Name of walk	Easedale Tarn to High Raise
Date of walk	2015-10-01
Distance walked (miles)	12
Duration of walk	6 hours 50 minutes
Weather	Blue skies and good visibility
Peaks on walk	Blea Rigg, Sergeant Man, High Raise, Tarn Crag
Walked with	On my own
Parking	Lay-by outside Grasmere on the main road.

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 walk of 12 miles. I need to allow about seven hours for this. The weather over the last few days had been excellent and today was no exception.

Looking up to Stone Arthur from the back route into Grasmere.

I wander through Grasmere and take the road opposite the book shop up towards Easedale Tarn. Once you cross the little bridge and go through the gate, Sour Milk Gill comes into view.

Sour Milk Gill. The weather is very warm for October. I am just in a T-shirt.

One of the small waterfalls.

View back down.

There were loads of sixth form students on the route up, but that was nothing compared to the number of school kids at the tarn.

I took a couple of photos a bit further on. There were some good reflections today.

I soon left the main track and headed up through the bracken on the track up to Blea Rigg, I could still hear the kids though!

The route ahead.

Looking across at my last fell of the day, Tarn Crag.

There are some great views out to surrounding fells.In the distance is Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, Seat Sandal and Fairfield.

From Blea Rigg summit looking towards Silver How, Windermere and Elterwater.

On the left is Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark, but the bump on the top right is Sergeant Man, my next destination. The constant climbing is hard work in this heat, it is much hotter than forecast especially with no breeze at all

Another view back to Easedale Tarn.

Codale Tarn.

Codale Tarn in close up.

Now I have a view down on Stickle Tarn.

A view to Codale Tarn and Easedale Tarn. You have to look carefully to realise that they are in fact at two vastly different heights (600ft difference).

Sergeant Man is getting closer.

Good views across Stickle Tarn to Wetherlam and the Coniston Fells.

Some people on Sergeant Man summit.

Sergeant Man summit cairn with the Scafells above it, then Great End and Great Gable and the gentle slopes of High Raise.

I sit on the summit for five minutes. Pavey Ark on the right. Lingmoor and Side Pike on the left.

My route ahead up to High Raise, you just need to find a dry route across the boggy peat hags.

Thankfully, given the recent weather, it is not too wet. The summit is just ahead on the right.

High Raise summit cairn. High Raise is thought to be the most central of the fells, and so has excellent views in all directions.

There was one other person on the summit, he volunteered to take my photo.

View into the Langstrath valley. The Scafells, Esk Pike and Great End on the left. The big fell on the near right is Glaramara.

In the far distance on the left is Grisedale Pike. Nearer in is High Spy and Catbells and Bassenthwaite Lake. Nearer is Rosthwaite Fell, and directly ahead is Sergeant Crag and Eagle Crag. On the far right is Ullock Pike and Skiddaw and nearer, Ullscarf.

Closer view.

A close up of Fleetwith Pike in the centre with Robinson and Dale Head to the right. Through the gap is Mellbreak and Whiteless Pike.

Pike o'Stickle on the right, the Coniston Fells behind.

Route to White Stones with Helvellyn behind, the Dodds on the left.

My route ahead, Codale Head on the left, Windermere in the centre and Sergeant Man on the right.

From Codale Head looking down at the route towards Calf Crag.

Looking back across to Blea Rigg.

I now need to head left for the main body of Tarn Crag.

Four years ago on this walk I took this photo of a family group of deer. I kept an eye out for deer on my way down, but unfortunately there were just sheep today.

Codale Tarn from the other side.

Tarn Crag summit is at the end, but there are many steep, awkward descents and numerous undulations in between, and no clear paths. If you had an accident here the chances are you would not be found! I take my time on the steep descents.

The summit is up there.

Summit view. There is still loads of descent to do, this is one of those fells that go on forever!

I nip across to the cairn on the right hand side of the fell.

There are views down on to Easedale Tarn from here.

It is now 5pm and the shadows are lengthening.

Even more undulations ahead, which includes the bracken strewn bumps on the right.

Heading through the bracken.

Once down you then have to detour back in the opposite direction from Grasmere in order to cross the footbridge. The sign on the large boulder makes sure no one is confused.

The footbridge.

From the footbridge looking back into Far Easedale.

It feels good to be back on a reasonably flat path!

I make my way back through Grasmere. The last of the sunlight is quickly disappearing from Stone Arthur. My descent route from Codale Head over Tarn Crag has taken two and a half hours.

The walk had taken me six hours and fifty minutes, only five minutes longer than the last time, when there had still been bits of snow around on the high fells. I was disappointed to have seen no deer today, but the weather made up for it!

Jo.