Great Dun Fell

vermooten

wowsah I went up there today for the first time, oh mamma what a climb! I started in warm overcast conditions, and ended up in some kind of weird blizzard in cloud on a mountain (with an owl). One bit reminded me of the Col du Glandon, the later on bits were very Area 51 with warning signs about radar installataions. It's 4 or 5 miles long, gets quite steep in parts and utterly fantastic. The descent isn't very technical so I could go quite fast (I'm not the best descender, to say the least).

Here's a link.

Loved it.

Andy

Dave L

What's the surface like these days?
It was a bit rough / pot-holed last time I went up there.

vermooten

I almost remarked on how smooth the road surface was in my OP - judging by your post iit must have been resurfaced quite recently.

Dave L

It was a few years ago when I last did it.
Also, there used to be a gate at the bottom of the first steep section.
Is that still there?

vermooten

I was surprised that there weren't any gates, given all the warnings about the road leading to an air traffic control radar system and no unauthorised vehicles etc. I expected a carload of Agent Smiths to collar me before I reached the top but sadly this did not happen, although some of the sheep were looking at me with suspicion.

Dave L

I'll have to give it another go then.
As I said, last time I went up, the surface wasn't too good, and there was a gate to open, right at the bottom of the first steep section, so you then had to go up one of the steepest sections from a standing start.
I don't know if you saw much, if anything from the top, but the views are certainly pretty extensive. (Obviously you get the views across the Eden Valley to the Lakeland Fells towards the west, but also views towards Teesdale and Hadrians Wall looking the other way).

nmcgann

There were sheep all over the road when I went up there, my descent was a bit nervous to say the least :oops:

The radar station is a bit spooky :shock:

Neil

vermooten

All I could see at the top was my breath and the road - no views but I'll definitely be going back there. I expect the view is awesome (dood). It's only about 30 flat miles from Hawes which is where I seem to spend a great deal of my cycling time, and I can't wait to go back up.

Are there any more like that round there? I notice that Great Dun Fell is just one of many fells in that area. The climb from Penrith to the summit of Hartside seems to be part of the same land mass and is in some ways an even better climb (in some ways). Any more round there?

Cheers,
Andy

Brian B

Great Dunfell is on my to do list. Probably next year though as I seem to be working far too much lately and its a long way for a quick juant for me.