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Bakestall is a fell in the English Lake District situated
seven kilometres north of Keswick in the quieter secluded northern
sector of the national park known as "Back o' Skiddaw".
It
reaches a height of 673 m (2,208 ft) and strictly speaking it is not a
separate fell being just an insignificant rise on Skiddaw’s northern
slopes.
Alfred Wainwright gave Bakestall a separate chapter in
his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells because of the impressive Dead
Crags which fall beneath the summit and the fine waterfall of Whitewater
Dash at the fells foot.
Indeed Bakestall was not even mentioned
on the old Ordnance Survey one inch map for many years, a situation now
rectified on its metric equivalent probably because of Wainwright
drawing attention to the fell.
Dead Crags are composed of Skiddaw
Slate and drop 150 metres (500 feet) down into the hollow on the
northern side of the fell. The crags do not attract rock climbers
because of the crumbly nature of the slate with much vegetation growing
within it.
Whitewater Dash is highly rated as one of the finest
falls in the national park as Dash Beck descends in a series of
cataracts. If it was situated in a more accessible part of the Lake
District it would be a major attraction.
Bakestall had a lead
mine on its slopes many years ago and the entrance is situated at the
side of Dead Beck on the western periphery of the fell.
All
drainage from Bakestall goes north to join Dash Beck and then to
Bassenthwaite Lake.
The summit of the fell is at a turn in the
fence, although Wainwright had his top of the fell 100 metres further
north. This is a better view point and is marked by a fair sized cairn,
unusual in the grassy northern fells.
The view from the top of
fell is severely curtailed by the bulk of Skiddaw to the south and there
is no view of the main part of Lakeland, however, it is possible to view
the Solway Firth and the Scottish Border hills.
Bakestall can be
climbed as part of the less crowded northern approach to Skiddaw using
the rough track to Skiddaw House (part of the Cumbria Way) as far as
Whitewater Dash falls and then ascending Birkett Edge to reach the
summit.
A fence can be followed up Birkett Edge although walking
at the side of the hollow gives an opportunity to examine the crags.
From the summit of Bakestall it is a two kilometre walk south west
and then south with 275 metres of ascent to reach the summit of Skiddaw.
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