Planned to stay off the big summits again today following further yellow warnings for wind and rain. After successfully navigating through Grasmere village, we headed out in the driving rain towards Kelbarrow and gently started climbing the footpath along the edge of access land below Silver How. This was a picturesque scene with hazy cloud hanging in the Grasmere valley, and persistent rain pattering on the waterproofs. After a steep climb to the first summit cairn, we continued being battered by rain but managed to shelter from the worst of the wind. The summit ridge provided plenty of navigational challenge with multiple water features, a maze of paths complicated by sheep tracks, and a whole host of similar looking contour features. Navigating on a baring and using high points and steep slopes to guide me, we successfully picked our way along the ridge towards Swinescar Pike, passing a rather drowned looking group who had stopped for lunch deploying the group shelter. Due to the cold weather and driving rain, I opted to eat on the go to maintain progress and minimise the length of time we spend stationary to avoid the cold/water ingress.
As we crossed Swinescar Hause it became evident that the wooded area expected from the OS map was not present - a useful lesson in relying on features which will not move with time e.g. contours, large bodies of water, crags. From here we climbed further, along the top of Little Castle How, and around the high point at Raw Pike to avoid the most exposed features based on observed and expected weather conditions. From the collection of water features west of the summit, I paced 150m to the path junction below Blea Rigg, conscious of the consequence of missing this path. No path was evident at the point identified, but confident on our location, I took the baring which would descend below Blea crag and eventually end up a Easedale Tarn. This became another lesson in having confidence in one's self, as the well trodden path became visible 50m ahead out of the clag.
As we descended, the rain once again intensified, and the fells became covered with white veins of running water on all sides. With difficulty determining between paths and streams, we cautiously descended towards the main path along side the tarn. A couple of water crossings were assessed and executed successfully allowing safe passage to the valley below. As we descended from here, the torrents of water provided quite a spectacle and demanded respect with their thunderous flow. Inevitably, this made the valley floor rather soggy, with detours required to avoid the footpath handrailing Easedale beck, which had now burst its banks and occupied all the surrounding farmland with flowing muddy floodwater. Just as we thought we had escaped with (relatively) dry feet, the final footpath through Grasmere and back to where we had left our vehicle was flooded, and with few alternative route options and patience wearing thin, we bit the bullet and waded through the 30cm deep standing water back to the vehicle (important to add, this was stationary water with the surface beneath visible).
A great day with some good nav challenges, which were tackled effectively, under pressure, with the water levels rising.
⛰️ Silver How (395 m) • ⛰️ Swinescar Pike (411 m) • ⛰️ Little Castle How (481 m)
Instagram highlight: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3X7JECCpSU/
Area :
Central Fells
The Vale of Keswick, provides separation from the Northern Fells whilst to the west runs the long valley of Borrowdale. The parallel eastern boundary is created by Thirlmere and the St Johns in the Vale. Grasmere to Windermere forms the remainder of the eastern boundary. In the west, Stake Pass descends into Great Langdale.
