Grisedale Pike, Great Calva and St. Bega's Church • Walking the Cumbrian Mountains

Name of walk	Grisedale Pike, Great Calva and St. Bega's Church
Date of walk	2011-04-18
Distance walked (miles)	16
Duration of walk	5 hours 0 minutes
Weather	Sunshine
Peaks on walk	Grisedale Pike, Great Calva
Walked with	On own
Parking	Roadside.

Yesterday I left home at 6.50am to drive to Braithwaite in order to walk up Grisedale Pike (2593ft). A walk of six miles. Then to do two more walks after that.I started walking at 8.20am from the car park at the start of the Whinlatter pass where the route starts.

Looking back to Braithwaite from the start of the walk.

Stile End and Causey Pike.

The route up the grass. The weather was warm, T-shirt only.

Then the view of the next section. Crag Hill and Grasmoor on the left.

I overtook two couples on the way up, but had the final section all to myself

Looking down at Force Crag Mine in the Coledale valley.

Whinlatter forest and the Hospital Plantation.

A view down the ridge and over to Skiddaw.

View to Hopegill Head from the summit. It had taken an hour and twenty minutes.

On the way back down I passed the two couples I had overtaken on the way up. The couple in the photo were on holiday to do all 26 north western fells, the next couple were from Essex, like me, but this was the only fell they had planned to climb. We reminisced a while about the "old county" and all the changes.

Heading back down I passed many people on their way up.

Looking over Braithwaite to Derwent Water.

Bassenthwaite Lake, where I would end up this afternoon.

I was back down within an hour and drove to the parking spaces at Peter House Farm near Orthwaite to climb Great Calva (2265ft). The route is at the Back o'Skiddaw. I had forgotten how long it took to walk to Dash Falls, seen in the photo. It was only on my return home I realised that the whole walk was eight miles! I was thinking five or six at the most! It might be long, but it is quite an easy walk

Looking back to Binsey from the top of the waterfall. A crag of Bakestall on the left.

This is the Cumbria Way path so it is easy walking. Lonscale Fell on the right with Skiddaw House just below it at the end of the track.

Close up of Skiddaw House...... and people! A surprising number of people about.....a lot on mountain bikes. Usually this area is deathly quiet! When Skiddaw House comes into view I know it isn`t long before the turn off for the climb up Great Calva.

The path up through the heather. It is often very boggy, but not too bad today!

The way ahead.

Looking back to the Back o'Skiddaw.

Skiddaw House.

I had lunch in the summit shelter. There was even a wood plank seat to sit on.....luxury! This is my lunch view out past Lonscale Fell towards Thirlmere. It was now overcast and a bit cold and windy on the summit, but fine in the shelter, still no need of a coat.

The back of Blencathra and Mungrisedale Fell.

The summit with Knott, High Pike and Carock Fell behind.

I was back to my car in three hours. The advantage of starting out early, apart from missing all the traffic, getting your pick of the car parking spaces and missing the crowds is that there is plenty of time at the end of the day for detours! It was only 2.30pm so on the way back I drove to St. Bega`s Church. It has been four years since I was last here. From the church parking spaces the church is still a 3/4 mile walk! No old or infirm parishioners allowed! The original method of getting to church was by boat. Lambs!