We had a near circular route planned heading first to the highest peak & dropping down to this Eagle Crag the lowest for the day.
The route followed Stonethwaite Beck up & beyond its source. In the valley though there is plenty of water to feed the many waterfalls
It was lovely & warm & this pool looked very tempting
Crossing Willygrass Gill!, one of the few named becks that feed Stonethwaite Beck
We are past Eagle Crag now, the plan later in the day is to pick a route off it avoiding the crags back to the path we are currently on.
Looking back down the valley
Looking ahead the next obstacle is Lining Crag
As we climb higher we are getting close to the height of Eagle Crag
And across the valley Sergeant's Crag which we will go to after High Raise
Sergeant's Crag & Eagle Crag, as you can see it looks relatively easy between the two
The path had been very well maintained & indeed carried on zig-zagging around the side of Lining Crag
Back down the valley towards Stonethwaite
We have made it to the top of Lining Crag. We started the day with Bess, but she was so noisy in the car that we took her back. She will get a run at Ennerdale with us today
Karen who has been brave enough to lose the fleece & zip off trousers
On we go the summit we think is in the centre of the picture
Scafell Pike & Great End in the distance
Karen was adamant she could see a face in this rock
See.............
The cairn ahead appears to be the top
However it is the summit of Low White Stones, High Raise is in the distance with the trig point to the right on the horizon
St Sunday Crag to Fairfield, High Raise is unofficially the most central peak in the Lake District & the views were awesome in every direction
High Raise (762m) looking west towards home. There is a strong NW breeze up here so fleeces & trousers have returned
On the horizon Scafell Pike, Great End, Great Gable & Pillar
Bassenthwaite Lake in the distance with Skiddaw to the right
And the Helvellyn range
The trig point as we leave the summit
Sergeant's Crag doesn't look as close now. We have been on a path so far, but now we have to pick our way across avoiding the many crags en-route
Picking our way across some quite marshy terrain
Sergeant's Crag is now in sight & looking closer
Looking across the valley to Ullscarf which we will walk another day
Ladder Stiles - EASY
Think we set the camera a bit high, but Sergeant's Crag (571m)
Then down to Eagle Crag
Langstrath Beck comes into view
Looking back at Sergeant's Crag
Eagle Crag (526m)
Looking down towards our start
Crag waiting patiently for a stick to be thrown, he has hardly stopped all day
Rather blowy for the summit picture
There probably was a direct route down, but we opted to backtrack & stick to grassy banks rather than the rocks. Quite steep though
We have come down exactly where we wanted to just to the right of the crag
We aim for the sheep pen below as it is just above a tributary & we believe we can cross the beck here
Back across the beck & heading for the car (note Crag with another stick)
It was a long hard day!
Looking down towards our start
Crag waiting patiently for a stick to be thrown, he has hardly stopped all day
Rather blowy for the summit picture
There probably was a direct route down, but we opted to backtrack & stick to grassy banks rather than the rocks. Quite steep though
We have come down exactly where we wanted to just to the right of the crag
We aim for the sheep pen below as it is just above a tributary & we believe we can cross the beck here
Back across the beck & heading for the car (note Crag with another stick)
It was a long hard day!
We had a brilliant walk, the weather stayed fine & the views were spectacular
