Black Crag and Tarn Hows via Tom Gill • Walking the Cumbrian Mountains

Name of walk	Black Crag and Tarn Hows via Tom Gill
Date of walk	2022-12-12

On Monday the weather was set to be sunny but very cold. I wanted to get in some snow, but without the danger of slippery roads. So I chose Black Crag and Tarn Hows from the bottom of Tom Gill. The car park is directly off the main road (A593) at Glen Mary Bridge. Due to the cold weather I picked Ged up much later than usual. We were ready to begin our walk at 10.30am. The walk is about 6 miles and takes under four hours.

We took a detour first to Yew Tree Tarn. Yew Tree Tarn from the dam. The tarn was frozen and snow covered.

We parked in Glen Mary (Tom Gill) NT car park. We set off over the bridge and up into the woods.

Lovely and snowy!

Tom Gill waterfall.

Walking up beside the gill.

Tarn Hows ahead.

Ged is glad to be out in the snow.

A frozen and snow covered Tarn Hows.

Winter wonderland. Frost on the trees.

We head round clockwise.

Lots of Robins about. Hunger means that they get really close. Ged gives him a bit of his sandwich.

At the far end of Tarn Hows we go over the stile and take the path over to the Mountain Road. Ged closes the gate behind him. Tarn Hows in the distance.

A continuation of the Winter Wonderland on the Mountain Road.

We turn off for Iron Keld. Lots of ice on the path as we head up.

Not much food about for the Belted Galloways.

At the top we head through the gate and turn immediately right. Now on the track to Black Crag. Soon we can see the fell. Summit cairn to the left and the south cairn on the right.

Ice crystals.

View over to Crinkle Crags and Bowfell from the path up to Black Crag summit.

Hilda on Black Crag, one of three different sheep breeds that my son bought for me. They are to go on the Christmas tree, but I thought they deserve a walk each first!

Hilda and me. Coniston Old Man on the left.

Ged, Hilda and me summit selfie.

Thermal inversion over Windermere. Esthwaite Water to the right of the south cairn. Whitbarrow Scar and Gummers How beyond.

Ambleside below. The horizon hills are Caudale Moor and Thornthwaite Crag, where I was two weeks ago, then Froswick and Ill Bell.

View across Windermere to the Low Wood Hotel.

Coniston Water and Tarn Hows plus another inversion.

Coniston Old Man and Wetherlam.

View down into Low and High Arnside and across to Crinkle Crags and Bowfell with the Langdale Pikes on the right.

I cross over the stile for the view north. Fairfield Horseshoe on the left.

Lingmoor Fell in the right foreground

Panorama. Left click to enlarge, click again to return.

Close up over Lingmoor to Pike o'Stickle, Loft Crag, Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark. No snow!

Looking down on Low Arnside Farm.

Cairn view from the top of the wall ladder stile. Ged with the dutch couple we met staying in Rose Castle Cottage, an isolated two bedroom, off grid, 19th century cottage, set just above Tarn Hows, north of the Scott Memorial. They have had the best weather this week! I hope the photos I took of them at the cairn turned out okay, it's a while since I've used an SLR camera!

Ged at the south cairn.

We make our way back to Tarn Hows.

Back on the Mountain Road.

Back at Tarn Hows. We continue our clockwise circuit.

More winter wonderland!

Back with a view of Tarn Hows.

Icicles!

The sunlight catches the ice.

Up on the hill at the southern end of Tarn Hows. A couple had just lost their dog, Ted, who had shot off up the hill after a rabbit. Thankfully he turned up ten minutes later.