Chasing a Sunrise That Never Came — Night Hiking Blencathra via Mungrisdale Common
If you’ve ever been obsessed with catching the perfect sunrise, you’ll understand the kind of madness that leads you to leave Newcastle at 11pm and drive straight to the Lake District. I’d been desperate for an epic sunrise on the fells — partly for my soul, partly to capture some new photos of the Tomahawk Outdoor Clothing range in its natural habitat. And what better mountain for a sunrise mission than Blencathra, one of the most iconic peaks in the Lakes.
I parked in the Threlkeld village car park, the one directly across from the village and perfectly placed for the quieter routes up Blencathra. By 1am, the world was silent. By 1:30am, we were on the trail — me, my friend, and my dog (who I made sure was wearing a light because losing her in the dark was not on the agenda).
It was the 24th of May, but the air had that sharp, early‑morning chill the Lake District is famous for. I layered up in the Tomahawk Fearless Leggings, Baselayer, and Virago Midlayer Hoodie— and honestly, that combination was spot on. I didn’t need my jacket until around 4am, when the wind at the summit really started to pick up.
🌄The Route: Blencathra via Mungrisdale Common (From Threlkeld)
For this sunrise attempt, we took the Blencathra and Mungrisdale Common route, starting from the Threlkeld car park. It’s a brilliant alternative to the more dramatic Sharp Edge — definitely safer in the dark!
This route begins with gentle, open moorland and long, sweeping paths that feel almost endless in the pitch black. With only my headtorch and a hand torch cutting through the darkness, the world shrank to a small circle of light. Everything else was silence and shadow.
In daylight, this route is calm and steady. At 2am, it feels like you’re walking through another world entirely.
No crowds. No voices. No distant headlamps. Just the sound of your boots on the trail . It was kind of eerie, but also peacefully solitude that makes night hiking in the Lake District feel magical.
Reaching the Summit of Blencathra
It took us around 2.5 hours to reach the top. By then, the wind had picked up and the cold was really creeping in. We layered up, huddled down, and waited for the sunrise we’d worked so hard for.
But the sky had other plans.
Thick, stubborn cloud covered the entire horizon. We knew pretty quickly that the dramatic sunrise we’d imagined wasn’t happening. Still, after about an hour of shivering and sipping our coffee, a thin slither of orange and yellow finally appeared in the distance. It wasn’t the explosion of colour I’d hoped for — more like the sun teasing us — but it was beautiful in its own quiet way.
I can’t pretend I wasn’t gutted though. We were literally chasing a sunrise that never came.
🥾The Descent: When Tiredness Hits Like a Brick
The way down was when the exhaustion really kicked in. You know that feeling when your legs suddenly weigh a ton? That was me. Every step felt like it might be the one where my legs gave up entirely. It took another 2.5 hours to get back to the car, and by the time we reached it, I was done. My friend drove as he had managed to sleep before we set off, and I fell asleep mid‑sentence — a true sign of a night well spent.
🌌Why Night Hiking Blencathra Is Still Worth It
Even without the sunrise, even with the cold, the wind, and the tiredness, there was something incredibly special about the night. The silence. The solitude. The feeling of doing something a bit wild simply because your soul needed it.
That’s what the outdoors is all about — not perfection, not guarantees, but moments that remind you you’re alive, and who you share it with. And I got to test out my designs, they did not fail me, something special about wearing your own clothing brand that has taken so long to bring to life.
Would I do it again? Absolutely. And maybe next time, the sun will actually show up 🤣
Sarah