We left Grasmere by following the Easedale Road, signposted Easedale Tarn, leading to the Grasmere Youth Hostels.
Coffee break overlooking Easedale Tarn |
After about ½ mile, at a bend in the road, we joined a footpath on our left and after crossing Easedale Beck climbed gently uphill.
After about ¾ mile the path climbed steeply between Brinhowe Crag and Ecton Crag, the climb was not difficult but involved some scrambling.
The path then turned westward towards Easedale Tarn. Here we stopped for a coffee break. What sun there was had now disappeared and the cloud line was falling.
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After Easedale Tarn the path was less distinct and care was required to avoid taking the wrong path. After ¾ mile, below Eagle Crag, we had to scrabble up a rocky incline to reach an important crossroads (NY292084) where several paths meet.
Here we turned left on an indistinct path to reach a ridge where we had expected to see Stickle Tarn only to find it was obscured by thick cloud. However, trusting the map and compass, we continued to descend towards the tarn to be rewarded with the tarn gradually coming into view through the cloud. From here the walk to the tarn was easy, apart from a little scrabbling. This was an ideal place for our lunch break but just as we had opened our flasks it started to rain and the cloud line became even lower. I was informed that as leader I was responsible for the weather during a walk - I'll try to do better next time!
The map shows the path crossing Stickle Ghyll Beck below the dam but we found it easier to make our crossing over the dam itself. The descent down to the New Hotel in the valley, following the beck, was the hardest section of the walk with a lot of scrabbling required. By this time there was a constant drizzle so care had to be taken not to slip on the rocky path. At this point our intention had been to join the Cumbria Way but as the descent from Stickle Tarn had taken longer than expected we decided to take the more direct bridleway which starts in the car park across the road (B5343) opposite the Inn.
Where the bridleway rejoins the road we turned right. After Harry Place Farm the map showed a footpath to our left which we had intended to follow to lead us back to Grasmere. By this time it was pouring with rain and we couldn't see the turn off. Instead we continued through Chapel Stile, turning left down a minor road to pass the church, continuing to Waithwaite where we joined a path, not shown on the map, which took us to the left of Raven Crag joining the footpath that we had originally planned to take.
The path was initially steep, with some scrambling, but as we got nearer Grasmere it turned into a grassy, easy walking surface. After spending most of the walk carefully watching where our feet were going on the rocky paths this was a welcome change but the downside was that it was slippery causing Ken to slip over twice! The path took us into Grassmere via Kelbarrow. This last section is said to be delightful in good weather but we couldn't appreciate it in the rain.
From here some of us went straight back to the bus to dry off whereas John and Ken made a beeline for the Lamb Inn for a well deserved drink. We arrived at the pub looking like drowned rats amid much laughter from the rest of our walkers.
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