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Black Coombe, Stoupdale Crags & White Coombe

from Whicham Church

Start/Finish

Whicham Church at SD 134 827. This lies just off the A595 Whitehaven to Barrow road near to the junction with the A5093 near Silecroft. The turning into the church car park is about 750 m NE (towards Barrow), on the left, from this junction. There is a sizeable car park with an honesty box. Bear in mind that the car park will be busy on days when the church is being used, especially on Sundays.

Distance/Time

13 km     About 4 - 5 hours

Peaks

Black Coombe, 600 m, SD 135 855.

Stoupdale Crags summit, 472 m, SD 152 874.

White Coombe, 417 m, SD 154 863.

OS 96: Barrow-in-Furness & South Lakeland.     OL 6 South Western Lakes

Introduction

Black Coombe dominates the Cumbrian coast near Millom with its summit being only 4 km from the sea. It is some distance from any inland fells of similar or greater height with the nearest probably being the Conistioon Fells about 20 km away to the north east. Much of the walking is high moorland with the crags being to the east of the summit crest. On a clear day, the far away inland fells can be seen but coastal views dominate. The Isle of Man can be seen on a clear day. The return from White Coombe, unfortunately, means about 40 minutes of walking along the A595 where there is no pathway but one can look up to the E flank of Black Coombe.

Route

(1) Go down the short path between the church and the old school adjacent to it. Turn left on to the minor road and follow it to the house at Kirkland where the road becomes a track. Soon after, at a sign, a bridleway forks off to the right. Follow this up for nearly 3 km. The bridleway passes to the W of the summit which is not seen from the bridleway but, on 12/9/15, there was a large arrow made of stones pointing the way from the bridleway. A few minutes later, arrive at the large shelter cairn with a trig point within which is the summit of Black Coombe, 600 m.

(2) Head NNE from the summit on short grass which soon becomes a more obvious path that may be wet and boggy in places. Follow this down gentle slopes for about 2 km to a shallow col then continue on the crest, gradually drifting more to the NE then ENE. The summit area is rough grass with a few mounds but there is a tiny cairn on the highest point which marks the top of Stoupdale Crags, 472 m.

(3) Retrace along the faint path then go roughly S on another faint path which eventually leads on to the ridge leading to White Coombe then to a large shelter cairn which is the “summit” of White Coombe, 417 m. It is not really a summit just the end of a shoulder.

(4) There is a small cairn nearby which indicates a path which continues down the ridge. Lower down there is a lower ridge and tops off to the right which is White Hall Knott. The path passes to the left of this ridge and continues down to the A595. A short diversion can be made to the top of White Hall Knott, where there is a tiny cairn, after which one should return to the main path as a direct descent from White Hall Knott is very steep and hindered by gorse and, in Summer, ferns. Once on the A595, turn right, initially W, and follow it back to Whicham Church.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 12^th September, 2015.