Looking Stead on Glaramara

Start point: Strands Bridge (NY 249 135)

Strands Bridge – Thorneythwaite Farm – Seathwaite – Stockley Bridge – Seathwaite Fell – Great Slack on Seathwaite Fell – Sprinkling Tarn –Allen Crags – High House on Allen Crags – Lincomb Head on Glaramara – Looking Stead on Glaramara – Glaramara – Combe Head –Stonethwaite Fell – Rosthwaite Cam on Rosthwaite Fell – Bessyboot on Rosthwaite Fell – Strands Bridge

Distance: 9 miles Total Ascent: 1025 metres Time Taken: 4 hour 30 minutes

Weather: Overcast with sunny spells. 15oC.

At least it was dry today but there was really rather a chilly wind on the tops today; it felt more like Autumn than summer. I parked at Strands Bridge this morning rather than the more popular Seathwaite, preferring to do the flat section first rather than last as I find it makes a good warm-up and the alternative car parking place was a lot quieter. Casper’s fame must be widening too as we were recognised by a party of walkers on Combe Head who were big StridingEdge fans – sorry, no Angus today!

Is this the right way? Following the Allerdale Ramble to Seathwaite from Strands Bridge, Base Brown ahead.

Base Brown looming large over Seathwaite.

Seathwaite Fell ahead.

Stockley Bridge.

Allen Crags along Grains.

Borrowdale from the steep climb to Seathwaite Fell.

Glaramara from Aaron Crags. The great cleft is Red Beck.

Great Gable from the Wainwright summit of Seathwaite Fell.

Looking north from Seathwaite Fell with a glimpse of Derwent Water.

Casper has a dip in the summit tarn on Seathwaite Fell, Great Gable and Green Gable beyond.

Great Gable.

Lingmell with the vertical Piers Gill clearly visible.

Casper on Great Slack, the highest and true summit of Seathwaite Fell with Great End behind.

Reflected Great End.

A peep into Wasdale - Yewbarrow with Seatallan behind and Red Pike right.

Bow Fell and Esk Pike from Allen Crags.

The Gables over Sprinkling Tarn, Pillar distant centre left.

The Langdale Pikes and Windermere.

Casper checks out the way ahead to Glaramara from Allen Crags.

The Glaramara ridge.

Harrison Stickle and Pike o' Stickle.

Bow Fell.

Great End.

Bow Fell and Esk Pike from Lincomb Head.

Seathwaite Fell with Great and Green Gable behind.

Looking over to the north-western fells.

Skiddaw, Blencathra and Derwent Water from the summit of Glaramara.

The Combe and Rosthwaite Fell from Combe Head.

The rocky turret of Rosthwaite Cam.

Fleetwith Pike from Rosthwaite Cam.

Great Gable with one or two people on the top by the look of it.

The sunshine lights up Bessyboot and Tarn at Leaves from Rosthwaite Cam.

Tarn at Leaves. Bessyboot, the summit of Rosthwaite Fell is beyond the tarn to the left.

Fleetwith Pike and High Stile from Bessyboot.

Falls on Combe Gill.

Start point: The head of Seathwaite valley (NY 236 123)

Seathwaite – Stockley Bridge – Seathwaite Fell (333) – Great Slack on Seathwaite Fell (334) – Sprinkling Tarn – Allen Crags (335) – High House on Allen Crags (336) – Lincomb Head on Glaramara (337) – Looking Stead on Glaramara(338) – Glaramara (339) – Seathwaite

Distance: 7.5 miles Total Ascent: 1092 metres Time Taken: 3 hours 40 minutes

Weather: Warm and hazy, 13-20oC.

Today’s walk is another great one along that undulating, rocky ridge of Glaramara. The walk started and finished steeply with a harsh climb up to Seathwaite Fell and a straight down descent from Glaramara.

The sun shone brightly today with temperature reaching a heady 20oC with only a slightly cool breeze reminding me that it is still early on. However, this was the first airing of the year for my Lily-white, winter conditioned legs in shorts – a nice feeling – and the whole walk was completed in shorts and tee shirt only.