A Weekend In Grasmere

This weekend we were meeting up with 6 ex Unipart colleagues in Grasmere. They had a holiday let booked in the village & we were staying at The Best Western Red Lion Hotel. We had arranged to arrive about 1pm to then go for a walk at 2pm, however we drove over in the rain & it still was pouring when we arrived so we weren't sure if they would be up for going out in it.

They were up for it so we set off for Helm Crag (commonly know as the Lion & Lamb).

Now we have had a lot of rain in the past 24hours & Easedale Beck was very swollen

Not surprising when you see the volume of water coming off Sourmilk Gill, the fields are all flooded around here too.

That is the fell we are to climb, Helm Crag

Looking down on Grasmere

Little Brinhowe Gill & Sourmilk Gill

Making our way up the well maintained path

In places the path is more like a stream with the volume of water rushing down it

Far Easdale Gill

Higher up looking down on Grasmere again

Then up to High Raven Crag where we turn North for the summit

We are soon in the mist as we walk the ridge to the summit

We have reached the top, from the road below at Dunmail Raise these rocks look like a Lion & Lamb (they are also known as The Howitzer) (someone also told us it looks like a man playing a piano but we can't find that in any guide books Joyce!!!)

Hello what's this shot glasses? We are not familiar with the lads tradition of having a couple of shots on the summit

After a Peach Schnapps & Cherry Brandy the summit photo: Helm Crag (405m)

We had thought about going onto the next fell Gibson Knott, but the rain had become more persistent so decided just to retrace our steps back down the fell.

You can just make out Easdale Tarn which feeds Sourmilk Gill

Grasmere Common

Gibson Knott through the mist

We have never seen such a torrent of water coming off a fell

Looking down at the flooded fields below

It was just under 4miles & a good leg stretch & more importantly kept the lads out of the pub for a couple of hours!

Saturday dawned dry so we decided to go for a longer walk this time up Helvellyn. We drove along to The Swirls by Thirlmere to walk up from there. The summit is beyond the high point you can see on the horizon. Starting at 200m we had a 750m climb ahead of us

Crossing Helvellyn Gill

Looking back down to where we started from

More of Thirlmere comes into view

The path is like a long stone staircase

As we continue up we can see it won't be long before we are in the mist again

We make it to the summit of Helvellyn (950m) (Andy, Paul, Gary, Mick, Ted, Roger & Jem (pretending he's not cold))

No we haven't had too many shots there really are some people cycling up here! The mist lifts just enough to see Red Tarn on the Glenridding side

We decide to make a circular walk of it so head on to Nethermost Pike before starting our descent. After about 200m of descent we start to come out of the mist & Thirlmere comes into view

This path is also very well defined as it winds its way down the fell

The path makes its way through those crags down into the forest below

For a few minutes we are walking down at the same pace as another group who have a female border collie who rather grabs Crags attention

Some great views along Thirlmere

Quite a steep section through Comb Crags

Comb Gill

Water tumbling over the rocks in Whelpside Gill

After a couple of miles in the forest we are back at the car park. The dogs enjoy a dip in Helvellyn Gill with Skiddaw in the distance

It was a 7mile quite tough walk, this our elevation profile We wonder what Wainwright would make of this sign back in Grasmere!

We had a great weekend with the lads, two cracking walks & a great laugh with them all. We hope we can join them again if they are up next year.