Distance: 9 Miles app
Total ascent/Descent: 3660ft
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| 'A' Route anticlockwise. Click on map to enlarge |
On offer this month is a beautiful but challenging walk seeking out, for a change, the “steppes” to Heron Pike and the Great Rigg to the ENE of Grasmere. From minute 0:30 to 1:30 mins after start you will have to work hard climbing directly up the side of the ridge to Heron Pike (1836ft) but the views from the top and subsequent ridge trek to Fairfield (approx 2000ft) are worthy of a 2016 Holy Trinity Calendar! The remainder of the route from Heron Pike is relatively straightforward and, from the many mounds at Fairfield, we descend sharply to the southern edge of Grisedale Tarn for lunch.
A shinny up and back down Seat Sandal is within the overall route plan but is absolutely optional depending on how the legs are doing at that stage or how much lunch you’ve munched! The return descent from Seat Sandal (Hause Gap) is very pretty and relaxing and, indeed, within 1:30 hrs you will be back in Grasmere in time for tea. On the recce, I saw 2 x RAF Hawks, 2 x Tucano, 1 x USAF F-15, 2 x Army Apache helicopters and 1 x Tornado all flying up the pass; heard 1 x Peewit but saw absolutely no wild life at all apart from red-faced exhausted human specimens!
Sticks are definitely recommended for this 9-mile trek as one of the descents is on scree-type shingle for a while; but you will feel really good at the end of it. On arrival at the car park, can we meet up for the “off” outside the 20p toilets – there’s modern romance for you!
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