Britain's Mountain Challenges: Sharp Edge

Trail magazine and the British Mountaineering Council present Britain's Mountain Challenges.
It used to be known as Razor Edge, and in this video Trail magazine's Ben Weeks heads up Blencathra to discover just how sharp Sharp Edge really is. The short answer? Very! But the video will show you so much more.
For example, much of the ridge's danger comes not from how knife-like it is, but rather from the rounded, polished quality of much of the rock wear uncountable numbers of passing boots have worn the rock smooth. In the wet this makes Sharp Edge a particularly treacherous place to be - there's a reason that a deep groove below a particularly polished and outward-slanting section of the ridge is known by the local mountain rescue team as 'Usual Gully'.
But it's far from all doom and gloom. If the sense of exposure doesn't have your eyes screwed shut, the airy views from Sharp Edge are astounding, and aside from the slightly necky move over the smoothest section of rock (affectionately referred to as the 'Bad Step'), the going is fairly easy and well within the abilities of a grade 1 scrambler. Plus, the route finishes on the wide, broad and spectacularly situated summit of Blencathra, from where the views over Keswick and beyond into the heart of Lakeland will erase any nervy memories of the clamber up.
Look out for other videos in the Britain's Mountain Challenges series featuring some of the UK's finest and most thrilling mountain landscapes.

[@justaguy9451]

Done it, for 44th birthday on 30/8/23. Awesome. Getting to the top was like being reborn. So proud of myself

[@Watsupwild]

Im 14 as of now just done this with my dad it was pretty fun and the views were amazing, we were there at the top when the northern lights happened it was amazing! I hate heights but mountaineering is so fun

[@mrradman2986]

Did both Sharp edge and Striding edge for the first time at the age of 60 this summer. Although a little shorter Sharp edge is significantly more exposed and feels more like actual rock climbing with some scary drops on both sides.

[@johnhayden8876]

Need to go here looks amazing great video as always thank you !!!!!

[@Kelly_Ben]

Adding this to the bucket list! Gorgeous video!

[@michaelthomas3414]

First time I've seen sharp edge. Looks good.

[@RideBikes_Walkplaces]

did this last year, awesome feeling conquering it.

[@Boshuda1977]

Awesome! Total respect!

[@dickymapster5741]

Awesome drone shots!

[@simonbrewster1843]

I've done this many times in different terrain the only thing I need to do is when its caked in snow, done striding edge in the snow loads of times and it's great fun!!!

[@joz2458]

Thanks Trail - love your BMC series of the best British ridges. Did Sharp Edge this afternoon. Unfortunately, buried under cloud but, thankfully, not wet. Didn't really appreciate the scale until I saw the above vid - fantastic and cheers:-}}

[@MrN8073]

Did it earlier today id say its more risky than Crib Goch but only for a short distance. Id avoid completely in wet conditions or very high winds. Good luck.

[@anthonyholroyd5359]

Did this a week ago with frost and ice in places. Just a little short for my liking 🤣🤣 I'm from Scotland and I have previously climbed the CMD arête & Aonach Eagach, so I am used to the longer climbs. But the exposure and sense of . . . At times (especially in frost and ice conditions) precariousness is pretty up there. I can see why it's grade 1 and I'd say it deserves that . . . But I can also see why in certain conditions it might just jump a grade and extra care would be particularly necessary. Cracking climb overall. Up via Sharp edge, descended via Halls Fell Ridge.

[@BAKEDPOTATOLARDYASS]

It’s dumb to do it in icy conditions

[@Llamateurs]

Another challenge awaiting... Hopefully this weekend! 😀

[@parrotbeast6311]

Llamateurs did u do it

[@WhiteRoseAdventures]

Definitely one on the to do list :D

[@S.Hitchcock]

Looks great. Is this more technical than striding & swirral edge?

[@chard211054]

A bit more technical, and more of an exposed feeling. The final climb up Foul Crag is tougher than the final climb up from Striding Edge too. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though - but I wouldn't fancy Sharp Edge much in the wet.

[@S.Hitchcock]

@@chard211054 haven't done any walks on this scale before so a bit worried about the final climb up to Helvellyn from striding edge. I may attempt sharp edge when I gain a bit more experience. Thanks

[@Nick-lo1bk]

were did you get the violin audio from

[@yan24to]

I walked Sharpe edge,last in 1991 I want to go back.

[@Mrcoffindodger]

Only been up it once, the day I decided to walk was lovely crisp April morning, the sun was out but grey clouds coming in from the west, by the time I was passing the Tarn a fine rain had started, thought yeah its ok keep going. Started up the ridge got to the bad step and the rain had turned to hail and the wind had picked up, the last climb up was definitely interesting, to say the least. In those conditions the exposure did play a bigger part than I had expected, was a great walk and so glad I did it.

[@jonfletcher147]

Is that final shot looking over towards Skiddaw?

[@trailmagazine]

No - it's the view straight down Hall's Fell Ridge and over Threlkeld Common to Clough Head.

[@jonfletcher147]

Trail magazine oh ok, thanks!

[@sherlockholmeslives.1605]

Look! Could you spread the word that I HATE Mountains, please! I am sick of this crap on TV about mountains, because of me, all the time! I am NOT a Poet! I HATE Mountains! Give me my flat, my computer, my TV, and a take away meal and I am OK!

[@geoffsharp7713]

Sherlock Holmes lives. You’re a poet, and you didn’t even know it...

[@JasonH5575]

Did this walk yesterday cloud inversion all day check my videos of the walk out on my page 😊

[@jones1068]

Ive never done it.

[@mjojrjr6231]

Is it the same as helvellyn?

[@trailmagazine]

Although not as long as Striding Edge on Helvellyn, Sharp Edge is narrower and more technical, with one particular move that has the potential to be difficult. It's a slight step up from the scrambling on Helvellyn in terms of difficulty, and is best avoided when wet or windy.

[@mjojrjr6231]

@@trailmagazine Thanks for the input, Mate.

[@simonfunwithtrains1572]

Have done many hundreds of miles in the Lake district but never been tempted over sharp edge I never considered doing a walk where a mistake can be the end of everything. I'd rather carry on to enjoy the Lakes than risk falling just for the sake of saying "I've done that." Fabulous view from the top of Blencathra

[@trailmagazine]

That's an entirely valid point of view. Nobody should feel they have to do anything, and as you say, there's plenty of amazing stuff for everybody in our mountains without anyone having to stray too far out of their comfort zone. Stick to what you enjoy!

[@dod6031]

I did it in rain once, would not recommend to anyone to be as stupid as I was. I made it up but now I’m older and wiser I realise how dangerous a decision it was.

[@baronblade7163]

I fell off this and broke my neck once

[@CLOCKCHASER2222]

@@wu5693 I did a little shit too when I went over

[@levidansky613]

That's awesome!! Not evryone can say they had such an experience.

[@spartantkd1970]

Terrible to hear of another loss of life today however. Best wishes all.

[@10badness]

can i do this walk via public transport?

[@mickeymunkchunk4512]

benjamin Yes the Penrith Keswick bus stops in small village of Threlkeld just below Blencathera, walk from there, great little pub in Threlkeld called the Horse and Farrier.

[@iamuglypeople]

I don’t think they would manage to get a bus all the way up there.

[@elliottsmusicmedia]

@@iamuglypeople The bus is the X4 or X5. It follows the A66 to Keswick, turning into Threlkeld before rejoining it. There's another pub there called the Salutation worth a visit. I was there a week or so since. Busses are one an hour sometimes late.

[@iamuglypeople]

@@elliottsmusicmedia I was making a joke that a bus wouldn’t go up the mountain.

[@forfar4fife5]

Took the kids, they loved it

[@BAKEDPOTATOLARDYASS]

Very easy to do

[@JammyDodger45]

Don't be a knobber, it's a Grade 1, no one is impressed with your waffle.

[@BAKEDPOTATOLARDYASS]

@@JammyDodger45 It’s a piece of piss 😂

[@BAKEDPOTATOLARDYASS]

@@JammyDodger45 fact is a lot of dummy’s who do hikes & little climbs tend to make out it’s very difficult to impress others which is sad …it’s easy & as long as one takes one’s time it’s easy peasy. Just because it scares u it doesn’t mean my assessment is wrong 😑

[@JammyDodger45]

@@BAKEDPOTATOLARDYASS - thanks for your input but it scares me as much as you impress me. If it was as you suggest 'a piece of piss' then no one would ever have taken a header off it and died ... and yet a dozen have. Come back and chat when you've done more than watch a bit of KZbin.

[@BAKEDPOTATOLARDYASS]

@@JammyDodger45 Look sissy accidents happen on any route or scramble …mainly it’s fools doing it when terrible weather & some even take dogs up ..morons. So stop trying to make out that you are some sort of daredevil by doing a very simple scramble.

[@leestockton9367]

There's a reason why Sharp Edge rocks are brown coloured!

[@MrN8073]

Did it earlier today id say its more risky than Crib Goch but only for a short distance. Id avoid completely in wet conditions or very high winds. Good luck.