For many years, Ordnance Survey listed Blencathra under the alternative name of 'Saddleback', which was coined in reference to the shape of the mountain when seen from the east.

[1] Andrew Breeze has proposed an alternative interpretation of the second element of the name, arguing that it represents a Cumbric cognate of Middle Welsh carthwr ‘working horse’.

[2] Richard Coates has suggested that the second element may be the Middle Irish personal name Carthach, but writes that ‘the implications of that with a Brittonic generic need exploring’.

At the centre is the marshy depression of Skiddaw Forest — a treeless plateau at an altitude of 1,300 ft (400 m) — and flowing outward from here are the rivers which divide the area into three sectors.

[4] Blencathra is more of a small range than a single fell, a series of tops standing out on a curving ridge three miles (five kilometres) long.

From each of the three central tops, a spur runs out at right angles to the main ridge, beginning as a narrow, rocky arête and then widening into a broad buttress which falls 2,000 ft (600 m) to the base of the fell.

Hiker and author Alfred Wainwright noted that: "The crest itself is sharp enough for shaving (the former name was razor edge) and can be traversed only à cheval at some risk of damage to tender parts.

Its origin is uncertain, but extension to its current size (in excess of 10 ft or 3 m) is attributed to a Harold Robinson of nearby Threlkeld, a frequent visitor in the years after the Second World War.

To the south-east are the Far Eastern Fells and to the south the Helvellyn range is seen end-on, with vistas of the Forest of Bowland and North Wales to its left and right respectively.

[4] In May 2014, its owner, Hugh Lowther, 8th Earl of Lonsdale, listed the entire mountain massif plus the Lordship of the Manor of Threlkeld for sale, at a guide price of £1.75 million.

[9] A number of offers were soon made for the mountain, and the agent handling the sale suggested that the initial guide price could well be exceeded.

[10] A community group, Friends of Blencathra, was set up in response to the announcement of the fell being listed for sale, and began fund-raising in order to make a bid.

Mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, broadcaster Melvyn Bragg and adventurer and television presenter Ben Fogle were among those to voice support for the group's bid.

Days later, H and H Land & Property, the estate agents handling the sale of Blencathra, announced the mountain was no longer on the market, claiming it would not be available to purchase for an 'indefinite' period of time.

[16] On 15 February 2016, Companies House published files confirming Friends of Blencathra had only raised £246,650 of the asking price in its first year of campaigning.

Following this, the Friends of Blencathra were given an ultimatum to make a final serious offer following concerns from donors that they would not see any result from the charity, and decided to end their campaign.