Start point: Roadside parking near to Helmside (NY 332 096)
Helmside – Cotra Breast – Steel Fell – Brownrigg Moss – Calf Crag – Gibson Knott – Helm Crag – Thorny How – Low Mill Bridge – Helmside
Distance: 6.8 miles Total Ascent: 653 metres Time Taken: 3 hours
Weather: Overcast, showers towards the end. 22ºC.
Today was another day when I ended up doing a walk that I had not planned – I was off to the western fells but it was bucketing down with rain over that way and I could see it was brighter to the north east, so that was good enough for me. I think I was lucky to finish this walk relatively dry too as the rain came in as I reached valley level.
Greenburn with Steel Fell to the right.
Looking across to Helm Crag.
The same view from higher up the climb to Steel Fell.
Climbing Cotra Breast.
A good view of the Helm Crag to Gibson Knott ridge, the route of return.
Helvellyn from Dead Pike, the summit of Steel Fell.
Hmm, not much running water up here for Casper to have a bathe in, just boggy puddles.
Thirlmere and Blencathra from Steel Fell.
The route arcs round to the left past the un-named tarn. Beyond is the High Raise plateau.
Blencathra and Clough Head.
Ullscarf.
Helvellyn.
Calf Crag summit looking along the ridge to Grasmere.
Wrong way Casper, we are off to Gibson Knott!
Saint Sunday Crag.
Tarn Crag and Far Easedale.
The Langdale Pikes beyond Tarn Crags from Gibson Knott.
Casper strikes the mountain dog pose on the way to Helm Crag.
Easedale Tarn is now in view on the upper left with Sergeant Man beyond Tarn Crag.
The climb to Helm Crag from Bracken Hause.
Steel Fell from the top of The Howitzer, the true summit of Helm Crag.
The Lion and The Lamb on the left, Loughrigg Fell and Grasmere from The Howitzer.
The view across to Seat Sandal, Fairfield and Great Rigg from The Howitzer.
Steel Fell beyond the rocky pinnacle that is The Howitzer.
The path to The Lion and The Lamb.
Grasmere from The Lion.
Looking back to Steel Fell.