Last Lakeland catch up report of what will probably be my last hill walk till the spring at the earliest, depressing thoughts but other than plodding on with life what can you do? If I'm a bit light on route details that's because Trailmasher completed a fine report fairly recently on a very similar route.
The large layby on the A591 at Grasmere must really upset the national park authority as it provides off road parking at no charge. I'm sure they'll find a way of making walkers pay for the privilege at some point but for the time being it enables people to walk from a honeypot without paying through the nose.
I was one of the first to turn up here on what looked like it was going to be a great day for walking. Intermittent cloud cover and some wonderful autumnal colours set the scene and with Hughie my Westie in tow I set off up towards Alcock tarn.
First light on Silver How
Greenhead Gill
Greenhead Gill again higher up
There was some beautiful light play over the Vale of Grasmere as we made our way steeply upwards with the Coniston fells also being blessed by the morning light. Slow and steady was the call with my knees complaining, thanks in part to lack of recent use, at the effort involved but as ever one foot in front of the other gets you there. We arrived at Alcock tarn to be greeted by more fine views to the South with layered ridges and wisps of morning mist between, stretching away to infinity.
Looking back to Helm Crag
Early light on the Coniston Fells
The Central Fells Across the Vale of Grasmere
Grasmere Village
Hughie strikes a pose
Along the wall to Alcock Tarn
Butter Crag with Great Rigg beyond
Gateway
Alcock Tarn
Layers of Lakeland
Winter is coming
Alcock tarn panorama
I thought about having breakfast here but couldn't really find any shelter from the cool breeze so set off up the diagonal path up onto the the main ridge. A small drop down took me to Nab Scar and here we broke our fast enjoying the ever changing conditions. Well I did, Hughie spent his time trying to find something to roll in
By the time we had finished a very light rain had started, enough to create some rainbows but scarcely enough to warrant any waterproofs.
Looking south
Helm Crag
Glorious Grasmere
Lord Crag mono
Windermere
Nab Scar Summit
Hughie
The Fairfield horseshoe is popular not only for it's great views but also because it provides some nice easy walking with a comfortable plod taking me up to the next summit on the ridge in the shape of Heron Pike. At this point Fairfield itself looked fairly grim so I decided to leave the decision till atop of Great Rigg as to whether I would include it in todays itinerary.
Light on Loughrigg
Rainbow over Grasmere
Looking back down the ridge to Windermere
Gloomy over Fairfield
Glorious light over Rydal Beck
The magnificent Earn Crag with a hint of Rainbow
Heron Pike
Hughie over the Rydal valley
We stopped before Great Rigg and ventured a little off the path to sit overlooking Rydal Beck and consume some rations. To be honest I was feeling quite tired, I have found hill fitness impossible to attain this year never mid maintain but the nagging feeling looking at the ever rising number of infections and hospital admissions provided me with enough motivation to make the most of this day, unsure as to when the opportunity to visit these wonderful hills would next present itself.
I slogged my way up Great Rigg to see that Fairfield was now sun kissed and cloud free. Complaining knees and lack of fitness be damned! I wasn't going to waist this opportunity, looking back I'm very glad I took it.
Langdales looking superb
Conditions clearing
Boots!
Light on the Greenburn Fells
Rydal Head
Looking down Greenhead Gill
Looking back to Heron Pike
Looking down to Stone Arthur from close to Great Rigg
Rydal Beck
Seat Sandal
Hughie finds some snow!
The slow plod I had fallen into got me there in the end and I made the most of being up here and explored a bit before sitting and having another snack. Fairfield has been very kind to me over the years, every time I've visited the conditions have been glorious, as a result it's one of my favourites. I love some of the views from the edge of the plateaux and still have one last route, via Cofa Pike, to explore. Part of me was tempted to go that way now but that would leave Stone Arthur sat smugly un-bagged on round two so steps were retraced towards Great Rigg and down the ridge to the last "top" of the day.
Looking towards Deepdale from Fairfield
Helvellyn and friends
St Sunday Crag
Ill Bell Ridge from Fairfield
Ridges
Alcock Tarn and Heron Pike
Illuminated
One day I will have to actually climb up to Stone Arthur, that way it might actually feel like a fell rather than a brief levelling of a ridge. Still the views are nice and with the weather continuing to be superb it was a good place to stop for a while. I'm not sure we took the correct route off as it involved several down scrambles but soon it was back on level(ish) ground and back to the car.
Stone Arthur
Grasmere from Stone Arthur
Compression
Light splashing near Helm Crag
Grasmere Village
Helm Crag from the A591
So an end to Lakeland adventures for another year, a year that will live in all our memories for the wrong reasons. My deepest condolences to those who have lost somebody in 2020 and sympathies to those who have suffered far worse than me and mine during this terrible pandemic.
The Alcock Tarn route is a great way to reach Fairfield and fair play to you for taking the pain of bad knees and lack of fitness to complete the walk 
and a bit of a slog but as you know worth the effort for the views once you get there 
Hughie looked in fine fettle JK 
