Langdale Pikes etc from Grasmere

[dav2930]

Met up with Karl on Sunday for a bout of Wainwright bagging. Karl has already done most of them but decided to start from scratch and make a project of ticking them all off methodically. Great idea! As for me, I just like getting out on the fells - I don't care how many times I do them or in what order!

Grasmere was our starting point, from which a relatively short and easy walk would reap a surprisingly rich harvest.

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We found a spot in the village to park for free. Set off walking up Alllen Bank at about 9.10am. Couldn't help noticing nice Autumn colours in the trees.

Helm Crag from the Allen Bank lane

"So Karl", says I, "we're going Silver Howe, then Blea Rigg, then Pavey Ark, right?" "Aye", says Karl. "Well", says I, "we might as well go up Jack's Rake then." "Aye", says Karl, "s'pose we might." "Good", says I - "don't s'pose we go back via Helm Crag?" "Naw", says Karl, "Tarn Crag".

I was just a tad disappointed; I'd been harbouring a desire to do both Jack's Rake and the Howitzer in the same walk ever since reading a WR by pamfox which described just such a scwalk (conceived and led by simon-b). But I bit my tongue as I didn't want to disrupt Karl's Wainwright strategy.

Vale of Grasmere; Seat Sandal and Fairfield at the back

Where the path to Silver Howe crosses Wray Gill

Grasmere and Rydal Water from Silver Howe

Cairn on summit of Silver Howe

Reedy tarn near Lang Howe

Easedale Tarn from the way up Blea Rigg

Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark above Stickle Tarn

Pavey Ark with the diagonal trench of Jack's Rake slanting leftwards across the crag

Climbers on The Bracken Clock (E2) and, left, Rake End Wall (VS).

Stickle Tarn

Typical Sunday on Jack's Rake - join the queue!

The queue a bit higher up

Pavey Ark from Harrison Stickle

Summit of Harrison Stickle looking down Langdale ...(ed. 17/10/15) - oops, it's the summit of Loft Crag. Phew, glad I fixed that before anyone noticed (or at least before anyone said anything!)

Harrison Stickle from Loft Crag

Pike o' Stickle from Loft Crag

Loft Crag from Pike o' Stickle - the fine buttress on the right is Gimmer Crag

Harrison Stickle from Pike o' Stickle

Lots of folk on Thunacar Knott

Cairn on summit of Sergeant Man, with raven in sky

Codale Tarn

View from Tarn Crag

Tarn Crag above Easedale Tarn

All in all a very interesting and satisfying walk, which would have been even better had it included Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag (sorry Karl)!

[georgeaquaterra]

Thanks Dav,

This site is great for giving ideas for walks that might not have occurred to me. I would never have thought to attack the Langdale's from Grasmere, but having seen this and the report by Pamfox you refer to it now seems an obvious and really good way to mop some up I haven't already done without re-covering old ground. And it seems to offer a mighty haul of fells to tick off the list. So thanks for the report.

George

[ChrisW]

That looks a lovely round Dav, great pics (even if you think it could've been better ) Can't get between a man and his wainwright bagging system Why so many folks on top of Thunacar Knott....is it a 'tourist venue', the rest didn't seem to have many folks at all

[dav2930]

Thanks Dav,

This site is great for giving ideas for walks that might not have occurred to me. I would never have thought to attack the Langdale's from Grasmere, but having seen this and the report by Pamfox you refer to it now seems an obvious and really good way to mop some up I haven't already done without re-covering old ground. And it seems to offer a mighty haul of fells to tick off the list. So thanks for the report.

George

Thanks George you're most welcome. It's nice to think that a WR one submits gives other people ideas, and that is definitely one of the great things about this site. Some of the reports on here have really inspired me and have provided a wealth of useful information too!

[dav2930]

That looks a lovely round Dav, great pics (even if you think it could've been better ) Can't get between a man and his wainwright bagging system Why so many folks on top of Thunacar Knott....is it a 'tourist venue', the rest didn't seem to have many folks at all

Thanks Chris. Maybe I'll have to devise some kind of system for bagging the Munros I haven't done yet!
It was a bit strange why there were so many people on Thunacar Knott as it's about the dullest summit in the area! I wouldn't have thought it was much of a tourist magnet but maybe I'm missing something.

[johnkaysleftleg]

A fine round on what looked a lovely day, you may well have witnessed the busiest Thunacar Knott has ever been

[dav2930]

... you may well have witnessed the busiest Thunacar Knott has ever been

Quite possibly!

[trailmasher]

Nice one dav and a good way to pick up the Langdales - saves a long drive round - and pick up some Wainwright's on the way especially Tarn Crag stuck all by itself.

[dav2930]

Nice one dav and a good way to pick up the Langdales - saves a long drive round - and pick up some Wainwright's on the way especially Tarn Crag stuck all by itself.

Thanks TM. Yeah that was karl's thinking; if we'd taken in Helm Crag etc it would have left Tarn Crag to do on its own, which isn't very efficient. Would have made a better walk though - and added another (short) scramble!

[Guinessman]

Did a similar route on the 8th going from Grasmere (parked in the A591 layby outside the village free parking!!!! ) Easdale tarn, Castle howe, Blea rigg, Jakes rake, Pavey Ark, Thunacar Knott, Raise, Greenup edge and back to Grasmere. Had intended doing Helm crag but felt knackered and took the valley walk out instead which felt long. As has been said, great way to pick up some hills and for me new ground covered around Grasmere.

[mamoset]

Looks a good route that, I'll have to try that one, thanks for sharing.

[dav2930]

Thanks Guinessman and mamoset.
Sounds like a good round you did Guinessman - makes sense to include High Raise.