Walk Summary
An easy start along Helm Crag's southern flank to Low Mill Bridge and then a gradual ascent up the pretty Greenburn Valley. Continues with a wonderful ramble along the northern edge of the Far Easedale valley from Calf Crag to Helm Crag. Stunning views from Helm Crag before a stroll back in the village of Grasmere.
Date: 07/05/2023
Length: 8.17 miles
Height Gain: 506 m
Terrain: Lightly used roads, stone tracks, muddy tracks, grass tracks, stone steps (steep down Helm Crag)
Navigation: Map, compass and gps required. The tracks are reasonably obvious. Hints on the map.
Start: Grasmere A591 Carpark
Route: Grasmere A591 Carpark, Grasmere, Goody Bridge, Low Mill Bridge, Greenburn Bottom, Calf Crag, Gibson Knott, Helm Crag, Goody Bridge, Grasmere
Map: OL5 North Eastern Lake District, OL7 South Eastern Lake District
Weather: Sunny, mist on high tops, some cloud.
Walkers: Nun, Cabin Boy, Kapitan Mo
Captain's Log
Fred Whitton Challenge
It was a lovely sunny morning with mist drifting in patches over the peaks revealing tantalising glimpses of their summits. Newly born lambs wobbled after their mothers in the fields. Chaffinches sang a merry song as we past. We were making our way along the single track road from Goody Bridge in Grasmere, to Low Mill Bridge on the east side of Helm Crag. On our recent walks we'd seen signs saying that the Fred Whitton Cycle Challange was setting off from Grasmere today and to expect 2,500 cyclists on the road. Given the numbers we decided to opt for a local walk from our base in Grasmere. Fred Whitton was the racing secretary of the Lakes Road Club who died of cancer in 1998. The challenge started in 1999 and his been rolling on ever since. 'Challenge' is the operative word in its title. It covers 114 miles of the Lake District and traverses the following passes: Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott and Wrynose. It isn't for the feint hearted, or weak kneed for that matter. Today's fastest time would be by Finlay Hawker in a creditable 5 hours 26 minutes and 3 seconds. Oddly enough this would be around about the same time we would take to walk up the Greenburn Valley and along the ridge between Crag Fell and Helm Crag.
Start And Finish Of The 2023 Fred Whitton Cycle Challenge In Grasmere
Green Burn
Tackle Helm Cag From The Lonlier Northern Side
Navigation Lessons
We started heading up the Greenburn Valley. Some walkers who had been ahead of us on the road were now on the long drag up to Steel Fell. Our start was more gradual and had the benefit of some pretty waterfalls and cascades as the burn tumbles down the valley. It is possible to tackle Helm Crag from this side and we could see a couple of people trudging up. It is just as steep as the more popular south path, but far less busy. A little further on, the Kapitan got his map out to locate ourselves. There were stone walls on either side of the valley that were good hints, but he was struggling. The process was taking so long that even the Cabin Boy started taking an interest. I got my map out and showed her how, with the use of contour lines on the map, we could see that we'd cross the burn at a large flat area. I pointed to this point on the map for her. At that point, the Kapitan's bottom lip had been drawn back up like a gate over a moat and he seemed satisfied that he had located our position on the map. We set off again. A couple of minutes later the Cabin Boy turned around to me and said, 'Is that it?' 'Is that what?' I asked. 'Is that the flat spot where we cross the burn?' She was pointing to a flat area where I could just about pitch my one man tent. I got my map out and gave the Cabin Boy a lesson in how scale is used to interpret the map with reality.
Stepping Stones Across Green Burn
Greenburn Valley
Some stepping stones led us across Green Burn and we picked up a track contouring along the hillside. Before reaching Rough Crag it started heading directly upwards and then took a more gradual ascent to the ridge above. It was a wonderful sight looking back into the Greenburn Valley. Patchy clouds still hung to the tops of the hills and these cast shadows on to the landscape. Blakerigg Crag looked impressive on the other side of the valley. I couldn't see any other walkers making their way up the valley. I've done this walk a few times and found the valley to be surprisingly empty of people. I guess most walkers go up Steel Fell or take the popular south route up on to the Helm Crag-Crag Fell ridge. We reached the brim of the ridge and the Kapitan took a bearing to take us about a 100 yards to the obvious path on the other side of the ridge. It was quite a surprise when we reached the edge; the Far Easedale valley looked grey and the hills more misty than the Greenburn Valley. There was no sunshine to warm us up and it felt a bit chilly. I almost felt like turning around and walking back down into the sunnier surrounds of Greenbury Valley.
Looking Back Along Greenburn Valley (Blakerigg Crag Directly Across)
Far Easedale Valley (Near Gibson Knott)
Calf Crag Summit And The Kapitan's Canine Friends
Calf Crag
We'd already ticked Calf Crag on a previous walk (see Grasmere's Knotty Problem), but I'd neglected to take a photo of the Cabin Boy and the Kapitan at its summit, and so we were going to do an out-and-back along the ridge to its summit and get a photo. Another group of walkers was sat at the summit cairn when we arrived. Two black dogs that they had with them took exception to the Kapitan and wouldn't stop barking. 'Don't worry, they won't hurt you!' called the owner. The bared teeth and oozing drool suggested otherwise. Fortunately they soon left and we got our summit photo. It was a bit chilly on the exposed summit and so we found some nearby stones to sit down and take a break.
The patchy cloud remained but at least it warmed up the further down the ridge we got towards Helm Crag. There were also great views across the Far Easedale valley to Tarn Crag and eventually Easedale Tarn. It was misty the last time we were up here and we'd visited a couple of potential summits for Gibson Knott (see Grasmere's Knotty Problem). With today's good visibility the summit seemed obvious and I'm surprised that we'd had any difficulty. We took our lunch break on a grassy crag with and Eagle's eye view down into the valley. It was a stunning location. I noticed a stone wall formation on the other side of the valley in the shape of the African continent. How odd that I'd never noticed that before.
Grasmere On The Descent From Helm Crag
Looking Over To Seat Sandal And Fairfield From Helm Crag
Return To Grasmere
Helm Crag was busy with people. Some of them looked like they'd have much preferred to be drinking tea and chomping on a cream scone in a café in Grasmere, than climbing a Lakeland Hill. I was asked twice 'How far is it to the top?' on my descent. The views were exceptional though. Over towards Grasmere, we could see a large number of cars parked, presumably for the Fred Whitton challenge. They'd had a pretty good day for their ride, although possibly a little too windy in places. Back on the valley floor we crossed paths with a local, elderly lady out for a stroll. I mentioned that we were on holiday and opted for a local walk given the number of cyclists about on the Fred Whitton Challenge. She didn't think much to the influx of cyclists on the village. I guess with so many large events being organised in these places it could get a bit annoying for the locals. It is hard to argue against an event that raises so much for charity though (£1,500,000 for Macmillan so far).
It was a walk of two halves. The first half up the lonely and understated Greenburn Valley and the second half along the busy and stunning Calf Crag to Helm Crag ridge. A walk to suit everybody.