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Wainwright-bagging and wild camping around Grasmere

Wainwright-bagging and wild camping around Grasmere


Postby Christo1979 » Sat Jun 29, 2019 12:52 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Blea Rigg, Calf Crag, Gibson Knott, Great Rigg, Helm Crag, Heron Pike, Nab Scar, Steel Fell, Stone Arthur, Tarn Crag (Central Fells)

Hewitts included on this walk: Great Rigg

Date walked: 22/06/2019

Time taken: 11

Distance: 30.3 km

Ascent: 2081m

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This glorious weekend was meant to see me head up to Scotland, but following a few weekends of walking in the Lake District and feeling chuffed that my Wainwright tally was now above 50, I succumbed to the Cumbrian Mountains yet again and so found myself near Grasmere. I had fancied doing the Fairfield Horseshoe, but this would have put me back at Ambleside when I really want to explore some Central Fells, too. Given my reliance on public transport and reluctance to get yet another bus once I'd actually started walking, I had to get creative.

Once off the bus at Rydal Mount, I headed up the popular and steep path to Nab Scar, as if to walk the horseshoe, and indeed continued along to Heron Pike and up to Great Rigg. The weather was absolutely glorious, and I felt I was on a roll lately - two weekends in a row of amazing views and crystal clear skies - unheard of for me :lol: The views back across Rydal Fell made me reluctant to even continue at times, I could have sat there, well, all weekend and never tired of the view.

ImageNab Scar by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

ImageRydal Fell by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

After Great Rigg I turned back on myself and headed down to Stone Arthur, and down towards Grasmere. Fairfield and its mighty neighbours would have to wait for another time.

ImageStone Arthur by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

After a break in Grasmere, I made my way up towards Easdale Tarn, where I had set my heart on a wild camp. And what a perfect camp site it was! There were three other tents discretely tucked-away around the tarn, and I made my camp near the large boulder on the near shore when approached from the path.

ImageEasdale Tarn by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

It was so warm that evening, I began to wish I'd left the tent at home and just taken a bivvy bag - and was indeed tempted to just lay out in the open anyway. But the pesky flying insects reminded me that a tent is welcome at times :lol: As I looked at my maps, I worked-out which fells would be good to do next, and which would work as part of longer routes in the future. I decided Blea Rigg would be a good shout this time, but didn't fancy adding it to the morning's round of fells and so having to do more backtracking, so popped the head torch on and did my first night walk. From the tarn it was an easy climb up to the summit, and it never quite got fully dark, which added to the atmosphere.

ImageBlea Rigg by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

ImageUntitled by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

Next morning, it was up the steep path to Tarn Crag, then across the boggy ground towards the county boundary, with its helpful old iron fence posts to follow.

ImageAscending Tarn Crag by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

Steel Fell was something of an outlier I fancied climbing today, so I followed the path all the way around and then backtracked to rejoin the original path at Calf Crag.

ImageSteel Fell by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

ImageCalf Crag by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

The path along from Calf Crag to Gibson Knott and of course Helm Crag was busy, as one might expect, and the views were amazing given the modest altitude. It was with some sadness that I arrived at Helm Crag, scrambled up to the top of the summit rocks, and realised another trip was coming to an end. I walked down the steep path from Helm Crag slower than my usual pace, and cursed that it would be at least two weeks before I would be back in the hills :(

ImageGibson Knott by Christopher Watson, on Flickr

ImageHelm Crag by Christopher Watson, on Flickr
Christo1979
Walker
 
Posts: 527
Munros:28   Corbetts:45
Fionas:40   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:103   Hewitts:192
Wainwrights:214   Islands:26
Joined: Oct 21, 2017
Location: Gateshead

Re: Wainwright-bagging and wild camping around Grasmere

Postby trailmasher » Sun Jun 30, 2019 2:06 pm

Nice amble along some great fells there Christo and as you quite rightly mentioned, modest heights with big views 8) Good report and photos made all the better by the excellent weather that you had :clap:
User avatar
trailmasher
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 1302
Munros:13   
Hewitts:179
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Nov 26, 2014
Location: Near Appleby - Cumbria

Re: Wainwright-bagging and wild camping around Grasmere

Postby Christo1979 » Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:15 pm

trailmasher wrote:Nice amble along some great fells there Christo and as you quite rightly mentioned, modest heights with big views 8) Good report and photos made all the better by the excellent weather that you had :clap:


Thank you for the comment, sir! I do feel lucky with the weather, given that 100% of the time, if I announce I’m going walking, whichever area I choose tends to get the worst weather in many months :lol:
Christo1979
Walker
 
Posts: 527
Munros:28   Corbetts:45
Fionas:40   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:103   Hewitts:192
Wainwrights:214   Islands:26
Joined: Oct 21, 2017
Location: Gateshead

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