Striding Edge

A photo diary of Lake District fell walks

  • Walks
  • Fells
    • Wainwrights
      • Eastern Fells
      • Far Eastern Fells
      • Central Fells
      • Southern Fells
      • Northern Fells
      • North Western Fells
      • Western Fells
      • Outlying Fells
    • Birketts
  • Dogs
  • Love The Lakes
  • Contact

Far Easedale Round

Walked on 26/04/2024

Walking Diary 2024

Start Point: Lancrigg Car Park, Easedale (NY 331 083)

Lancrigg Car Park, Easedale – Stythwaite Steps – Tarn Crag East Ridge  – Tarn Crag – Codale Head – Sergeant Man – High Raise – Low White Stones – Greenup Edge – Brownrigg Moss – Calf Crag – Gibson Knott – Helm Crag – Lancrigg Car Park, Easedale

Distance: 17.3 km     Total Ascent: 805 metres     Time Taken: 4 hours 45 minutes     Start Time: 07:45

Weather: Cold wind, clear spells, 5°C

I have had this walk lined up for a little while but was waiting for a suitable weather window to do it. I was rewarded for that wait today, the weather being absolutely fantastic and coupled with the surroundings made this walk very enjoyable from start to finish – I can well recommend it. When I looked back through my walks, the last time I was up on Tarn Crag was in 2010 – an unbelievable 14 years ago!

694A3606

Easedale at the start of the walk and what a beautiful start to the day. The birds were singing and there wasn't a breath of wind.

694A3607

Looking across Easedale to Sour Milk Gill with Tarn Crag beyond, the pointed summit is where we are heading, climbing along the east ridge.

694A3611

Heading into Far Easedale towards Stythwaite Steps.

694A3613

The crossing of Far Easedale Gill at Stythwaite Steps (which is now a footbridge).

694A3615

Looking into Far Easedale with Calf Crag at the head, the way we will be returning later.

694A3618

Just at the top of the wall on the climb from the footbridge, these rocks mentioned by Wainwright can be seen. He calls it 'Interesting boulder' and the drawing is shown on The Central Fells, Tarn Crag 6. "The two boulders illustrated above still have foliage (heather and tree) and are a destination popular enough to have encouraged the creation of a path".

694A3628

Hey, ewe! I wonder what has caught this Herdy's attention?! (Clue: he has 4 legs, a waggy tail and is my walking companion!).

694A3631

The prominent Rock Tor on the east ridge, a good marker to let you know you are going the right way.

694A3637

Looks like Fletcher was just in time with his new haircut, he is loving the weather above Easedale Tarn.

694A3642

Blea Rigg across Easedale Tarn, the conditions were perfect up here.

694A3644

Tarn Crag ahead with Deer Bield Crag to the right. The summit is the pointed peak in the centre.

694A3646

Tarn Crag summit. There is not much of a cairn left now.

694A3653

Water, water everywhere...the pools are frozen still on the tops when we crossed Tarn Crag southwards to have a look over Easedale Tarn.

694A3658

Back to Tarn Crag summit - this is the rock plinth that marks the summit.

694A3673

Beautiful shifting light on Codale Tarn, beyond is Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark.

694A3676

Fletcher leads the way on the climb to Codale Head.

694A3681

Sergeant Fletcher checks out Sergeant Man .

694A3687

The clouds seemed to be building now as we summited Sergeant Man, here looking down on the back of the Langdale Pikes, Pavey Ark to the right with Stickle Tarn visible, Lingmoor Fell and Side Pike central and the Coniston fells beyond.

694A3688

A magnificent view of Bowfell and the Scafells from Sergeant Man.

694A3697

Great Gable and High Stile over Glaramara.

694A3698

Once we reached the summit of High Raise (the centre of the Lake District and the highest point on today's walk) I stopped for a while and had a brew taking in the fantastic views in near perfect conditions. It is one of my favourites fells and it never fails to disappoint. This is looking into Langstrath from the coffee stop.

694A3703

Look at this view to Skiddaw and Blencathra, it is magnificent. When I first sat down there wasn't a breath of wind and it was silent apart from the chirruping of the Skylarks. 10 minutes later when I stood up to carry on, the wind had picked up noticeably so its looked like I hit the sweet spot with timing there!

694A3706

I headed down to Low White Stones following the path.

694A3707

Descending Greenup Edge, even normally dull Ullscarf is looking good today.

694A3708

It always strikes me that everything seems within easy reach from here, Sergeant's Crag and Eagle Crag especially as they are so near yet for me it is a long drive round to Borrowdale to climb them from that side.

694A3710

There is a new pavement under construction across Wythburn, I must say these large slabs make the going a lot easier than trying to get across the previously boggy area.

694A3711

Fletcher crosses the gateway through the invisible fence.

694A3715

Heading for Calf Crag and the start of the return leg.

694A3722

looking along Far Easedale to Grasmere from Calf Crag.

694A3726

Fletcher in a thoughtful pose.

694A3730

Looking across Far Easedale to Tarn Crag from Gibson Knott.

694A3732

...and looking along to Helm Crag from the same place.

694A3734

A Birds Eye view of the path walked earlier. At the bottom is the bridge at Stythwaite Steps. Follow the wall up and round and Wainwright's 'interesting boulder' is also visible.

694A3741

Helm Crag ahead looking across Bracken Hause.

694A3743

694A3745

Looking back to Gibson Knott from the climb to Helm Crag.

694A3754

The Howitzer, the summit rocks that mark the top of Helm Crag - also known as the Lion and the Lamb.

694A3755

694A3758

A little further on and these are the rocks that give the fells the local name of The Lion and the Lamb (although from this side it should be The Lamb and the Lion!).

694A3761

694A3764

Grasmere - town and lake.

694A3765

I spotted this plaque hidden away in Lancrigg Gardens on a small rock. It is in Latin, the inscription reads "Hoc in supercilic sedebat Dorothea Wordsworth dum ex ore fratis prope inambulantis carmina describit" translated as "Dorothy Wordsworth used to sit at this spot, writing down the poems that her brother dictated as he walked nearby".

Tarn Crag (Easedale)

Height: 550 metres / 1804 feet Grid reference: NY 30358 09326 Category: The Central Fells

The summit rock peak of Tarn Crag.

Tarn Crag approach from the East Ridge, the summit is the pointed peak in the centre.

Easedale Circuit

Walked on 30/11/2010

Start point: Grasmere (NY 337 073)

Grasmere – Easedale Tarn – Tarn Crag – Codale Tarn – Belles Knott – Easedale Tarn – Grasmere

Distance: 6.7 miles     Total Ascent: 535 metres     Time Taken: 3 hours 15 minutes     Start Time: 10:40

Weather: Cold and clear. 0°C

It was a different experience on the fells today than yesterday – the winter conditions were not as full on and it was a more sedate experience heading into Easedale in the sunshine. Out of the sun, though, it was bitterly cold with the wind on the Tarn Crag ridge making it feel even colder. Crampons were not required today but those micro spikes came in handy on the icy paths on the descent.

Easedale

Easedale route map.

30.11.10-001

Helm Crag from Easedale.

30.11.10-002

Easedale.

30.11.10-005

The path to Easedale Tarn, Sourmilk Gill centre.

30.11.10-008

Looking back along Easedale from the climb towards Heron Pike and Nab Scar.

30.11.10-020

Sourmilk Gill.

30.11.10-024

The view in the opposite direction.

30.11.10-030

Tran Crag ahead.

30.11.10-032

Fairfield appears from the cloud.

30.11.10-037

The Sourmilk Gill crossing.

30.11.10-040_stitch

Part frozen Easedale Tarn.

30.11.10-047

Great Castle How across Easedale Tarn.

30.11.10-048

A quick snow flurry on Tarn Crag.

30.11.10-058

Casper the snow monster.

30.11.10-059

Looking down on Easedale Tarn from the climb to Tarn Crag.

30.11.10-062

Cloud topped Helvellyn.

30.11.10-064

Fairfield, back in cloud.

30.11.10-066

Dougal and Casper at the summit of Tarn Crag.

30.11.10-074

The Coniston fells from the summit.

30.11.10-079

Looking towards the Langdale Pikes. In the centre is frozen Codale Tarn with Belles Knott to the left - I made a bee-line for there.

30.11.10-082

Dougal does his usual mountain lion thing!

30.11.10-089

Big icicles on the way to Codale Tarn.

30.11.10-092

Codale Tarn.

30.11.10-096

Codale Tarn from Belles Knott.

30.11.10-104

Easedale Tarn from Belles Knott.

30.11.10-107

Looking back up to the Matterhorn-esque Belles Knott from the treacherous path back down to Easedale Tarn.

30.11.10-117

Mono Tarn Crag.

30.11.10-120

Setting sun and Casperoo.

Easedale Circuit

Walked on 18/10/2007

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.

Easedale Circuit

18.10.07-002

All was frozen in Easedale before the sun came up...

18.10.07-005

...but when it did, it certainly gave a lovely golden glow.

18.10.07-008

Sourmilk Gill.

18.10.07-009

Looking into Easedale from the top falls of Sourmilk Gill.

18.10.07-017

Beginning the climb of the Tarn Crag ridge - the second peak from the left is the summit.

18.10.07-019

Autumn in Far Easedale.

18.10.07-035

Easedale Tarn with reflected contrail.

18.10.07-039

Casper summits Tarn Crag - hot work in the sunshine!

18.10.07-044

Looking over to Helvellyn from Tarn Crag, Gibson Knott and Steel Fell in the foreground.

18.10.07-047

Looking into the sun, Grasmere and Windermere under a thick blanket of mist.

18.10.07-050

Easedale Tarn.

18.10.07-055

Codale Tarn from the Tarn Crag ridge with the Coniston fells beyond.

18.10.07-058

The Helvellyn massif from Codale Head.

18.10.07-062

On the skyline are Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and the Scafells with the pointed Sergeant Man in the middle distance.

18.10.07-077

Great Gable and Pillar beyond the Glaramara ridge from High Raise.

18.10.07-079

Scafell Pike and Great End above Langstrath.

18.10.07-082

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.

18.10.07-085

A close-up of Skiddaw and Derwent Water.

18.10.07-087

Great Gable.

18.10.07-088

Bowfell.

18.10.07-094

Casper finds a comfortable place to sit on High Raise.

18.10.07-097

Fleetwith Pike in the centre with the High Stile ridge behind.

18.10.07-108

Looking back to the grassy dome of High Raise from Sergeant Man.

18.10.07-109

Descending Sergeant Man.

18.10.07-113

Stickle Tarn and Harrison Stickle from the ridge to Blea Rigg.

18.10.07-115

Looking down on two tarns - Codale and Easedale.

18.10.07-124

Heading for Blea Rigg, Windermere beyond.

18.10.07-127

Harrison Stickle from Blea Rigg.

18.10.07-128

Looking across to Crinkle Crags.

18.10.07-136

Having a rest on the way to Silver How.

18.10.07-140

Seat Sandal and Fairfield over Helm Crag.

18.10.07-149

Great Langdale.

18.10.07-161

Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and the Langdale Pikes.

18.10.07-172

Grasmere and Rydal Water from Silver How.

18.10.07-175

The Vale of Grasmere, Helvellyn to the left and Fairfield to the right.

18.10.07-177

The view from the summit of Silver How.

18.10.07-191

Reflected island on Grasmere.

18.10.07-194

Helm Crag from the descent.

18.10.07-200

Helm Crag in Autumn.

The Lion & The Lamb

Walked on 24/08/2004

Start point: Grasmere (NY 337 076)

Grasmere – Easedale – Easedale Tarn – Tarn Crag (140) – Codale Head (141) – Sergeant Man (142) – High Raise (143) – Calf Crag (144) – Gibson Knott (145) – Helm Crag (146) – Grasmere

Weather: Sunny at first, rain later.

Today’s walk is a circuit of Grasmere Common, taking in the ever popular Easedale Tarn and the high point of High Raise.

Car parking for this walk is in the village of Grasmere, the popular car park for walks in this area on the Easedale Road has now been transformed into a mini housing estate!

Setting off in bright sunshine (surprising as it was pouring down earlier), I followed the Easedale Road up to Easedale, over the bridge and through an iron gate onto the well defined rocky path.

The Lion and The Lamb

24th August - High Raise 003

Helm Crag from Easedale. The path follows the stream with Sourmilk Gill waterfalls visible ahead and ascends adjacent to them. The falls were in full spate due to the amount of rain over the past few days.

24th August - High Raise 006

Sourmilk Gill waterfalls. Continuing upwards, the still well defined path leads to the lovely and popular Easedale Tarn.

24th August - High Raise 009

Helm Crag from Easedale Tarn. Visible up to the right is Tarn Crag; I crossed Sourmilk Gill where it exits the tarn and followed the path around the tarn and then a diagonal ascent through the bracken to Tarn Crag.

24th August - High Raise 012

Tarn Crag from Easedale Tarn. The summit of Tarn Crags is not easy to determine at the best of times as there are many rocky knolls, it was made harder as the mist descended over the top as I arrived. The highest point is up to the right as you arrive on the summit plateau.

24th August - High Raise 016

Tarn Crag summitCodale Tarn, right. Carrying on westerly along the plateau, Codale Head can be seen ahead with Codale Tarn down to the left. There is an easy ascent to the large cairn; the remains of an old fence leads the way to the summit from half way up.

24th August - High Raise 019

Codale Tarn, right. Carrying on westerly along the plateau, Codale Head can be seen ahead with Codale Tarn down to the left. There is an easy ascent to the large cairn; the remains of an old fence leads the way to the summit from half way up.

24th August - High Raise 027

High Raise from Codale Head. To the south-west lies the attractive pyramid of Sergeant Man and it is an easy traverse to reach it.

24th August - High Raise 028

Sergeant Man from Codale Head

24th August - High Raise 034

Codale Head and Sergeant Man from the walk to High Raise.

24th August - High Raise 030

Bright Beck from Sergeant Man. The clouds were lifting now giving fabulous glimpses of Bright Beck and the Langdale Pikes. From Sergeant Man, High Raise was an easy, if somewhat boggy, stroll - there is a trig column on the bouldery summit. From High Raise summit the views were clear - it looked as though it was raining elsewhere, especially over Keswick.

24th August - High Raise 038

Pike O' Stickle from the summit of High Raise.

24th August - High Raise 040

Looking across the Langstrath Valley to Glaramara with the High Stile ridge beyond. From High Raise I headed towards Codale Head again; I missed the path here and ended up descending a bit too far to Ferngill Crag. Once I realised my mistake, I contoured across to Broadstone Head and across the Greenup Edge/Far Easedale pass and an easy ascent to the summit of Calf Crag. Here the heavens opened as I arrived and from here on it was a monsoon all the way.

24th August - High Raise 044

Looking along Far Easedale to Helm Crag from the walk to Calf Crag. Heron Pike is in the distance.

24th August - High Raise 045

Loughrigg in the centre distance from the summit of Calf Crag. From Calf Crag, it is a pleasant walk along an undulating ridge to reach Gibson Knott, the summit being marked by a large cairn.

24th August - High Raise 001

Helm Crag from the summit of Gibson Knott. Helm Crag can now be seen in the distance and it is another undulating walk to reach it followed by a sharp climb at the end. Once on Helm Crag ridge, the first large piece of rock is known as 'The Howitzer' due to its appearance from Dunmail Raise. The top of these rocks is the true summit of Helm Crag.

24th August - High Raise 052

Steel Fell and Dunmail Raise from The Howitzer. Further along the ridge there are two lumps of rock, one large and one small. These are referred to as 'The Lion and The Lamb' due to their appearance from below.

24th August - High Raise 053

The Howitzer

24th August - High Raise 058

The Lion and The Lamb on the summit of Helm Crag. Carrying on along the ridge, the obvious path descends toward Grasmere. Taking the path at the gap in the wall, down past the houses, across the road to another path which takes you to Easedale and the original path at the start of the walk. From here it is an easy walk back to Grasmere.

3 more short walks

Walked on 26/03/2004

Walk 1 – Tarn Crag (Easedale) (196) from Grasmere.

Low lying cloud and drizzle.

 

Tarn Crag

3 walks- 26th March 001

Heading into Easedale.

3 walks- 26th March 002

Tarn Crag from Easedale.

3 walks- 26th March 004

Sourmilk Gill waterfalls.

3 walks- 26th March 005

...and closer up.

3 walks- 26th March 006

Easedale from the ascent of Tarn Crag.

3 walks- 26th March 013

Easedale Tarn.

3 walks- 26th March 015

Tarn Crag summit.

Walk 2 – Arnison Crag (197) from Grisedale Bridge.

Fine weather now.

Arnison

3 walks- 26th March 020

Ullswater from Arnison Crag summit.

3 walks- 26th March 022

Gray Crag and Hartsop Dodd from Arnison Crag summit.

3 walks- 26th March 027

St.Sunday Crag and Birks from Arnison Crag summit.

3 walks- 26th March 032

Arnison Crag from Grisedale Bridge.

 

Walk 3 – Gowbarrow Fell (198) from Aira Force car park.

Weather remains fine.

Gowbarrow

3 walks- 26th March 033

Ullswater from the ascent of Gowbarrow Fell.

3 walks- 26th March 036

The Northern end of Ullswater from Gowbarrow Fell summit.

3 walks- 26th March 042

The upper falls at Aira Force.

Walking Diary

  • Walla Crag 27/03/2025
  • Bowfell 19/03/2025
  • Farewell Fletcher 27/02/2025
  • Scafell Pike & Lingmell 16/01/2025
  • Blencathra 10/01/2025

Social

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Information

  • Striding Edge
  • T&C’s
  • Privacy
  • Links