This adventure started on 14th
September 2008, but was actually only destined to be completed on
19th March 2009. No, we were not camping out for all
that time. The first attempt was to end in a disaster, and it was
only on the second date that Dad finally laid the ghost so to
speak. So, here are the accounts of those two walks.
GRASMERE & SOUR MILK GILL
Summary
Date - 14th September 2008
Distance - 2.5 miles
Map - OL7
Start point - Broadgate Meadow car
park (NY 338077)
The Walk
On this fateful day we started out
from the very popular village of Grasmere. Just on the outskirts
is Dove Cottage once the home of William Wordsworth and indeed he
is buried in the churchyard. If there can be a compensation for
what happened, the fact that there was a power cut in Grasmere
that morning meant that the car park machine was not working so
this saved Dad £6. From the village a narrow road leads to
Easdale. Soon after crossing Goody Bridge a signed path leads
through woodland to the wide path to Easdale Tarn via Sour Milk
Gill. This is the view looking up to Sour Milk Gill with Tarn
Crag (notched top) and behind that towards Coldale Head. These
were to be the first two objectives of the day.
You will see that the path climbs
up beside the gill passing the waterfalls...
Just past here we reached level
ground. There were a good few people out and all but Dad
continued on the popular path to Easdale Tarn. We had however to
cross the gill to reach the narrow path ascending the east ridge
of Tarn Crag. On the far side the ground was very boggy and this
sadly was where disaster struck, as Dad slipped and his left leg
folded under him as he fell backwards. He cried out as he fell
not surprisingly and then gingerly picked himself up and rested
by a rock. He thought the pain would soon pass and indeed started
up the ridge but we could tell that he was struggling and we were
very glad when he turned back. If we had made it to Tarn Crag
here is the photo we would have had taken. This was in November
2004 when as you can see Shaun, Tetley & Grizzly climbed it.
We were bothered about Dad crossing
the gill again on the rough stones, so he agreed to descend via
Stythwaite Steps (happily there is now a bridge across Easdale
Beck). Slowly, resting frequently, he made his way over the rough
path and along by the beck. We had noted that there was a long
line of Herdwick sheep coming along a distant path and then
suddenly they were right behind and in front of us bleating away.
Probably talking to Shaun!
They stopped at a farm just a
little further down where we were surrounded by them. Dad
commented to some walkers that he was not responsible for
bringing the sheep down. Another walker passing by commented that
he had put one in his rucksack. Shaun of course! Soon the Easdale
road was reached and to Dad's great relief then the car. We all
had our picnic before Dad drove us home. One other compensation
today was that while it started off blue skies, the cloud and
mist soon obscured the tops.
Thankfully it was nothing more than
a very severe sprain, but it did keep Dad off the hills for five
weeks, and much to his chagrin during some good weather, which
was a rarity in 2008.
At least the hills are not going
anywhere, and Dad promised that we would do this walk.
TARN CRAG, COLDALE HEAD, HIGH RAISE, SERGEANT MAN & BLEA RIGG from GRASMERE
Summary
Date - 19th March 2009
Distance - 10 miles
Map - OL6/7
Start point - Broadgate Meadow car
park (NY 338077)
Summits Achieved
Name
Height (ft)
Height (m)
Grid Ref
Tarn Crag
1807
551
NY 3036 0930
Coldale Head
2401
732
NY 2890 0908
High Raise
2500
762
NY 2807 0954
Sergeant Man
2414
736
NY 2864 0889
Blea Rigg
1776
541
NY 3016 0783
The Walk
"Where are we going today Dad?"
asked Allen.
He replied "its about
time I laid the ghost of the walk from Grasmere, where I fell."
"Great" said Allen, as
with Eric he would tick off no less than four of his outstanding
Wainwright summits.
We were up early and jumped into
the car for the drive to Grasmere, once again our start point.
Dad was soon ready and we settled into his rucksack and he
strolled along Easdale Road. Soon this view heralded our first
objective, Tarn Crag.
Sour Milk Gill is in the centre,
but today Dad decided to avoid the need to cross this. Instead he
reversed his descent route of the abortive walk. As we walked
along the rough track we were surprised to see again those
Herdwick sheep. They must have come to greet Shaun, and perhaps
wish Dad well for the walk today.
Continuing up the valley we soon
reached Stythwaite Steps. So named for the stepping stones across
Easdale Gill. However the bridge provides an easier crossing now
in all conditions. The stepping stones are still there in the
foreground and Dad actually used them today.
A steepish climb now brought us to
the scene of the disaster, at the foot of the east ridge of Tarn
Crag. We gave the boggy area evil looks.
This avoided; we now started the
steep ascent of the ridge surmounting a number of smaller rises
including Greathead Crag. To the right was the precipitous Deer
Bield Crag, below the summit of Tarn Crag.
Ahead we now saw that there was
just one rise to cross before Dad made the final climb to Tarn
Crag summit.
This is the peak on the right of
the notch, and we jumped out for our photo.
"At least Eric and I will be
on it this time too" said Allen.
We all gave Dad a cheer for finally
having brought us all to this summit.
Well we thought it is easy from now
on, but Dad reminded us that we were at 1800ft and our furthest
objective today was to be High Raise at 2500ft. So there was some
climbing still to go and we could see ahead the next ridge that
we had to surmount. There is little or no path but a line of
cairns is supposed to mark the route. However they seem to have
just disappeared.
Dad just headed over the rough
ground to the gully that climbs up to the left of the highest
point seen above. Soon after climbing this, the ground levelled
off and it was just a short walk to reach the small cairn on
Codale Head. This summit is not a Wainwright Fell. However it is
one of the list of Birkett Fells and none of us had been to it
before, so this was one that we all bagged, Dad included. We were
now at 2400ft and so it was just under half a mile and 100ft of
climb to reach High Raise. In 2004 Dad took a super shot of Shaun,
Tetley & Grizzly here on the trig point and he wanted to try
to replicate it today. Sadly though the weather was not as clear
and the fells behind were obscured. It was rather windy too, but
being the plucky lot we are we insisted on sitting on the trig
point. Dad focused the camera on us, but just at that moment
there was a gust of wind, Shaun and Tetley taking a dive off the
back. Dads shot caught the action.
Before setting us up Dad had
chatted to a group of walkers who were resting here, and one of
them very kindly agreed to hold on to us while the proper shot
was taken.
When it is clear it is such a
wonderful view to the fells above the Honister Pass, and so we
have decided to also include this shot from 2004. The pointed top
above Tetleys head is Honister Crag rising behind to
Fleetwith Pike. To the left of this is Grey Knotts. Below
Honister Crag runs Honister Pass above which to the right is
Robinson and Dale Head.
Some months after Dad took this,
there was a feature about a Teddy Bear exhibition, on our local
news programme North West Tonight, and they asked if viewers had
any special stories. Well as you can guess Dad could not wait to
write and he sent in this photo and the very next night we were
famous TV stars!
Well, enough of that, and back to
the walk. In a manner we now retraced our steps but veered off a
bit right to the pointed top of Sergeant Man. During the time he
was at this summit he met a number of people, including a Polish
couple who had no map with them and were unaware that the summit
they were at was Sergeant Man. Dad did his best to orientate them,
and they wandered off. It was just as well that it was a clear
day for had the cloud come down they could have been in trouble.
It just goes to show that even if you know the fells and paths
well it is essential to have a map and compass and nowadays a GPS
device.
"Which way now?" asked
Grizzly.
"Along that clear path below"
replied Dad.
So off we went descending now and
after a while we kept left to take the long ridge that was to
eventually lead to Blea Rigg. We have mentioned Codale and
Easdale, and these valleys each have tarns, the former being at a
higher altitude. We had good views of each, the water being a
beautiful blue. Here is Codale Tarn.
and now Easdale Tarn into which it
runs.
As we continued the path meandered
avoiding a few boggy areas, and passing a number of rocky tops.
We thought Dad had missed Blea Rigg, but suddenly he struck left
uphill, passing two tiny tarns and so climbing to a high point
adorned with a small cairn. This summit is actually quite hard to
find amongst other outcrops, so Dad checked the plan in his
Wainwright guide, and sure enough he had taken us to the top. We
should never have doubted him and here we are at the cairn.
"Last top", said Tetley.
"Not too far to go now then",
said Shaun.
We were a little wide of the mark
however as it was about 3 miles back to Grasmere. We are sure
lucky to be carried in that rucksack.
First there was the steep descent
to Easdale Tarn. From here the path continues its descent to
reach after some distance the lovely waterfalls on Sour Milk Gill.
From here a clear path falls to the
valley and to the Easdale Road that leads to Grasmere and the car.
We were exhilarated by the walk but rather tired too, so
gratefully settled in the car to have a picnic. Dad of course
went to the Miller Howe Café for an expensive pot of tea and
cake. Such are the prices in Grasmere, a major tourist honey pot
in the Lake District.
A wonderful day and we all slept
very well that night.