The Inn at Grasmere was lovely the room, the hotel and the bar/restaurant. Breakfast this morning was also top notch. So after a leisurely breakfast and bags packed I was off for 9:00am. A lovely stroll in the cool clear weather through Grasmere up the A road (591) and then a right turn up to the mountains just after the Travellers Rest Inn. This is pretty much a rocky start to the climb, following a lovely beck(stream) up to the base of the main mountain climb. You can go left or right here up to Grisedale Tarn (a Tarn is a lake) this lake sits at the top of valley mountains which separate Helvelyn and Fairfield.
Whilst not as tasking as the previous days pull it was still a fair climb (500 metres) to the summit. Now yesterday was windy, today was very windy up top. I made my first mistake of the trip today. With the weather forecast for Clear skies again, I took out my hat and waterproofs from my rucksack to lighten the load. But the wind which blows across the tarn is cold, very cold so for 30 mins or so as I traversed the rocky Tarn I was slightly worried especially as seeing some clouds come over. The main thing to remember is that the Lakeland weather especially up top can change instantly! Wont do this again.
Then it is a gentle amble down the mountain over rocks pretty much the whole way down. My North Face hedgehogs have handled this terrain amazingly, protecting my feet from the harsh ground. The ground would be Impossible to traverse in normal footwear.
Then there is an amble through the base of the valley until you turn off to a footpath up and over to Patterdale. The views from here over Ullswater are lovely, and then a steep drop down into Patterdale.
Checked in to White Lion Hotel Pint of Peak Bagger Pale ale after my shower waiting for Chopper to arrive (he is doing tomorrows leg) – one of the hardest days. If the wind stays as strong as it is then it may be too risky to go up to Kidsty Pike, but will wait and see.
