I made an early start and parked on the roadside at Skelwith Bridge for 8am. I would walk beside the River Brathay to Elterwater and back, then head up to Loughrigg Tarn and on to Loughrigg Fell. Altogether about six miles. Another warm, clear Septem…

It was going to be a beautiful, clear, warm day so Sue and I decide to head for Great Langdale in order to walk up to Stickle Tarn and climb Pavey Ark via North Rake, then on to Sergeant Man, High Raise and Thunacar Knott, descending beside Dungeon G…

On Monday we parked in the spaces opposite the bus stop at the turn off for the north end of Thirlmere. Ged and I planned to walk up to Raven Crag and then up to Great How. A walk of 5.6 miles. On the drive the weather was very cloudy until we had re…

On Friday, son Tom and I decided on a walk up to the Langdale Pikes. The weather was going to be a mix of some sunshine and wintery showers. So how many fells we would do would depend on the weather and the snow conditions. Snow in May! We packed our…

On Saturday Tom and I drove to Legburthwaite car park in St. John’s-in-the-Vale. We left early to make sure we allowed enough time for tourist traffic on a hot weekend. We made good time, it took us under an hour and a half to reach the car par…

On Monday I did a socially distanced walk with Ged. We both took our own cars and drove to the lay-by on the A591, by Town Head, near Grasmere. We would be walking the Greenburn Round. This includes Steel Fell, Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag….

A blue sky day with snow! I picked up Ged from Urswick, and drove towards Keswick. I’d already decided we were going up High Rigg. It is only 1,165ft high, but the views out to surrounding fells are excellent, and it is on the main road, so no…

Thursday was another glorious day. The 6.30am Radio Cumbria ‘Fells forecast’ said there was mist in the valleys, so a thermal inversion was on the cards. The blue skies meant that it would also be a great day to capture the autumn colours…

Yesterday Fr. John had a fall on High Spy, cracking his head on a rock and bruising his ribs. Thankfully he is okay, but needs a few days to recover. Brendan had planned to meet up with friend, Val, for lunch in Keswick anyway, so I did the Walla Cra…

On Saturday Brendan and I drove to the north end of Thirlmere, parking opposite the dam road. We were going to walk up to Raven Crag for what should have been a two mile, under two hour walk, but turned out to be a seven mile, five and a half hour wa…

Son, Tom wanted to go to Grasmere to pick up some gingerbread to take into his office, so we decided to have a walk up to Silver How . The weather was blue skies and sunshine, but it was bitterly cold in the wind. So we took the Kelbarrow route up wh…

On Thursday Ged, Kas and I drove to Stonethwaite in Borrowdale for a walk up to Eagle Crag and Sergeant Crag. It has been six years since we last did this walk, but it is always a good one with great views and bits of scrambling. The forecast was goo…

Tuesday was due to be very warm, and as we had descended quite an arduous route yesterday, we picked something simple and easy on the knees. Helm Crag (The Lion and The Lamb) from the lay-by outside Grasmere. A short route up and an easy route down….

The temperature on Tuesday was 30C, so it would be a bit silly to go too high or too far in such heat. Son, Tom and I decided on a short walk up to Armboth Fell from the west side of Thirlmere, returning via Fisher Crag which commands super views dow…

On Thursday I decided to do a walk I have not done for four years. I would park in the lay-by outside Grasmere and head up to Easedale Tarn, then on to Blea Rigg (1824ft), Sergeant Man (2414ft), High Raise (2500ft) and back via Tarn Crag (1591ft). A…

On Tuesday Ged, Kas and I decided on a walk up the Langdale Pikes. This would include five Wainwrights: Harrison Stickle (2415ft), Pavey Ark (2288ft), Thunacar Knott (2372ft), Pike o’Stickle (2323ft) and Loft Crag (2270ft). We would go up via S…

Work and weekend wedding bell ringing has kept me off the fells recently, but I have now finished work for the summer. As Tuesday was the start of the heatwave, I decided on a walk away from the crowds which could include some wild swimming. Ged, Kas…

On Thursday Ged and I drove to Grasmere to climb Silver How. Usually we go up via Allan Bank but today we would ascend via Kelbarrow and descend down to Chapel Stile via Meg’s Gill into Thrang Quarry. Returning to Grasmere via Elterwater and a…

There were blue skies and sunshine again on Wednesday so today we decided on a walk over High Rigg, down to the church and on to Tewet Tarn, returning via the footpath through St John’s in the Vale. A walk of about 7 miles. We parked the car op…

On Wednesday Ged, Lynne and I decided to walk from Ashness Bridge up to Walla Crag, then over Bleaberry Fell, High Seat and High Tove and down to Watendlath for coffee, then back along the riverside valley path. A walk of 9.6 miles. The weather was f…

On Monday Brendan and I drove to Rydal Hall, parking by the church, in order to walk up Loughrigg Fell. We would have lunch in Ambleside and walk back through Rydal Park, visiting Rydal Hall. A walk of 9.5 miles. The weather was superb. Blue skies an…

Today Ged, Kas and I drove to Grasmere to climb Steel Fell (1811ft), Calf Crag (1762ft), Gibson Knott (1379ft) and Helm Crag (1299ft). It is a circular walk that follows the ridges of the Greenburn Valley. About 8.1 miles. I parked in a lay-by on the…

Yesterday I decided to make the most of another good weather day and walk around Thirlmere. I would also include a walk up to Raven Crag. A Central Fell Wainwright (1512ft). A walk of about 13 miles. The route along the west side of Thirlmere makes u…

This morning Ged, Kas and I drove to Bridge End, to walk over High Rigg (1163ft) to St. John’s in the Vale Church, then over Low Rigg to Tewet Tarn and Castlerigg Stone Circle, then back via the footpath beneath High Rigg.  A walk of nine miles…

On Thursday Brendan and I drove to Grasmere to climb Helm Crag. There was still snow on the tops. A good little walk of about five and a half miles. The walk took about four hours. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the village. Jo….

The last few weeks have been awful weather wise, so there has been no opportunities for walking. I went back to work on Wednesday,just as the weather changed and brought us three days of thermal inversions (mountain tops in blue skies above the cloud…

On Friday Brendan and I drove to Grasmere to walk up to Easedale Tarn, then up to Codale Tarn, climb up to Tarn Crag (1801ft) and walk back along the ridge. It didn`t work out quite as planned! Our walk with detour was about 8.5 miles. The original w…

On Thursday Ged, Kas and I drove to Stonethwaite to climb Great Crag (1500ft) and Grange Fell (1345ft). We would also visit Dock Tarn and Watendlath. We parked along the road leading to Stonethwaite. A good little walk of about 6 miles. It took five…

Today I drove to Rydal for a walk up Loughrigg Fell (1099ft) and over to Lily Tarn, parking on the road by the church. I would then descend to Ambleside for a coffee and walk back through Rydal Park to Rydal Hall. A walk of about 7 miles depending on…

On Friday Ged, Kas and I went to Great Langdale to do a circular walk to include the five Wainwright`s of Harrison Stickle (2403ft), Pavey Ark (2288ft), Thunacar Knotts (2351ft), Pike o`Stickle (2323ft) and Loft Crag (2270ft)…

Yesteday Brendan and I went to Ashness Bridge to climb Walla Crag (1234ft), Bleaberry Fell (1932ft), High Seat (1995ft) and High Tove (1665ft) descend down to Watendlath for coffee and cake then to follow the valley trail back to Ashness Bridge. A wa…

Today Ged, Kas and I drove to Grasmere to climb Steel Fell (1811ft), Calf Crag (1762ft), Gibson Knott (1379ft) and Helm Crag (1299ft). It is a circular walk that follows the ridges of the Greenburn Valley. About 7.5 miles. I parked in a lay-by on the…

Yesterday afternoon after climbing Castle Crag we drove to Stonethwaite to climb Eagle Crag (1709ft), and Sergeant`s Crag (1873ft) returning down Greenup Gill. A walk of five and a half miles. A happy ending for our walk! The five and a half miles ha…

I had been waiting for a sunny day to do the walk to Harrop Tarn from Dobgill car park on the shores of Thirlmere. We would then head on up to Ullscarf (2381ft) and make our way via Blea Tarn over boggy, uneven ground to Armboth Fell (1570ft), then h…

Time for a big walk around the St. John’s in the Vale skyline to include High Rigg (1163ft), Threlkeld Knotts, Clough Head (2381ft), Great Dodd (2807ft), Watsons Dodd (2584ft) and Stybarrow Dodd (2770ft) returning down The Sticks Pass to Stanah…

Due to the recent run of poor weather, it has been nearly two weeks since our last major walk. The weather today was forecast as cloudy with good visibility, no wind and sunshine later in the day, so Ged Kas and I headed for Stonethwaite in Borrowdal…

On Wednesday Ged, Kas and I went to Grasmere for the 10 mile walk around Easedale, taking in Blea Rigg (1776ft), Sergeant Man (2394ft), High Raise (2500ft) and Tarn Crag (1801ft). The walk took six hours and forty five minutes. A good day, not too mu…

Yesterday Brendan and I went to Grasmere to climb Silver How (1292ft) and Loughrigg Fell (1101ft). It was supposed to be a nice day, but it was very dull but with good visibility. We parked in the lay-by outside Grasmere and took the footpath opposit…

Yesterday Tom, Alex (who have now finished their GCSEs) and I went to Great Langdale to do a circular walk to include the five Wainwright`s of Harrison Stickle (2403ft), Pavey Ark (2288ft), Thunacar Knotts (2351ft), Pike o`Stickle (2323ft) and Loft C…

On Tuesday Ged, Kas, Tom and I went to Ashness Bridge to climb Walla Crag (1234ft), Bleaberry Fell (1932ft), High Seat (1995ft) and High Tove (1665ft) descend down to Watendlath and follow the trail down the valley back to Ashness Bridge. A walk of j…

Yesterday Ged, Kas the dog and I set off for the northern tip of Thirlmere to walk up Raven Crag (1520ft) on the west, and Great How on the east side of the lake. There was hill fog forecast for today so there was no point in going too high.  I parke…

Today we set off towards Keswick to climb High Rigg (1163ft). I had planned to take the path up from the south, but the lay-by just past the north road turn off to the other side of Thirlmere was a foot thick with snow. So we headed for the north of…

Today Tom and I set off early for Watendlath in order to climb Grange Fell (1345ft). It is a round trip of just over two miles with the Tea Room to look forward to on the return. The forecast was quite good for the morning and we were determined to m…

Today we went to Ashness Bridge to climb Walla Crag (1234ft), Bleaberry Fell (1932ft), High Seat (1995ft) and High Tove (1665ft) descend down to Watendlath and follow the trail down the valley back to Ashness Bridge. A walk of just under nine miles….

Yesterday I had to take Tom to his work experience placement at 9 and pick him up at 5, so a walk would have to fit within these times and it would need to be somewhere quite near. It had been over three years since I had last done a Langdale Pike, s…

I usually plan walks well ahead. But last night was hot and I had still to go to sleep at 3am, so I got a cup of tea and ended up looking at Andrew Leaney and David Hall`s photos of the Greenburn Round on their websites. (Google them and you won`t be…

Yesterday was forecast to be the best day of the week. We decided to do five fells from Grasmere, Silver How (1294ft), Blea Rigg (1776ft), Sergeant Man (2414ft), High Raise (2500ft) and Tarn Crag (1807ft). The route is a ridge walk that skirts around…

Last week`s walk was only a small one so this week we were in need of something a bit more challenging. Yesterday was forecast to be very hot so naturally we decided to start the walk with one of the most strenuous ascents in Lakeland, Eagle Crag (17…

Today Ged, Kas and I went to Armboth on the west side of Thirlmere. We climbed up by Fisher Gill and walked over to Fisher Crag, then on to Armboth Fell (1570ft) and then to High Tove (1665ft). From there we went over the otherside of the fell down t…

Yesterday was a superb hot weather day so Tom, Ged, Kas and I went to St. Johns in the Vale to do the circuit of High Rigg (1165ft), an easy five mile walk. We started form the church at the north end of the fell climbing up the grass behind the Yout…

I took this week off work to do the garden and make the most of the good weather. Janet wanted to go to Hayes Garden Centre at Ambleside today, so as rain was forecast tomorrow and I`d completed all the weeding we decided to kill two birds with one s…

I asked Janet and her dog Poppy if they wanted a jaunt out, which they did, so after a bit of retail therapy and a large Mocha we set off round the west side of Grasmere to go up Loughrigg Fell (1099ft) and then down the other side to Loughrigg Tarn…

Finally, a window in the gale force winds and rain! Janet and I and Poppy the dog set off for the northern tip of Thirlmere to walk up Raven Crag (1520ft) on the west, and Great How on the east side of the lake. Got back to the car before it got dark…

Yesterday Tom was on a Church Youth Group trip so Ged and I decided to do a walk that We wouldn`t have been able to do with Tom. We decided on Harrison Stickle, the highest of the Langdale Pikes at 2415 ft (736m). Got back to the car park with minute…

Went to Grasmere today via Hayes Garden Center, and climbed up Helm Crag,1329 ft (405m). Compared to Kirk Fell this is classified on the Sweeney Scale as easy peasy with bells on. From the car park to the summit took under half an hour! Back in Grasm…