Four Fells Above Easedale • Walking the Cumbrian Mountains

Name of walk	Four Fells Above Easedale
Date of walk	2011-01-19
Distance walked (miles)	10
Duration of walk	6 hours 45 minutes
Weather	Sunny, but cold
Peaks on walk	Blea Rigg, Sergeant Man, High Raise and Tarn Crag
Walked with	Ged and Kas the blind dog
Parking	Lay-by outside of Grasmere

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).

A blue sky day! We head for Sour Milk Gill.

Sour Milk Gill.

One bit of the waterfall.

Easedale Tarn. We head off left for the track up to Blea Crag.

On the way towards the track we met a graduate student from China, his family live between Beijing and Shanghai. He is currently studying maths at Loughborough University for the year. He was staying overnight at Grasmere Youth Hostel to do a bit of walking, but wasn't confident with his map reading. As he was initially heading in our direction up to Blea Crag we suggested that he come along with us.

Heading up to Blea Crag ahead.

View back down to Easedale Tarn and across to a cloudy Hevellyn.

The Chinese student was heading back in the direction of Grasmere. He did contemplate coming with us on our route round the valley until we told him it was another 7 miles and at least five more hours! He was also only in trainers and as it was probably going to be very wet around Codale Head, he wisely decided to head back towards Silver How. Blea Rigg summit cairn looking left to Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark, and on the far right the bobble of Sergeant Man, our next destination.

Looking down on Stickle Tarn and across at Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark as we head up to Sergeant Man.

Codale Tarn and Easedale Tarn. They have an elevation difference of over 200ft which never shows up in a photo from this angle! The mountains at the back are....Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, (St. Sunday Crag peeking out) Seat Sandal, Fairfield, Heron Pike..

The final ascent to Sergeant Man. Most of the snow from the week before has gone.

View from the summit over the Langdale Pikes.

View back along the ridge to Blea Rigg, and beyond to Silver How and Loughrigg Fell. We sat and had our lunch here out of the wind as it was one o'clock already.

The wet and boggy Codale Head. Tarn Crag, our final destination, is beyond it.

More bog to cross to reach High Raise summit.

But the view out to Bassenthwaite Lake and Skiddaw is worth wet feet! Sergeant Crag and Eagle Crag is just below us. Ullscarf is on the right. Dale Head, High Spy, Maiden Moor and Cat Bells middle left. Grisedale Pike and Lord's Seat at the back left..

Bowfell, Esk Pike, Scafell, Scafell Pike, Great End and Allen Crags with Rossett Pike in the foreground.

A closer look into the Langstrath Valley.

Looking over Glaramara and Rosthwaite Fell to Pillar, High Stile, Fleetwith Pike, Robinson and Dale Head.

East, the Helvellyn range is still in cloud

Me and Kas at High Raise summit cairn. Being in the centre of the Lake District it has great views in all directions..

Heading for Codale Head on the left. Sergeant Man on the right.

After the disappointing lack of deer in last week's walk. This was a pleasant surprise! A family group on Codale Head.

Looking down on Codale Tarn. Blea Rigg on the right.

Heading down to the endless Tarn Crag. The summit is at the far end. The descents and undulations go on and on and on..

Looking back down on Easedale Tarn

We finally reach the summit.....by descending!!!!!!

But as I said.....it goes on and on and on........The repeated steep descents are a killer on the knees!

..and on and on. Our next destination of Stythwaite Bridge is seen to the left. But we have to keep going right!

Grasmere is actually to the right, but in order to cross Far Easedale Gill we have to head left back to the bridge. The rock is for the benefit of the geographically challenged!