Date: 25-Apr-2010
Map: Landranger 90, OL4, OL5
Weather: Very low cloud and a fine wet mist.
Raven Crag from the car park at the end
of Thirlmere, up and down :
2 miles as measured on the GPS
Seat Sandal from near the Travellers Rest
up a broad ridge and back down to Grisdale Hause, and Tongue
Gill:
4.6 miles as measured on the GPS
The
choice today was a wet walk in Wales with some forum chums
or a lung bursting walk in the lakes with Paul. Both
forecasts were unsavoury so we decided to conquer our arch
enemy Seat Sandal. Now I've looked at this hill from all
angles and it's steep from whichever way you go up - even on
a good day the views aren't fantastic in my opinion. I've
decided to name it 'The Bastard Son of Alfred Wainwright' -
not funny, but nor is Seat Sandal. But that comes second,
first up was the delightful Raven Crag - another of Alfred's
mini fells. We drove through Windermere and Ambleside, past
Thirlmere to park up at the end of the dam wall, in a small
triangular car park - we parked up against the gate so they
couldn't shut us in. It was really dreich weather and we
couldn't see anything bar a few gloomy, eerie shadows
through the mist. All of this dampened the sound and made
for very relaxing surroundings.
gloom over Thirlmere at the start
Helvellyn is nowhere to be seen
the mist weighing heavily on the valley
the start of the steep ascent
The path took us up through
an old Scots Pine plantation that had plenty of light
beneath the canopy, and plenty of chaffinches scurrying
around - probably scared of the Peregrine Falcons that nest
up on top of Raven Crag. There is a sign posted by the BMC
to stop climbing during the nesting season. There was no
warm up for the legs today, so the calves were complaining
straight away up the steep path. We could have used the
forest ride to make the gradient a little less taxing. The
wet mist swallowed us as we crossed a deer fence and out the
other side. Not much conversation going on as we ascended
due to huff and puff, and the camera was in and out of the
bag - mostly in as there were very limited views. I must
return when it's nice and clear. It was pretty steep all the
way up to the summit so we were soon there, on a small
flattish area amongst the trees.
not much to look at
steep and steady
up through the gloom
still gloomy
It must be a great vista
over to the Helvellyn range, but we couldn't see a thing,
not even the drop below. We had a snack or two and wandered
through the woods to get a look at a fort. But it was way
across the valley so we didn't think it was worth the trip.
Back down on the forest ride below Raven Crag was a hugely
impressive bluff - great for climbers and obviously great
for Peregrine Falcons. We were soon back down at the small
car park and as it forecast to slightly lift later we slowly
steamed up the car windows and sat in the motor munching
mouthfuls of Marmite snacks.
pleasant in the woods
silence in the woods
even the trees weren't up to much
Raven Crag appears through the mist
We could only wait so long
before we had to set off for the Bas....I mean Seat Sandal,
but the B was unseen, just the lower slopes taunting us.
Seat Sandal is in a strange position at the head of a
valley, a tarn behind it, Raise Beck one side and Tongue
Gill the other, and surrounded by bigger fells. It gets it's
own back by being steep from whichever way you go up. The
weather didn't clear and we parked up just up the road from
the Travellers Rest pub. Making our way up an old bridleway
that is part of the C2C route (there's a sign on the house
that says - St Bees 40 miles, Robin Hoods Bay 150 miles) we
came across a gate in a wall with a rusty padlock on it. So
we nipped up the short flight of steps and jumped over to
make our way up to a grassy ridge. This is the most gentle
ascent of Seat Sandal, but it was still steep enough for me.
looking back to Grasmere
the start of the long haul up to Seat Sandal
gloomy
eventually we dropped down beneath the clag
the route down from Seat Sandal
This way was also a hill of many false summits, and it's a
good job I had the Satmap with me or I would have been
disappointed several times over. On the way up we saw some
negative lambs - black with tufts of white on their ears -
very comical looking. I didn't really feel like this one
today but it was a Wainwright all on it's own so I just got
on with it. It was an unrelenting slog, and I ended up
walking like a penguin. This hill doesn't seem to have any
redeeming features, well not today it didn't, but being a
Wainwright it must have good views to somewhere, just not
today. Eventually wet and weary, but not cold we got to the
top, but the sneaky B still played tricks in the mist -
first a cairn, then a lump, then another lump, and
eventually the summit cairn. I posed for a picture and we
decided not to hang around as it was uncomfortable in the
wind and drizzle. I took a bearing off to the east and
trotted off down a very steep loose path that zigzags in
tight curves downhill. We passed a few couples and we were
glad we were going down.
spot the looney
looking down to Grasmere
not much to see across the valley to Steel Fell
i hope they were late for their tea and nothing else
Very quickly we were down above Grizedale Tarn, but we couldn't see it, then turned south
down Grisedale Hause towards Tongue Gill. There wasn't a
whole lot of water in it despite the weather. It was just as
unrelenting coming down this way on a repaired path
combining steps and stone, but we didn't drop out of the
clag until nearly down the Gill. When we did get out of the
gloom Grasmere was lit up in a patch of sun and so was the
pub. There was a slight view across to Helm Crag but not a
lot else. I was glad to have ticked off Seat Sandal - it's a
right bar steward and I won't be coming back - ha! If
you would like to see some more slightly flattering
pictures, go to the wobbly coast to coast walk.
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