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Back in June 2019 an attempt to combine Raven Crag and High Rigg ended in abject failure largely due to me not doing any research as to access to Raven Crag. On this morning, having checked I could actually get across the dam, I returned to visit the tops I missed out upon that day.
I arrived before sunrise to be greated by an extraordinary sky above the Helvellyn ridge. It was a super sunrise with changing colours as the angle of the sun changed. All this was helped by a mirror flat Thirlmere so the wonderful sky could perfectly reflected.
Neon Sky
Thirlmere SunriseThe colours continued to evolve on the way up the path through the frozen devastation of the denuded forestry slopes but by the time we topped onto the summit decking
the sun was hiding leaving a grey but beautiful view down Thirlmere. The path was, unlike the last time I was up here, nice and clear and we had breakfast enjoying the morning at this excellent vantage point.
Frozen devastation on the way up Raven Crag
Golden Dawn
Closing in on Raven Crag
First light just catching the tops
Golden light on Skiddaw
Looking towards Dunmail Raise
Thirlmere Sky
Blencathra from Raven Crag 
Classic Raven Crag View
Hughie checks out the summit deckingNext up was Castle Crag, the former site of an Iron age hill fort. It's easy to imagine this being used as a defensive location with it's clear views up and down the valley. By this time the sky was changing again into a quite spectacular herringbone pattern, also known as a Mackerel sky. We didn't linger long and were soon making our way up through the forest to the rocky top of The Benn. This is another fine Birkett top and well worth a visit so we stayed a while before returning to the forestry track which winds it's way down the Western slopes beneath Sippling Crag.
Looking down Shoulthwaite from Castle Crag
The Dodds and an amazing sky from Castle Crag
...and up Shoulthwaite from Castle crag
Close to the top of The Benn
Thirlmere from The Benn
Hughie on The Benn
Mid Gill from The BennFrom this path Sippling Crag is revealed as really quite impressive but not as much as Iron Crag across Shoulthwaite which looked beautiful in the soft sunshine. So far the signage had been fairly straightforward but unsurprisingly contradicting messages were encountered making me glad I was doing this walk on a Sunday. The devastation caused by the pipeline project is still there for all to see but as they are clearly not finished the cover up job will have to be judged in a few years time, until then it will be a serious eyesore.
We ended up staying on the road as the path past Smaithwaite to Bridge End Farm was closed for no apparent reason. I could have ignored the sign but felt it best to just take a few more minutes on the road.
The impressive Iron Crag
Calfhow Pike
Watson's Dodd and Castle Rock
High Rigg
Raven CragBy now the day was starting to feel quite spring like and plenty of people were wandering around the road. I'm not sure if I were wanting a low level wander on a fine winters day I'd pick here at the moment given the pipeline project, but I suppose you can look past it to some fine views of the fells.
Back across the dam I joined up with the permissive path along the shore beneath the final top of the day. As with Castle Crag and The Benn, Great How is certainly worth a visit giving excellent views up Thrilmere and across to Raven Crag. The day had quite transformed from the icy dawn and we sat (well I did, Hughie wandered about looking for titbits) and consumed some rations in the surprisingly warm feeling sunshine.
Shore path around Great How
Looking back across Thirlmere
Watson's Dodd again
Raven Crag and the Dam from Great How
Great How summit
Browncove Crags
North from Great How
Castle Rock of Triermain
South from Great HowI nice walk all said and done and one which will be even nicer in a few years once the scars have healed.
Please note this is an approximation of my route and not a GPS trail