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Date: 22/09/2023.
Distance: 17km.
Ascent: 700m.
Time: 6 hours, 50 minutes.
Weather: Nice at the beginning and end; wet in the middle!
Today we were looking for something a little shorter than yesterday's route on the Langdale Pikes and we managed to come up with this. Shame I didn't bother measuring it on the map as it wasn't shorter at all! We coughed up a rather large sum for 6 hours of parking in Grasmere - I thought that would be plenty of time.
Helm Crag from Grasmere There is a bit of a tarmac stroll out of Grasmere, passing the Lancrigg Hotel where we could have parked closer for cheaper and been able to visit the cafe for cake
. We did debate stopping as the cloud was up and down on the hills, but decided to push on. Glad we did in the end as the sun popped out on the steep ascent to Helm Crag. We had done this in 2020 in slightly better weather but today wasn't turning out too bad so far.
Across Easedale to Tarn Crag 
Seat Sandal and Fairfield from Helm Crag 
Back to Grasmere 
Through Dunmail Raise from Helm Crag I decided to climb onto the Howitzer even though it was a bit slippy; Jackie declined this time round. Then it was time for lunch.
Grasmere from the summit 
The Howitzer 
Looking down onto Jackie from the Howitzer The ridge onward to Gibson Knott is straightforward. We had been going out and back to this last time and it turned out we probably hadn't gone out far enough, as this is another one of those ill-defined summits. The ridge is very pleasant but there are at least 3 possible summits. We got hit by a couple of showers at this point, the second of which turned into a proper deluge that saw us all the way to Calf Crag.
Gibson Knott and Calf Crag 
Back to Helm Crag Calf Crag itself might have been pleasant but we didn't hang around today, having both stopped to put our waterproof trousers on 10 minutes earlier. The traverse over to Ferngill Crag and the bulk of Raise ahead (which we weren't going up again, having been there yesterday) was pretty miserable, with the rain only relenting briefly. At this point we were following a faint path on an up-and-down traverse around the hillside to avoid too much extra ascent. Eventually we popped out on the broad ridge leading us to Tarn Crag and the rain eased off for a spectacular view down to Grasmere and Easedale. However by this point it had been raining heavily for well over an hour and we were drowned.
Down Far Easedale to Helm Crag 
Helm Crag from Tarn Crag 
Rainbow on Tarn Crag 
Grasmere from Tarn Crag 
Steel Fell Perhaps the sensible choice would have been to carry on down the ridge to Easedale Tarn but we decided to visit Codale Tarn first. I hadn't even been aware of the existence of Codale Tarn until yesterday when we had descended above it from Sergeant Man to Blea Rigg. While the going was rather wet, it was a nice spot - if a little reedy for swimming. We decided to save our swim for Easedale Tarn instead.
Descending to Codale Tarn 
Codale Tarn I assumed we would be on an easy path back now but the descent into Easedale was rough with a lot of sitting down to slide gingerly over wet slabs. In icy conditions this route would be quite serious! Looking back we saw some impressive waterfalls and pinnacles of rock that I hadn't really expected - I knew these hills would be pleasant enough in the way that most of the Lakes is but I had written them off as mere foothills to the Langdale Pikes.
Belles Knott from Easedale Finally reaching Easedale Tarn, I looked at my watch and realised that we had about 7 minutes to get back to the car. Oh well, we obviously weren't going to make it so we went for our swim anyway - lovely
.
Easedale Tarn 
Jackie swimming in Easedale Tarn There were more exciting waterfalls on the Sour Milk Gill to keep us entertained before we reached the floor of the valley. The rain from today and earlier in the week meant that bits of the path were almost flooded, but there was nothing impassable.
Crossing Sour Milk Gill 
Falls on Sour Milk Gill 
Sour Milk Gill from EasedaleWe finally reached the car about 55 minutes after the parking ticket had expired but fortunately there was no fine. So much for finding a nice short day out! As with all of our walking from Langdale this week, it was barely a 15 minute journey home over the Red Bank.
