Tarn Crag and Blea Rigg

Tuesday 10th April 2012

The weather for this walk was slightly better than the day before, which made for an interesting day, with bands of rain passing through the Lakes all day and snow on the higher fells. The snow ultimately forced me off the higher peaks meaning that I stayed below two thousand feet all day, but I was still able to enjoy a wonderful day on the fells around Easedale. First thing in the morning I left the Langdale Youth Hostel and I was immediately striding out over the fells heading towards Silver How. I thought I’d take a different route up Silver How, one that I’d not taken before, by dropping down from the top of Dow Bank onto a path that passes above the Wyke Plantation and walked through the junipers near the woodland. This was quite a pleasant walk, even if it was rather wet under foot and I was losing height. At the corner of the wood I encountered one of the paths that crosses the ridge on its way from Grasmere to Langdale, and was the path that I’d used on my second ever day in the Lake District. Ahead of me was a scree gully and I climbed that in order to get to the top of Silver How. I assume I’ve been up there before as I’ve walked along this ridge several times but I’ve probably not actually climbed it. Now I have.

With views of Grasmere and of the snow-covered high fells around me, as well as the ridge that leads all the way to Blea Rigg, I made my way north from the top of Silver How. The path that I took down is a delightful route that goes down to Grasmere along the edge of a plateau and through what Wainwright described as a ‘well-defined zone of juniper’. It’s always good to see vegetation other than the sheep-grazed grass that plagues many areas of the Lake Districtand the area near Grasmere seems less grazed than other areas. On reaching the first house I turned off the lane I had been on and headed across fields straight down to the river, where I found that after all the rain the day before the stepping stones were completely submerged. Fortunately I was able to head upstream until I found the path that climbs to Easedale Tarn, but now I was unsure of how wise it would be to take it. Fearing that the river would be just as impassable further upstream I went across New Bridge and joined the path that climbs through Far Easedale.

While walking along the path I reflected on how I had only once taken the path from Greenup Edge all the way down Far Easedale; all other times I have elected to use the far superior path along the Gibson Knott ridge, which is a pity as the valley route is not that bad. That previous time was in wet weather on a long traverse from Ennerdale to Grasmere, and just as then it was raining now. Any rain I had during this day was short-lived and had stopped by the time I reached the Stythwaite Steps where there is now fortunately a footbridge so I was easily able to cross the stream. Leaving the Far Easedale path behind I took the Easedale Tarn path, but before reaching the lake I turned off the path and started to climb the ridge to Tarn Crag. This was a great climb as there is not much of a path and the face of Tarn Crag itself was virtually un-climbable with spots of slippery melting snow dotted around the ground, but somehow I managed to pull myself up to the top. I had been to the top of Tarn Crag a couple of years ago, but that had been in descent while in a hurry so now I can say I have climbed it for the first time.

I was worried about all the snow that was littered around the top of Tarn Crag and especially with the snow on the higher fells, so after taking an early lunch near the top of Tarn Crag I turned south down easy grassy slopes to Codale Tarn. I had never been to this tarn before so I spent some time looking around and even considered trying to climb the steep slopes to the west of the lake until prudence got the better of me. Continuing south I joined the main path through Easedale and turning right climbed up to the head of the path. I had not been on this path beyond Easedale Tarn before and now I wish I had for the short section I climbed was an enjoyable route that ascends steeply through rugged terrain including a stone gully. Eventually I reached the top of the path where I obtained a great vantage point of the snow-covered peaks that surround Stickle Tarn including Sergeant Man, the fell that had originally been my target for the day. Instead I turned left and headed along the undulating terrain towards Blea Rigg.

The fell between the top of the Easedale path and Blea Rigg is littered with small tops and I took great pleasure in visiting every single one as I slowly made my way to Blea Rigg. Many of these tops have a small pile of stones on them, as is the habit in the Lakes, so I determined to visit each and every one of them even if, which is the case in virtually all of them, they serve no purpose at all. I had decided that I was going to enjoy my walk along the Blea Rigg ridge and I did that by going wherever I wanted, totally ignoring the path. The weather failed to leave an impression on me as one minute I was bathed in sunshine and the next I was being slashed at by hail stones. I have walked along this ridge a few times, in both bad and good weather, in ascent and descent, and I have found that this ridge is best in descent with clear views. I love descending long ridges, and the Blea Rigg ridge is one of the best for that because it is broad with many tops that can be explored to your heart’s content. I had a great fun on that ridge.

After visiting Blea Rigg the terrain becomes less craggy, with more grass and bogs and not so many outcrops but I continued visiting every major top until I reached Silver How which I missed out taking a direct route towards Spedding Crag and Dow Bank. Above Elterwater I dropped down the steep southern slopes of the ridge into the village. Despite the lack of high fells this was a very enjoyable walk where I achieved a lot of ascents that I’d never done before, which is the whole point of being in the Lakes.