free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Due to my 4 on, 4 off shift pattern I am looking to get to the Lakes for more walks.
I convinced my new best mate to come up with me and explore some hills in the beautiful countryside. Her mother was a bit of a trekker and climber, so she was happy I was taking her daughter up to the hills.
My friend was a little apprehensive, as she had never done any hill walking before and wasn't much into fitness, but by the end of the week we were both pleasantly surprised at how she did and I think I converted her into a lover of the fells.
We had both worked long shifts for 6 days in a row, so she was a little perturbed when I told her I would pick her up at 3am. So we revised the time to 7.30am. We made the drive up from Oxford and didn't get too much traffic in the hellhole that is Birmingham.
We arrived in the Grasmere car park for around 12. We donned our boots and started to walk towards the base of Helm Crag. After half an hour of walking she was already enjoying the views. After around an hour and a half we hit a small flat section before the final small rise to the summit plateau and took a few photo's. She was now hooked on the stunning panorammas available on all sides. The Eastern Fells on one side and the Central Fells to the other.
Grasmere Tarn and Loughrigg fell beyond
The Eastern Fells
The final mini ascent to the summit plateauAfter a brief sit, where we watched swirling winds carry the dried grass around in mini tornadoes, we climbed the last little rise to the summit. When we got there, I was so glad I had taken her. She quickly climbed up onto the head of the lion, of the lion and the lamb fame and was loving every second, despite the midges.
She wanted to explore every nook and cranny on the summit. We quickly walked to the 'fake' summit and then on to the base of the Howitzer.
We sat and contemplated the Howitzer whilst we had a little bit to eat and some water. She had a little go at climbing it and got about half way. I was impressed! I had a look at the back of the rock formation and tried to remember the route up it, that I had seen on the internet.
So........how do you get up it?After a few different attempts, I we from the left side of that picture and after some pretty ropey moves I made it too the top.
Time for a celebratory photo, with a swarm of midges in the face!
Suck it AW!I had managed to get to the top of the only Fell Wainwright never managed in the glorious sunshine, with my new best friend. 'Does life get any better than this?' I thought.
Then I remembered I had to get down again. There were a few hairy bits, but I made it down in the end. A few more photo's and we headed off for Gibson Knott.
The Howitzer from 'fake' summit
The Lion and the LambWe made the short trudge onto the summit of Gibson Knott and looked back where we had come from.
I gave some quick directions to some folks who seemed to be doing the coast to coast and we sat and had some water.
Helm Crag from summit of Gibson KnottI was led on my back on the grass, with my eyes closed listening to the birds in the sunshine. Glorious!
A quick look at my phone showed that we had made good time and my friend seemed fine, so I asked her if she fancied going on to another summit.
Steel FellThe walk to Calf Crag was a fair way and then there was another fair old walk onto Steel Fell and then down. I suggested it to her and she was up for it, so off we went.
The walk between Gibson Knott and the summit of Calf Crag was well pathed, but it is a deceptively long way. At least it seemed to be. A few ups and downs between, but nothing serious.
We turned off to the ridge on towards Steel fell. There were a number of lovely little tarns on this ridge, Due to this the ground could be boggy underfoot as well, but we made good time and hit the summit of Steel fell.
We saw a Hawker Hurricane and then a short while later a Eurofighter. This day had everything!
Back from whence we came - Helm Crag from summit of Steel FellWe headed down the band and back along the lanes to Grasmere and the car, with its funky new system of parking, which relies on number plate recognition to work out your length of stay and charge you accordingly. Very cool.
An alltogether glorious day on the Fells and the best possible introduction to the Lakes I could have asked for my friend. Marvelous! I'm sure AW would be smilling down at me and maybe even cracked a smile at such a day. Though i'm sure he would have slightly resented me for gaining the summit of the Howitzer.
