Grey Friar to Dow Crag from Seathwaite • Walking the Cumbrian Mountains

Name of walk	Grey Friar to Dow Crag from Seathwaite
Date of walk	2007-04-08
Distance walked (miles)	10
Duration of walk	5 hours 15 minutes
Weather	Blowing a gale!
Peaks on walk	Grey Friar, Great carrs, Swirl How, Brim Fell, Dow Crag, Buck Pike and Brown Pike
Walked with	Janet Kendall
Parking	Roadside just below the start of the track to Seathwaite.

Janet, Poppy and I decided to do the Seathwaite Round. 10 miles and eight summits including Grey Friar (2536ft), Great Carrs (2575ft),Swirl How (2630ft), Brim Fell (2611ft), Coniston Old Man (2633ft), Dow Crag (2554ft), Buck Pike and Brown Pike.

We started from Seathwaite, parking the car just off road in the photo below. The Seathwaite Tarn path is over the bridge on the left and the Walna Scar path which we returned by is on the right.

View out to Harter Fell.

A good path all the way up to the tarn.

Sheep have no table manners

Seathwaite Tarn dam comes into view as well as our route for the day.

Janet and Poppy, it was still quite warm at this point. We walked along the dam. Grey Friar behind and the route to Brim Fell on the right.

There is no path up Grey Friar but we did locate a trodden area and followed it up.

The route up was grassy which made a pleasant change but once on the ridge it became very windy and coats were put on. View out to the Scafells

View back down to the tarn from the ridge.

View to the summit cairn.

View back to Brim Fell, Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag where we would be in a couple of hours

Looking across the summit of Grey Friar towards the Matterhorn Rock and the Helvellyn range beyond.

The Matterhorn Rock.

Yes! I`ve climbed the Matterhorn! Well it`s the nearest I`m gonna get!

Took this of Great Carrs and Swirl How while we ate lunch.

The Halifax Bomber Memorial on Great Carrs. Crashed in 1944. Bits of fuselage still strewn over the fell and down into the valley. Apparently it`s undercarriage hit Great Carr and it slid over the edge into the Greenburn Valley. Grey Friar behind.

After Swirl How we headed for Great How Crags and Little How Crags. The wind was violent, hence Janet`s stance in order to take a photo. Look also at Poppy`s ears being blown back and out, like aeroplane wings! The mist had started to descend and black clouds loomed ominously. Lots of people on the route to Brim Fell (in mist). Some in shorts! It was blowing a gale and freezing. Talk about mad! Bloody tourists....one guy was in a T-shirt and trainers, no ruck sack.....certifiable!!!!!

View from Levers Hause down to Seathwaite Tarn.

Levers Water and Coniston still in sunshine.

Hordes on the route up to Brim Fell

View back.

Brim Fell summit. Poppy looking a bit sad. Wishing someone would turn off the wind. Coniston Old Man ahead. Owing to too many tourists we decided to give the Old Man summit a miss and headed for Goats Hause and the route up Dow Crag which would be quieter.

Mist coming in over the Old Man as we make our way up Dow Crag.

Summit somewhere ahead in the mist. We came across two male fell runners with their map out, in short shorts, with very red legs. They asked where Coniston Old Man was....we pointed....ooppps! They may be able to get places fast, unfortunately, not necessarily the right places!!