Blencathra Via a very Icy Sharp Edge

On what was forecast to be a clear morning, decided to go up onto Blencathra via Sharp Edge and back down via Halls Fell Ridge, one of the classic mountains days in the Lakes.A trip of two contrasts, it was cold, claggy and snowing all the way up to Sharp Edge and sunny and bright back down Halls Fell.
I knew getting up to Sharp Edge it was going to be touch and go if I went across it, it was extremely icy all the way across, but the crampons gave me good grip and it was a great buzz. Once on the Summitt of Blencathra hung around a while as the cloud was clearing and the views opening up, and then it cleared the sun was out and it was a very pleasant decent of Halls Fell ridge.

Arriving at Scales tarn, Sharp Edge looked quite dramatic in the cold misty air



The steep climb up to the start of the arete



The icy climb up onto the ridge



Looking down the arete, to the climb out up Foule Crag



It was very icy across the ridge, certainly not for the faint hearted or inexperienced



Approaching the 'Bad Step'



Looking back after negotiating the bad step



The Bad Step!!



Looking back down the arete



Now just the steep climb up Foule Crag to the summitt ridge



Sharp Edge disappears into the mist below as I climb Foule Crag



Cold with no view at the summitt, although it did start to clear so I hung around a while



Starting to clear, blue sky and the distant Pennines



My route of descent down Halls Fell ridge



Further down Halls Fell looking back up



Blencathra from the waterfall at the foot of Middle Tongue



The view across Scales to the North Western Fells



A great mountain day out, superb over Sharp Edge, but I would not recommend it to the inexperienced or faint of heart!!