Grey Crag & Tarn Crag.
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 12:13 am
With a favourable weather forecast for today, I headed for Mardale Head to visit Tarn & Grey Crags again. It was a lovely winter morning, crisp and fresh as I set off to go over Gatescarth Pass, a route I had never before used
I quickly gained height as the sun was starting to hit the fells. I left the track at the top of Gatescarth Pass and decided to climb Branstree. It's an easy climb to the top, but I didn't linger here long before heading back down to Gatescarth Pass. I chose to climb Grey Crag first and come back over the top to Tarn Crag and back down to Gatescarth. Rather than go all the way to Sadgill, I climbed alongside Galeforth Gill, as there is some interesting looking falls up there. Once at the top of Galeforth Gill, it was a plod over roughish ground which I was pleased was a little frozen, as it would have been awful in the wet! I stopped at the summit for a bite to eat, even though the breeze was really cool. The air was really clear, showing the snow topped Coniston fells in the distance. The walk over to Tarn Crag turned out to be the wettest part of the day though Greycrag Tarn didn't seem to have much water in it!!! After leaving Tarn Crag, I left the path as it headed over to Branstree, and landed back on Gatescarth Pass. Now that the sun was high, the views of the Haweswater fells was much improved. Haweswater was as full as I have seen it for a long time, though after the Winter Cumbria has had, it's hardly surprising. It was nice to have a walk in the sun again in an area that I never tire of being in Stopped on the way home to take a pic of Riggindale, a lovely picturesque setting.