Grasmere - Helm Crag - Calf Crag - Far Easedale

The walk starts in the centre of Grasmere, by the grassy area in front of The Heaton Cooper Studio. Standing on the grass, look over the road towards the studio, then look to the right and you will see a road. This is Easedale Road, which is the start point.

Easedale Road is followed until the road becomes a path and sets off up the flank of Helm Crag. The first and south summit of Helm Crag is known as 'The Lion and the Lamb', though to appreciate the name fully you need to view it from the Ambleside to Keswick road.

The north (and higher) summit is known as 'The Howitzer' for reasons that become obvious from most viewpoints. The Howitzer is one of those rarities in Lakeland – a summit that is only accessible to those with rock-climbing or scrambling skill. This is an optional extra, however.

If you have survived (or ignored) the challenge of the rock and it is a clear day, a couple of steps to the north-west will give you a view of what is to come, with the ridge from Helm Crag to Calf Crag beckoning.   

Past Calf Crag the ridge eventually becomes a col, with an obvious descent into Far Easedale, a wild and empty valley. The path is clear and well-defined and leads towards Far Easedale Gill. There is an excellent picnic spot by a small gorge, which contains pools that would be inviting on a hot summer day.

The walk down the dale continues with good views of the ridge that you have just walked to the left and the climbers' 'Deer Bield Crag' comes into view as the last big crag on the right.

Eventually the route leads back through enclosures and intakes to civilisation and rejoins the outbound valley route for an easy return to the village.

England - North England - Cumbria - Lake District - South East

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6/30/2014 - Robert Hughes

This is a great walk. The initial ascent from WM4 to the summit of Helm Crag is steep but this is offset by the marvelous ridge walk. This undulates steadily in such a way that you don't really realise you are ascending as much as you are until you look back along your route. The descent along the valley is also much better than many a valley walk with interest at every turn. The directions are excellent as ever - though do note that the ridge walk also takes another 'Wainwright' - Gibson Knott. Also note that if you end up parking on the north exit road from the village there is a delightful NT woodland path (marked on OS map) that takes you to Easedale Road from a point just south of the bridge over the River Rothay

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Walk id: 4121

Walk grade

Strenuous

Length

7.5 Miles

Height gain

600 Metres

Duration

4 Hours 0 Mins

Average rating

Rated by 1 members

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