Name of walk | Grisedale Pike, Grasmoor and Crag Hill from Revelin Moss |
Date of walk | 2013-02-27 |
Distance walked (miles) | 9 |
Duration of walk | 6 hours 30 minutes |
Weather | Blue skies |
Peaks on walk | Grisedale Pike, Grasmoor, Crag Hill |
Ged, Kas and I were going to try two new routes up and down Grisedale Pike from Revelin Moss on the Whinlatter Pass.
We would ascend via the north east ridge and descend over Hobcarton. I had brought along a guidebook to help us negotiate the numerous forestry tracks.
The book route reference said “From the free car park……” Wrong! Luckily I always carry emergency change. Ged never carries money. It is a mystery to him!
He still thinks of half a crown as modern. Last week I showed him a 5p piece…..he had never seen one before! That is the honest truth!
Six quid it cost me for the pleasure of parking here. Robbery!……..To Ged that’s equivalent to about 150 Groats!

The book then said "Pass the barrier.....". Which one? There were three! Four if you count the car park entrance barrier! Each one going off in slightly different directions. The book gave no compass directions, nor distances to turn-offs and never made use of any of the mountain bike way marker post numbers. So unless you started at the correct barrier you could end up totally lost in the forest! Eventually we settled on taking a track (there are hundreds as the forest is a mass of mountain bike routes) in roughly the right compass direction and heading above the tree-line so we could see the ridge.

Once we could see the ridge it was just a case of climbing a fence and heading steeply up a heather strewn slope to gain the ridge. Easy, if you toss the guide book aside and apply common sense!

Looking up to Grisedale Pike summit as we gain the ridge

Now on the ridge with Skiddaw behind. The vast forest below. I`m blending-in like a native! Wearing this I wouldn`t be able to get lost anywhere!

It is an easy ridge to climb up. It only took an hour.

Looking across to the crowded Sleet How ridge from Braithwaite. No one was on our route.......probably all lost in the forest!

Summit view down.

Looking across Derwent Water to the Helvellyn range.

Ged and Kas


The route ahead in panorama. Far right is Hopegill Head, but we were on there not so long ago. So we are heading for Grasmoor via the scree track that cuts along the side of the first little hill. We would then climb Grasmoor via the ridge route that goes up on its right hand side. Then take the motorway track back down and then up to Crag Hill (on left of photo) returning via the dual carriageway, then resummitting Grisedale Pike. Easy!

Looking down into Coledale and the Force Crag Mine on the right

Terrain you can really stride out on! We aim for the top of Gasgale Gill. Here there is a faint grassy ridge path up Grasmoor. Only for fine weather use, not for mist!

From that track up Grasmoor looking down Coledale. Grisedale Pike on the left. Skiddaw and Blencathra ahead

This route gives great views of the Whiteside ridge. Loweswater on the far left

Bleaberry Tarn shining in the sun below Red Pike.

Great view to the Scafells etc.

Crummock Water panorama.

Time for lunch. Not a breath of wind, and warm too! About 4C! But you don`t feel it until you stop. I put a fleece on.

We don`t sit in the main shelter as it has no view, but there is a small shelter looking down over Rannerdale

Looking over Whiteless Pike to Buttermere and down into Rannerdale from the shelter.

After lunch we take a stroll to the far end for the views over to Blake Fell and Carling Knott, where we were last week.

Looking back up to the shelters. Not a day for cloud spotting!

Route to Crag Hill. Unfortunately there is a descent and ascent to reach it.

Grisedale Pike from the descent. We have to climb back up it?

Crag Hill summit.

Coledale Valley.

The ridge route down to Sail, Scar Crags and Causey Pike. Barrow and Outerside on the left. We stopped and had a long chat with a couple from Essex that had followed us from Grizedale Pike, but had gone the motorway route up Grasmoor. They were heading back to Braithwaite via the route ahead. They had chosen an excellent week for walking

Close-up of the Brown Cove Crags route up Hellvellyn that we did a few weeks ago. Castycam on the left

Knott Rigg left with Sail Beck below.

Dual Carriageway route back to Grisedale Pike.

One last burst of effort to go all the way back up!

Starting the descent down Hobcarton. The fell swings round to the right. Criffel on the horizon

Criffel in close up across Greystones Fell.

From Hobcarton End we look down at the Whinlatter pass.
The nine mile walk takes us six and a half hours. Excellent walking weather!
There was no stopping off at the pub today. Not because I didn’t trust myself not to indulge, but because I needed to return home and feed the cats.
They were due to be neutered the next day, and their last meal was supposed to be 6pm. I have just picked them back up from the vets….
there doesn’t seem to be any hard feelings! Bless! Poor things, they are now flat out!
It is also Ged’s birthday today……73 …..nearly old enough to be Pope!
Next time!
Jo.


