Day 1
On Saturday we got the bus to Grasmere. We were hoping to do a few Wainwrights for Squeaky and do Pavey Ark one of Beefy's three'ers. It was very warm and humid with no air movement. We were soon sweating buckets on our way up Easedale Road. Our first fell was to be Tarn Crag.
Tarn Crag ahead
Tarn Crag again
We followed Easedale Beck to Stythwaite steps and we stopped to have an early lunch. We felt really tired already with the heat and humidity.
Calf Crag and Far Easedale from the way up Tarn Crag
Looking back at the rock tor on the east ridge of Tarn Crag
We had already decided to cut the route short and miss out Pavey Ark. The heat was unbearable and we were struggling on the ascents.
A herdy was guarding the route
Blea Rigg and a peep of Easedale Tarn
Tarn Crag summit in view again
It never seemed to get any closer
Easedale Tarn and Silver How to the left
It was very busy at the tarn.
The Helvellyn range from the way up Tarn Crag
The views weren't bad, it was a bit dull and hazy so not great for photography.
Beefy and Squeaky on Tarn Crag summit
Looking toward Codale Head from Tarn Crag
We had 10 minutes rest below the summit before walking toward Codale Head.
Looking back toward Tarn Crag from our route
It seemed to take ages but it is only a mile, it felt like 3!
Toward Helvellyn from near Codale Head
Scafell Pike and Great End from near Codale Head
We were really tired and we started looking around for a pitch. We found one, not the greatest of views but it was flat, out of the wind and away from the main path. We sat and had a rest and a brew before we put the tent up. It was early, about 3pm and there were a few people about.
The MSR near Codale Head
We got the tent up when we thought everyone had gone but there were still a few late stragglers around. We had our
tea then went onto Sergeant Man summit.
View from Sergeant Man
We had some wine we got back to the tent. It was too cloudy for a sunset but it was nice to sit outside the tent.
The Gables from our pitch
It started raining after nine so we got inside the tent to finish the wine. Our route was Grasmere - Easedale Road - Stythwaite Steps - Tarn Crag - Codale Head - pitch - Sergeant Man - pitch. 8.85km with 530m ascent
Day 2
It had rained heavily overnight but it had stopped by the time we took the tent down. We were in clag and had to use Viewranger to make sure we were going the right way. We were on the way to Blea Rigg. We dropped down out of the mist thankfully and navigation was much easier.
Codale Tarn
Cloud covering Harrison Stickle
Pavey Ark could be seen. The sun was breaking through and it was heating up again.
Sergeant Man now clear of cloud
Beefy and Squeaky on Blea Rigg summit
We seemed to get to Blea Rigg very quickly but we were walking at Squeaky speed today!
Our lunchtime view of Crinkle Crags and the Langdales
We had a very nice brew and food stop here.
The route down from Lang How
I had the bright idea of trying a route I didnt know. The route is shown as a black dotted path on the OS map but the path was hard to see on the ground due to boggy ground and bracken. Not a route I would recommend and Viewranger came out again to keep us right. It was also unbearably hot there was very little breeze as we descended to valley level.
More bracken once we had joined the ROW near Blindtarn Gill
We were pleased when we got down to the Easedale Road, the unknown route had taken much longer than I expected it to. In hindsight we should have carried on past Lang How and descended on the Allan Bank path but we had wanted a change of route! Our route was Pitch near Codale Head - Blea Rigg - Lang How - Blindtarn Moss - Easedale New Bridge - Easedale Road - Grasmere. 8.85km with 150m ascent. Exactly the same distance as the day before but it felt like more. A nice camp and with the grim weather forecast for this weekend we will have to think about this one for a fortnight, I doubt we will be camping this weekend