Height: 249 metres / 818 feet Grid reference: SD 43210 97286 Category: The Outlying Fells

Grandsire summit
Height: 249 metres / 818 feet Grid reference: SD 43210 97286 Category: The Outlying Fells
Grandsire summit
Walked on
Start point: Cleabarrow (SD 423 961)
Cleabarrow – School Knott (OF) – Grandsire (OF) – Cleabarrow
Distance: 2.6 miles Total Ascent: 120 metres Time Taken: 1 hour Start Time: 09:15
Weather: Dull but calm. 12C
There was just time for a short walk up to School Knott this morning in somewhat dull weather. The promised brightness didn’t materialise but the colours on display from the flora on the walk made up for that.
Walked on
Start point: Cleabarrow (SD 423 961)
Cleabarrow – School Knott (OF) – Grandsire (OF) – Cleabarrow
Distance: 2.6 miles Total Ascent: 120 metres Time Taken: 50 minutes Start Time: 11:05
Weather: Dull with showers. 14ºC
Today was the complete opposite of Tuesday’s walk up to Red Screes; the sky was grey, not blue and there were frequent showers. I decided to stay low and have an easy walk around School Knott and Grandsire and although here wasn’t too much in the way of views today, it was still worth the effort for a quick walk close to base camp Love the Lakes.
Walked on
Start point: Droomer Road, Heathwaite (SD 419 977)
Heathwaite – School Knott (OF) – Grandsire (OF) – Heathwaite
Distance: 2.2 miles Total Ascent: 150 metres Time Taken: 1 hour
Weather: Long sunny spells. 16C.
It is ages since I have been up to School Knott, 5 years in fact which I can hardly believe. I guess when they are right on your doorstep you tend to pass them by. There are lovely views from here and it was worth a visit today as Bowness and Windermere seemed to be the only places with any sunshine or views, the rest of the lakes was covered in low lying cloud and there were lots of showers around. Young Dougal had another outing, I love to see him running free – it’s how a dog should be.
An old bridge over Mill Beck. I suspect that this was originally in the middle of open fields but now a modern housing estate surrounds it.
Loughrigg Fell at the head of Windermere. The town gets the sunshine whilst the Langdale Pikes are obliterated by showers.
You may have heard of the latest sightings of 'Bownessie', our very own Lake District monster in Windermere. Here he is in School Knott Tarn!
School Knott is still sunlit to the left and even the Langdales look like they are brightening now but we were soon caught by the drizzle.
The summit outcrop of Grandsire. I tried to match the Wainwright sketch of this as closely as possible and it is interesting to find the exact place where he took his photos from. Someone who has done this for all the Wainwright sketches from the Pictorial Guides is Andy Beck, who's meticulous work to transform the Wainwright sketches to colour is to form an exhibition at Rheged from 10th October to 20th November. Check here for more details and to view some of his fabulous work.
Walked on
Start point: Roadside parking on The Droomer Estate, Windermere (SD 419 980)
Windermere – School Knott (OF) – Grandsire (OF) – a nameless summit 806′ – Windermere
Weather: Dull and overcast with the odd sunny spell.
Today’s walk follows Wainwright’s School Knott chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 30.