I drove to Patterdale for a walk up Arnison Crag which always has a great view of Ullswater. There are options to contunue on to Birks, and even St. Sunday Crag, but would be dependent on the conditions. The car park is £5 for all day. The main walk…
Category Archives: Eastern Fells
Ordered by date descending
Arnison Crag
16th January 2025Gowbarrow Fell with Tom
2nd January 2025Today’s walk would be Gowbarrow Fell, on the first good weather day we have had over Christmas and New Year. The Kirkstone Pass was pretty much free from ice on the drive over, so we had plenty of time to stop at Brotherswater to take some phot…
Helvellyn in Snow
16th January 2023The forecast was for perfect mountain weather, blue skies and new powder snow! I made an early start and It had just got light, but had stopped snowing by the time I reached Wythburn car park. The 5.7 mile walk took me five hours, but I took lots of…
High Hartsop Dodd to Middle Dodd
23rd September 2022I woke up early on Friday morning and the hills were clear and the sun was shining, so I decided to drive to Brothers Water and climb up to High Hartsop Dodd, Little Hart Crags, Red Screes and back down via Middle Dodd. An eight mile horseshoe walk….
Stybarrow Dodd to Clough Head
11th July 2022On Monday I decided to walk up the Sticks Pass and go over Stybarrow Dodd, Watson’s Dodd, Great Dodd and Clough Head, returning over the slopes of Great Dodd to Mill Gill, and down to Castle Rock of Triermain. A walk of nine miles. It was going…
Helvellyn Range Fells
1st March 2022I have been waiting for a sunny, blue sky day with light winds, to do this walk. It would include Raise, Whiteside, Helvellyn Lower Man, Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, High Crag, Dollywaggon Pike, Grisedale Tarn and Seat Sandal. I made an early start an…
Fairfield & St. Sunday Crag
17th January 2022It was my 60th birthday! I had spent my 50th climbing Snowdon, so today I chose to do a solo walk up to Fairfield and St. Sunday Crag, via Raise Beck and Grisedale Tarn, a route I hadn’t done for 16 years. The weather was perfect, so I set off…
Gowbarrow Fell, Alison’s 214th
15th August 2021On Sunday Alison was celebrating walking her final Wainwright, Gowbarrow Fell. I had been on her sister Lucy’s last Wainwright walk (Hallin Fell in pouring rain) and her mum, Sue’s (High Rigg in sunshine), and Sue and Derek had been with…
Helvellyn, Nethermost and Dollywaggon Pikes
21st September 2020On Monday I decided to visit Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike and Grisedale Tarn, returning via Raise Beck. I left early to be on the summit before the hoardes of tourists arrived. A walk of 9.14 miles. I set off walking from Wythburn at…
Sheffield Pike & Glenridding Dodd
10th July 2020Today we planned to walk up to Sheffield Pike via Glenridding Dodd. We parked in the lay-by below Stybarrow Crag, near Glenridding, on the side of Ullswater. We would take the route up beside Mossdale Beck and return via Glencoyne Head down to Seldom…
Arnison Crag with Fr. John
5th August 2019Fr. John drove up from Surrey early this morning, we aimed to meet in the car park at Patterdale at 8.30am, and do a gentle hill walk so John could acclimatise to the Cumbrian mountains after the South Downs. He would then head off to Cockermouth pre…
Birkhouse Moor and Catstycam
20th May 2019On Monday we drove to Glenridding to walk up Birkhouse Moor (2356ft) and Catstycam (2920ft) via the Mires Beck Route, returning down the valley via Greenside Mine. A walk of eight miles. The weather was excellent, not too hot, with a bit of a breeze….
Gowbarrow Fell & Aira Force with Fr. John
16th August 2018On Thursday the forecast was for sunny intervals and showers. I met Fr. John at the NT car park at Aira Force for our walk up to Gowbarrow via the Ullswater terrace route. A circular walk of just under five miles. The last time I did this walk it onl…
Great Mell Fell and Binsey
31st March 2016After our recent energetic mountain walks in snow I thought it would make a pleasant change to walk up a couple of easy fells. We decided on Great Mell Fell (1762ft) and Binsey (1467ft), both are easy, short walks on grass but with excellent views ou…
Blue Skies and Snow on Red Screes
7th March 2016Monday was a superb, blue-sky day with snow on the mountains. Ged, Kas and I drove to Brothers Water, parking in the free car park at Cowbridge, in order to climb up High Hartsop Dodd, Little Hart Crag, Red Screes (2549ft) and Middle Dodd. A walk of…
Hartsop Above How and the Priest Hole
23rd February 2016On Tuesday we decided to do a walk up to Hartsop Above How from Brigend. Previously I have only ever come down it via the steep descent to Brothers Water, but this time I thought we could walk the whole of the ridge. Ged, like me, also fancied anothe…
Blue Skies and Snow on Glenridding Dodd and Sheffield Pike
20th January 2016On Wednesday we decided to return to Glenridding and climb up Glenridding Dodd, Heron Pike and Sheffield Pike. The forecast was good, and the day turned out to be superb! I had only been in my car for a couple of minutes when I had to stop and take a…
Birkhouse Moor in Snow
16th January 2016On Saturday Ged and I drove to Glenridding to walk up to Birkhouse Moor and hopefully Catstycam too. We left Kas behind because of the possibility of deep snow. We have done this walk before, but not in snow. The forecast was for blue skies and sunsh…
Stone Arthur, Great Rigg, Heron Pike and Alcock Tarn
12th October 2015On Monday Ged, Kas and I drove just past Grasmere, parking in the lay-by on the A591, not far past The Swan Hotel. We would be heading up to Stone Arthur (1650ft), then onto the ridge of the Fairfield Horseshoe to Great Rigg (2516ft) and Heron Pike (…
Paper Bridge in Grisedale and Hard Tarn
15th May 2015On Friday Ged and I went to Patterdale to walk into the Grisedale Valley to see the Paper Bridge, an Art Installation by artist Steven Messam, it was due to be dismantled on Monday. We would then continue on up the valley to Ruthwaite Lodge. From the…
Helvellyn in Freezing Fog
11th February 2015Yesterday we decided to have a walk up Helvellyn from Wythburn. The Weatherline forecast and the BBC Radio Cumbria Fell Forecast had predicted a cloud inversion, where the high peaks are above the clouds in blue skies and sunshine. This had happened…
Seat Sandal and Grisedale Tarn via Tongue Gill
2nd July 2014On Wednesday Ged, Kas and I decided to walk up Tongue Gill to Grisedale Tarn and then to go up Seat Sandal and take the grassy route down its front, back to Grasmere. We parked in the lay-by and walked up towards Mill Bridge. It is a walk of just und…
Gowbarrow Fell, Aira Force and Little Mell Fell
2nd April 2014On Wednesday Ged, Kas and I drove to the NT car park at Aira Force, on the side of Ullswater, in order to walk the circuit of Gowbarrow Fell, gaining the summit from the north. We would then walk back via Aira Force before driving to The Hause for th…
Helvellyn in snow from Wythburn
30th January 2014We have been waiting for weeks for a weather window to allow us to get up a mountain in the snow, but gale force winds and rain have been the norm of late. Today the wind was only forecast to be 30mph, with no rain, and there was a possibility of som…
Dollywaggon Pike to Raise in Snow on a Beautiful Blue Sky Day!
3rd April 2013Yesterday Ged, Kas and I decided to walk from Dollywaggon Pike to Raise using two cars. One parked at the start of St. John’s in the Vale and one on Dunmail Raise. We would walk up Raise Beck to Grisedale Tarn, then take the zig zags up Dollywa…
Fairfield Horseshoe
5th March 2013Yesterday Ged, Kas and I walked the Fairfield Horseshoe.The summits would include Nab Scar (1450ft), Heron Pike (2003ft), Great Rigg (2513ft), Fairfield (2863ft), Hart Crag (2698ft), Dove Crag (2603ft), High Pike (2155ft) and Low Pike (1666ft). A wal…
Helvellyn in Snow from Swirls
16th January 2013Yesterday Ged, Kas and I drove to the free lay-by below Swirls to climb Helvellyn Lower Man and Helvellyn (3118ft) via Browncove Crags. We would then come back via Wythburn and the forest track. A walk of 7 miles. I wanted to make the most of my day…
Deepdale and St. Sunday Crag In Snow
5th December 2012Yesterday Ged, Kas and I drove to the parking spaces by the telephone box at Bridgend to walk the length of Deepdale on to St. Sunday Crag (2756ft), then on to Birks (2040ft) and Arnison Crag (1424ft). A walk of about nine miles. There is a lack of p…
Glencoyne and Hart Side
28th November 2012Yesterday Brendan was off to Carlisle for a meeting, so he dropped me at Glencoyne at 8.45am and would pick me up from Dockray at 3pm. I had thought of doing some or all of the Dodds. I had lots of options for getting to Dockray. The southern fells h…
Helvellyn in Blue Skies then Mist
15th March 2012The Fell Assessor has reported cloud inversions and Brocken Spectres on Helvellyn each day this week http://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk This is the weather forecast I always use, so as today was forecast to be a similar day I drove to Swirls to…
Helvellyn on Friday 13th
13th January 2012Yesterday was due to be another blue sky day, so Ged and I drove to the lay-by at Swirls to climb Helvellyn (3118ft) via Brown Cove Crags then down to Wythburn and back through the woods. A walk of about 7 miles. Unfortunately even the lay-by now has…
Fairfield Horseshoe in Sunshine
15th September 2011Yesterday was the good day we have been waiting for since the beginning of “the summer”. The recent weather here has been awful, floods and gales. We decided on the Fairfield Horseshoe from Rydal. We did this last year in a blizzard and m…
High Rigg and The Dodds
22nd March 2011Time 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…
Dollywaggon Pike to Helvellyn in Sunshine and Snow
14th March 2011Yesterday was forecast to be an excellent day for walking so Ged, Kas and I decided to walk up Raise Beck Cascades to Grisedale Tarn. From there we would go to Dollywaggon Pike summit (2810ft) and via the ridges to High Crag (2900ft), Nethermost Pike…
Stone Arthur, Great Rigg and Heron Pike (Greenhead Gill Round)
8th March 2011I was working yesterday morning, but I knew the weather was going to turn very windy with hill fog for my day off on Thursday, so in the afternoon Ged, Kas and I went to Grasmere to do the Greenhead Gill Round (under six miles).This includes Stone Ar…
Gowbarrow Fell, Great Mell Fell and Little Mell Fell
16th February 2011Yesterday Ged, Kas and I drove to the Aira Force National Trust car park on the shores of Ullswater to climb Gowbarrow (1579ft). An easy walk of four miles. We did this walk almost two years ago to the day. Ged didn`t remember the route at all at. He…
Red Screes to Caudale Moor
11th October 2010After last week’s disappointing walk in mist I decided to redo the walk I intended to do then, but starting at the Kirkstone Pass Inn instead of Hartsop. This would include the summits of Red Screes (2541ft), Middle Dodd (2145ft), and a repeat…
Sheffield Pike to White Side
25th September 2010On Saturday we finally had a good weather day for a walk so Ged, Kas and I went to Glenridding to climb Glenridding Dodd (1425ft), Sheffield Pike (2232ft), via the Miner`s Track round Glencoyne Head to Birkett Fell, Hart Side (2481ft), Stybarrow Dodd…
Dovedale Horseshoe and the Priest Hole
8th August 2010We don`t usually bother to go out on Bank Holidays as I hate the traffic and crowds. But we decided to go out early on Monday and have a family walk somewhere quiet. So we did the Dovedale Horseshoe which includes High Hartstop Dodd (1702ft), Little…
Arnison Crag to Seat Sandal from Patterdale
31st May 2010Yesterday Brendan and I went to Patterdale to climb Arnison Crag (1424ft), Birks (2040ft), St. Sunday Crag (2756ft) and Seat Sandal (2415ft). The walk was about 11 miles long. We arrived at the Patterdale Hotel, where we had a well earned drink, seve…
Helvellyn via Striding Edge and Swirral Edge
24th May 2010On Monday Brendan, Ged and I went to Glenridding to climb Birkhouse Moor (2350ft) then over Striding Edge to Helvellyn (3118ft), down Swirral Edge and up to Catstycam (2917ft)and back down the valley via Red Tarn and Greenside Road. A walk of over te…
Fairfield Horseshoe in a White-out
8th February 2010Today Ged and I decided to do the Fairfield Horseshoe from Rydal returning via High Sweden Bridge, Ambleside and Rydal Park. A mere 12 miles! The summits would include Nab Scar (1450ft), Heron Pike (2003ft), Great Rigg (2513ft), Fairfield (2863ft), H…
Dollywaggon Pike To Helvellyn in a White-out
25th January 2010Yesterday was supposed to be a day of good visibility, but a little dull so we decided to go for a walk up Raise Beck Cascades to Grisedale Tarn. From there we would go to Dollywaggon Pike summit (2810ft) and via the ridges to High Crag (2900ft), Net…
Birkhouse Moor and Catstycam
21st April 2009Yesterday was such a good day that Ged, Kas and I decided to repeat the walk of six weeks ago that we did in snow, wind and mist, but this time we could actually admire the view. We walked from Glenridding up to Birkhouse Moor (2350ft) to Red Tarn. T…
Great Mell Fell
14th April 2009On Tuesday Tom, Ged, Kas and I went for a walk up Great Mell Fell (1760ft). Unfortunately the excellent Easter weather was at an end. Today`s weather was dull and the visibility was poor. A very short walk!…
Arnison Crag and Birks
16th March 2009The forecast for the Fells was drizzle and low cloud so we drove to Patterdale to do Arniston Crag (1424ft) and Birks (2040ft). A short walk of 4.5 miles but steep! We also decided to add Lanty`s Tarn and Keldas to the end of the walk this would take…
Glenridding Dodd to Hart Side and back Via the Miner’s Track
13th March 2009With Wednesday`s walk having no views, and the forecast for Thursday being quite good except for the gales, we set off again for Glenridding to climb Glenridding Dodd (1425ft), Heron Pike to Sheffield Pike (2232ft), Hart Side (2481ft) and Birkett Fel…
Birkhouse Moor
11th March 2009Yesterday was great visibility and blue skies but I had been in Cartmel Priory teaching. I was supposed to be teaching maths today but decided that the call of the mountains was infinitely more appealing! I hated maths when I was at school and none o…
Gowbarrow Fell, Aira Force and Little Mell Fell
18th February 2009This is my first walk for a month. The Fells have been too icy of late but now the thaw is here so I decided to have a walk around Gowbarrow Fell (1579ft) beside Ullswater, which is low enough to be snow free. Ged and Kas came too. We started from th…
Nab Scar and Alcock Tarn
28th July 2008On Monday Ged, Kas, Tom and I went to Rydal, parking at Rydal Mount to climb Nab Scar (1450ft) and walk to Alcock Tarn and back to Rydal via the Old Coffin Route, about 4 miles. A very hot day! Good job I chose an easy walk! Jo…
A Few Dodds, But No Mist
16th May 2008Today I had another opportunity to do a walk that was not circular. Brendan was off to Carlisle again so he could drop me off and pick me up somewhere else, I chose to re-do the remainder of the Helvellyn range from Raise to Clough Head which I did t…
A Few Dodds
24th April 2008Today I had an opportunity to do a walk that was not circular. Brendan was off to Carlisle so he could drop me off and pick me up somewhere else, I chose to do the remainder of the Helvellyn range from Raise to Clough Head. Which includes Raise (2889…
Five Fells and a Priest Hole
2nd April 2008The forecast for yesterday was poor, but Ged and I still decided to do the Dovedale Horseshoe which includes High Hartstop Dodd (1702ft), Little Hart Crag (2091ft), Dove Crag (2603ft), Hart Crag (2698ft) and Hartsop Above How (1870ft) and a diversion…
Helvellyn, Blue Skies and Snow
10th December 2007The forecast for today was the best we have had for three weeks. The rain finally stopped and the sun shone. Looking out of the bedroom window the high mountains were covered in snow. So I decided to do a solitary walk up Helvellyn, (3118ft) the thir…
Scandale Horseshoe
26th March 2007Today Janet, Poppy and me went to Ambleside to do the Scandale Horseshoe. (Red Screes, Middle Dodd, Little Hart Crag, High Bakestones, High Pike and Low Pike.) A 10 mile hike. We parked at the Ambleside car park which charges a scandalous £7 for 9 h…
Greenhead Gill Round
14th March 2007Janet, Poppy and me went to Grasmere to do the Greenhead Gill Round (six miles).This includes Stone Arthur (1652ft), Great Rigg (2513ft) and Heron Pike (2003ft) ending with Alcock Tarn on a ridge below Heron Pike, then back to Grasmere. We walked bac…
Helvellyn in Snow, Swirls to Wythburn
3rd February 2007There`s snow on them there hills! So Janet and Poppy and me set off to investigate the 3118ft summit of Helvellyn. We parked at Swirls on the side of Thirlmere. The car park was closed as it was being used by the loggers so we used the spaces on the…
Dollywaggon Pike to Whiteside
9th November 2006Another great visibility Thursday! Time for another solitary walk. Decided to go to Dunmail Raise again for another walk up Raise Beck Cascades to Grisedale Tarn. From there I would go to Dollywaggon Pike summit(2810ft) and via the ridges to High Cra…
Seat Sandal and Grisedale Tarn
15th October 2006Sunday was due to be a nice day so we decided to go up Seat Sandal (2415ft). Took Tom and his friend Alex.The walk started from Dunmail Raise up Raise Beck Cascades to Grisedale Tarn. Went for a Coffee and cake in Grasmere. Very naughty!…
Fairfield and St. Sunday Crag
30th August 2006The weather was not looking too good so we chose to go the the Eastern Fells, even though when we set off mist was all over them. By the time we got there the mist had lifted. Rain was due in the late afternoon so we had about 5 hours of clearish wea…
Helvellyn, a Quick Up and Down.
10th February 2006I took advantage of the good weather and a day off and decided to have a quick, lone walk up Helvellyn. I had been up in August but had forgotten my camera, but not yesterday. It took an hour and a half to get down. I then went for a hot and wet mug…