December
8:00 Start with 16:30 (4:30pm) Return
A Walk - The Lion and the Lamb with John Parkinson
9.1 miles / 14.6km with 1,650ft / 503m Total Ascent
After chatting to A walk colleagues on Sunday I reccied today what I thought would be a slightly shorter walk with less altitude reflecting the likely December conditions and walk time available. The conditions were atrocious with flooding and overflowing streams requiring diversions and considerable care on descents.
Given the time available on the December walk and the reasonable probability of continuing conditions in this area, I´m therefore proposing a shorter walk with less altitude:
Leave Grasmere towards Lancrigg, we´ll ascend sharply via White Crag and High Raven Crag to Helm Crag. Following the ridge line through Bracken Hause to Gibson Knott, Moment Crag, Pike of Carrs and on to Calf Crag. Descending via Brownrigg Moss we´ll turn back over Grasmere Common and Far Easedale before heading back via Stenners Crag and Cockly Crag to Easdale tarn. Turning sharply, we´ll start the descent of Easdale and back into Grasmere.
B+ Walk - Easedale Tarn & Silver How OR Around Loughrigg with Katie Clenshaw
7 or 8 miles / 11.12 or 12.45km with 1800ft / 550m Ascent.
The route taken will depend on the weather on the day. The Loughrigg option, which is lower, is the backup option. Both routes start and finish at Grasmere and total ascent for each is the same. However the Loughrigg route is about a mile longer.
Easedale Tarn and Silver How route: We start by walking through the village towards Allen Bank and Goody Bridge, then take the path along Easedale Beck, past the waterfalls on Sour Milk Gill, to Easedale Tarn. From the Tarn we take a path heading south west to reach the ridge just east of Blea Crag. At 1600ft, this is the highest point of the walk. We continue east along the ridge, past Great Castle How, Little Castle How, Swinscar Pike and Lang How to Silver How. From here we can descend to Grasmere via Wray Gill and Allen Bank. Alternatively, if we have made good progress we can continue roughly SSW along the grassy top of Silver How then down towards Spedding Crag to descend via Kelbarrow.
Note - this walk has some steep sections on the descent, but these are short and not difficult and we should have plenty of time if we need it. Some parts are boggy, and there are streams to cross (or paddle through).
Around Loughrigg route: We head out of the village, past Dove Cottage to take the Coffin Route as far as Rydal. After a short distance on the main road, we turn right to take the road alongside the River Rothay before taking the path up hill alongside Fox Ghyll. We continue past Ivy Crag and Loughrigg Tarn then take the upper path at The How. As this is a B+ walk, I´ve included a climb to the top of Loughrigg. Just before a stream and a wood, we take a steep path to the top where we should have views of the higher fells all around.
We descend Loughrigg to Loughrigg Terrace, then skirt round the hill to the road. From here we take the path through Red Bank Wood, which eventually rejoins the road back to Grasmere.
B Walk - Coffing Trail & Loughrigg Terrace with Margaret Oliver
8 miles (12.9km) with 750ft (229m) Total Ascent
From Grasmere village car park we head towards and past Dove Cottage and climb steeply up following the Coffin trail to Rydal Hall and the main road where we cross over Pelter Bridge.
Another climb leads us to footpaths with views of Rydal Water and onto Loughrigg Terrace which we follow to Redbank Woods and down to the shores of Grasmere. A short road walk takes us to the centre of Grasmere for refreshments and the coach.
C Walk - Ambleside to Grasmere with Dorothy Dobson
5.5 miles (8.9km) with 400ft (122m) Ascent.
The walk is a linear from the centre of Ambleside to the centre of Grasmere. It passes through some beautiful countryside with magnificent views over the two lakes to the fells beyond.
We pass initially through St Mary´s church grounds and then through Rothay park. Following a very minor road we reach Pelter bridge. Here we follow the track which leads us around the shores of Rydal water and then Grasmere. We then leave the lake shore and walk into Grasmere via Red Bank road. We hope you all enjoy this lovely walk.
