Fabulous, but tough walk taking in Easdale Tarn, Tarn Crag, Sergeant Man, Blea Rigg and Silver How.
Up at stupid o clock (after the BST time change) 3.30 AM. Bloody freezing once I parked up at Grasmere, but lovely clear and calm conditions. It wasn't long before my top layer came off.
I was using a route downloaded from Go4 a walk - an unwieldy web site but with concise walk instructions (so I thought !!)
The walk guide I was using suggested crossing Sour Milk Gill above the falls. I couldn't figure out how to do this without taking a dunking, so I carried on up the gully to Easdale Tarn. What a magical place ...one of the many reasons why I love walking.
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| Tarn Crag...waiting to be climbed ! |
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| Half Way up Tarn Crag looking down |
The only way up Tarn Crag was from the Tarn. I couldn't spot the Sheep Trod I had read about so it was matter of choosing the best line.....avoiding the scree was obvious but not sure if I picked the best way up. Eventually (heart and lungs busting) I got to the top...very satisfying.
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| Tarn Crag |
From there the directions took me W and then SW, but I soon lost the path, and mistakenly thought I was heading for (what turned out to be ..) Pavey Ark, which looked a long way from where I was....stupid boy. At this point I couldn't see Sergeant Man, so Garmin to the rescue. I had loaded all the key waypoints into my Oregon and soon I was back on track and the (true) Sergeant Man came into view.
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| Dodgy fella |
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| Top of Sergeant Man (#166) |
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| Blea Rigg from Sergeant Man |
From there it was a relatively straightforward route (loosing path several times) to Blea Rigg and Silver How. I double checked I got to the correct summit with my Oregon !!. Blea Rigg isn't really a ridge - more of an extended plateau.
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| Easdale Tarn |
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| Stickle Tarn |
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| Coldale Tarn |
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| Top of Blea Rigg |
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| Top of Silver How |
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| Grasmere |
Approx 11 tough miles. Tokk me 8 hours. A glorious day out. 168 Wainwrights. Can't wait for the next one
