Striding Edge

A photo diary of Lake District fell walks

Greenup Round

Walked on

Start point: Stonethwaite (NY 262 137)

Stonethwaite – Great Crag – Low Saddle of Coldbarrow Fell – High Saddle of Coldbarrow Fell – Ullscarf – Greenup Edge – Low White Stones – High Raise – Sergeant’s Crag – Eagle Crag – Stonethwaite

Distance: 10.6 miles     Total Ascent: 975 metres     Time Taken: 6 hours     Start Time: 08:30

Weather: Mist on top, at least it was dry! 7C

I wanted to do a decent walk today as it feels like ages since I have been on a long one. Much of this one is a trudge over boggy ground at the best of times but it seemed like hard work today with that and the navigation required in the mist proving a little tricky at times – I must be getting rusty! I managed to walk round in circles on Ullscarf and High Raise so I guess I’d better keep practicing…

Greenup

Langdale Circuit

Walked on

Start Point: New Dungeon Ghyll Car Park (NY 295 064)

New Dungeon Ghyll – Stickle Tarn – Harrison Stickle – Thunacar Knott – High Raise – Sergeant Man – Stickle Tarn – New Dungeon Ghyll

Distance: 5.6 miles     Total Ascent: 723 metres     Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes     Start Time: 08:00

Weather: Cold with high cloud, 2°C

The Langdales were oh so cold today but it was great to be out in winter conditions again. The freeze thaw cycle had made some places quite treacherous, the path to Stickle Tarn was especially so and required spikes to safely climb. These were swapped for crampons to climb up to Harrison Stickle on the eastern face. Once on the tops there was an icy chill and surprisingly for this area I never saw a single soul until I was back to lower reaches.

Langdale-Circuit

High Raise (Langdale)

Height: 762 metres / 2500 feet Grid reference: NY 28074 09536 Category: The Central Fells

High Raise is the highest of the Central fells and the most central fell in The Lakes.

Skiddaw and Blencathra from High Raise, Derwent Water covered in mist - High Raise is the central point of the Lake District and there are great views from here

Skiddaw and Blencathra from High Raise, Derwent Water covered in mist – High Raise is the central point of the Lake District and there are great views from here

Wintry High Raise

Wintry High Raise

Greenup Horseshoe

Walked on

Start point: Stonethwaite (NY 262 137)

Stonethwaite – High Crag – Low Saddle of Coldbarrow Fell – High Saddle of Coldbarrow Fell – Ullscarf – Greenup Edge – Low White Stones –High Raise – Sergeant’s Crag – Eagle Crag – Stonethwaite

Distance: 8.3 miles     Total Ascent: 890 metres     Time Taken: 4 hours

Weather: Overcast. 12oC.

It was yet again hazy and rather grey this morning for a walk around the Greenup skyline yet there were still some great views from these central fells. The route up to Ullscarf can only be recommended for the increasingly improving view on the way up but not the terrain which is rough, pathless and boggy. The descent from Eagle Crag though was better than the climb up I found – it’s a steep one, that!

Easedale Circuit

Walked on

Start point: Grasmere (NY 337 074)

Grasmere – Easedale – Tarn Crag – Codale Head – High Raise – Sergeant Man – Blea Rigg – Silver How – Grasmere

Distance: 9.7 miles     Total Ascent: 850 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours

Weather: Generally bright. 13oC.

Today I met up with Andy Lang nice and early for a walk around Easedale and up onto High Raise, the centre of the Lake District. It was very clear this morning but the best of the sunshine was early on and once up onto High Raise the wind was icy. On the way up to Grasmere, all the  stretches of water I passed were covered in a thick blanket of mist – here comes winter.

The Langdale Pikes

Walked on

Start point: New Dungeon Ghyll Car Park (NY 295 064)

New Dungeon Ghyll – Sergeant Man – High Raise – Thunacar Knott – Pavey Ark – Harrison Stickle –Pike O’Stickle – Loft Crag – Thorn Crag – New Dungeon Ghyll

Distance: 8.1 miles    Total Ascent: 1047 metres     Time Taken: 4 hours

Weather: Overcast but clearing – warm and still. 23oC

When Angus (the ‘lost boy’ – kept a close eye on him today!), Casper and I set off from the New Dungeon Ghyll, it was quite murky but surprisingly warm. The sun threatened to break through the clouds all morning and eventually did for spells. Casper was recognised (from 1000 yards I think!) on Loft Crag by Chris and Lin, up in the area for a weeks holiday and it was nice to bump into someone who visits this website. Previously I have said I wouldn’t take Angus up on the high fells again, but how could I resist? He loves it up there…

High Raise

Walked on

Start point: Grasmere (NY 337 076)

Grasmere – Goody Bridge – Helmside – Steel Fell (464) – Greenup Edge – Brownrigg Moss – Low White Stones – High Raise – Sergeant Man – Codale Head – Brownrigg Moss – Calf Crag – Gibson Knott – Helm Crag – Grasmere

Distance: 11 miles     Total Ascent: 1000 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours

Weather: Dull and grey with the snow showers. 5°C

Today’s walk was from Grasmere with a circuit of Greenburn, also taking in High Raise and Sergeant Man. There was lots of snow about today with mini-blizzards on the higher sections of High Raise and Sergeant Man.

 

Jack’s Rake

Walked on

Grasmere – Easedale – Easedale Tarn – Belles Knott – Stickle Tarn – Pavey Ark – Thunacar Knott – Sergeant Man – High Raise – Low White Stones – Greenup Edge – Brownrigg Moss – Calf Crag – Gibson Knott – Helm Crag – Grasmere

Distance: 12.5 miles     Total Ascent: 1256 metres     Time Taken: 4 hours 45 minutes

Weather: Turning sunny and warm. 23°C.

Today was a choice of walk for 14 year old James; as he’s wanted to climb Jack’s Rake (sorry Angus, not a walk for dogs!) and Helm Crag (commonly known as ‘The Lion and the Lamb’) for a while, we killed two birds with one stone today and did a long round from Grasmere. The weather started somewhat dull but by the time we reached Easedale Tarn, the sun shone and it turned into a glorious day with memorable, superb views from our lunch stop on High Raise.

The Langdale Pikes

Walked on

This is it – the first walk ever published on the original StridingEdge – back in those days I could a) only fit 6 or 7 images on the memory card I had so it was used sparingly and b) the internet was still on dial up so these photos took forever to load up anyway!

Although these pictures were taken in 2003, the site didn’t get up and running until 31st January 2004 when there was the proverbial one man and his dog with no one bothering to look at the photos until eventually the site gained in popularity. Looking back on these photos whilst updating is funny as I can remember the walks as if they were yesterday…

Dungeon Ghyll – Stickle Tarn – Jacks Rake – Pavey Ark (1) – Harrison Stickle (2) – Loft Crag (3) – Pike O’ Stickle (4) – Stake Pass – Mickelden – Dungeon Ghyll

The next walk (I had begun counting the Wainwright’s at the same time) was as follows. There are no photos  so either the weather was bad or I wasn’t into the habit yet.

Grasmere – Easedale Tarn – Sergeant Man (5) – High Raise (6) – Gibson Knott (7) – Calf Crag (8) – Helm Crag (9) – Grasmere