbria Way at Dead Beck
Skiddaw House, Burnt Horse & Lonscale Fell
From Dead Beck it is a delightful wander along The Cumbria Way back to Peter House Farm
Typical - just as we reach Peter House Farm the sun comes out - hey, that's fell walking.