Little and Great Sca Fells, Meal Fell and Great Cockup

This is a circular loop of about 6.8 miles starting from the informal pull-in beside Longlands Beck Bridge near Longlands, on the northern edge of the Northern Fells. You go through the gate and follow the old road along the Cumbria Way line, then branch off beside Charleton Gill, a deep cleft that gives the early part of the walk some drama. From there it climbs to Little Sca Fell and Great Sca Fell, drops over Meal Fell, descends into the pass of Trusmadoor, and takes a short out-and-back spur up Great Cockup before returning back through Trusmadoor, crossing the River Ellen area and picking up the track home to Longlands.

Call it a 6 out of 10: moderate to moderately hard. Around 588 m of ascent, with the low point near 217 m and the high ground topping out around 627 m on the Sca Fells. The climbs are steep in places and mostly grassy rather than rocky, so there is no sustained scrambling and no exposed ridge to worry about. Most people finish in around 4.5 hours, though strong walkers moving quickly have done it in a little over three. Shorter two-summit versions of this ground are logged at nearer 485 m of ascent if you want to trim it.

Underfoot it is grass and moss with very little rough stone, which sounds pleasant and often is, but it also means:

Navigation is the real difficulty here. In poor visibility the broad grassy tops and indistinct paths make it easy to drift off line, so bring a map and compass and know how to use them. Water flows in the gills and becks, but treat it as scenery rather than a reliable drink.

• Faint grassy paths and tracks that come and go
• Boggy and soft patches, especially on the flatter shoulders
• A ford or beck crossing near the River Ellen
• A rockier path edge around Trusmadoor and the pull up Great Cockup

The payoff is space. Views run north toward the Solway Firth and out across the Northern Fells, and the whole circuit feels open and broad rather than hemmed in. Little Sca Fell has a substantial cairn and a sunken windshelter, Great Sca Fell is a quieter, plainer top, and Meal Fell has several small tops, a couple of tarns and muddy puddles, and a circular windshelter worth ducking into if the wind is up. Trusmadoor is the standout landform, a distinct ravine and pass cutting between the fells. From Great Cockup you look toward Skiddaw, Binsey, Longlands Fell, Meal Fell and the Sca Fells.

Parking is the biggest practical drawback: informal space beside Longlands Beck Bridge (around NY265358 / NY266358) for roughly four cars. Arrive early or have a plan B. The route follows public footpaths and bridleways plus open access fell. Dogs are legally allowed, but keep them close and under control, follow the seasonal short-lead rules that apply on access land, and respect any livestock restrictions you come across.

Nearby Binsey is a shorter, more straightforward summit if you want a smaller day or the forecast is dubious. This loop is the bigger, more remote choice, linking four named tops with a more varied sequence of climbs, passes and descents.