Seat Sandal and Steel Fell
Date: 12-Apr-2012
Map: Landranger 90
Weather: Very mixed
From the road near the Travellers Rest Inn, up the C2C path to Middle Tongue then ascend and contour around to Grisedale Hause. Up a final climb to Seat Sandal, descending via a SW broad ridge. Cross the A591 road and walk up to Steel Fell, along the top to a large tarn. Turn up to Calf Crag, then follow the broad ridge to Gibson Knott and Helm Crag. Drop down on the NE side and return to the Travellers Rest Inn : 12.6 miles as measured on Satmap GPS
Having finished the 214 Wainwrights on
Great Gable, I now had a list of summits to walk again in
fine weather so I could see what I missed the first time
around. In
stark contrast to the last time we were up here, when we
didn't see anything but clag and false summits. We had a
really atmospheric day with some fantastic moody photos
taken. We made the
mistake first time up here of walking up the SW grassy ridge - which
went on and on and on..etc
This time around Cogstar had designed a squashed butterfly
shape of a walk, which led us up Seat Sandal via Middle
Tongue, gently around to the hause above Grisedale Tarn, and
a last steep pull up to the summit. We met a couple of
American c2c walkers and judging by the look on the lady's
face she wasn't enjoying our moist climate.
But for us the main thing was that the summit was clear and
we would get the views that we missed last time, and what
cracking views they are - down over Grisedale, to the north
Skiddaw, and a whole bunch of fells to the west. There was a
dusting of snow
on the highest peaks and the clouds just about cloaking the Scafells and Skiddaw.
Dark clouds were building up interspersed with patches of
bright sunlight, brilliant for pictures. From the direction
of Grasmere came the high whine of a gyro copter and we
gazed down on it as it flew beneath us along the valley over Thirlmere
- the RAF jets often fly down this valley at a rate of
knots, sneaking up behind unwary walkers with a great roar
to make you jump. Down to the south of us Grasmere was getting a soaking and
the lowly Loughrigg was dusted with hailstones - a bit odd
really as all the higher fells were green, with little
Loughrigg covered in white. From the summit of Seat Sandal
we made our way down towards the broad grassy ridge that
would take us down to the cars for a halfway top up - it
beats carrying a load of gear. I had my bumbag on today
carrying just what I needed and nothing extra - it works
well on this type of walk, with enough juice and snacks to
sustain me. Our views now were down towards Grasmere, and
the big clouds all around showed us that we would get our
fair share of moisture before the day was out. Thankfully it
was only a shower plus two hailstorms, with the rest
sunny...ish, a real pleasure to be out in.
We met a sole hiker coming up, who remarked that it was
years since he'd been up this way, and would be years before
he came up this way again. It didn't take long to get back
down and we rejoined the c2c path just before the cottages
on the lane.
After Seat Sandal and restocking snacks at the cars it was
up the lanes to Steel Fell and a little horseshoe which led us around
to Calf Crag, Gibsons Knott and Helm Crag - Wainwrights for
Paul to bag. On the lanes from the car we looked across the
fields to some pollarded old trees that looked as if they
had just come out of a fairytale story - horribly grizzled
and if you wanted to give kiddies nightmares these would fit
the bill. A little road work was welcome to build up to the
ascent coming up. I'd been down from Steel Fell the
way we were ascending and knew it was a bit of a pull
to the top, but steady always gets you there eventually. We
had our only rain of the day on the way up the long ascent
of Steel Fell, and I stopped often to watch 'Five go
exploring' across the valley, as several small children left
their parents in their wake on the way up to Helm Crag.
Thankfully they all made it to the top unscathed, but wet,
not a waterproof in sight. I plodded on in the wake of Paul
up ahead of me and eventually topped out through the rain to
a clear summit and bright sunshine. On the way up here views
open up to Helvellyn to the east and down over Greenburn
Bottom below our return route to Helm Crag and Grasmere. A
small 'tarn' just near the summit gave me an opportunity to
capture raindrops on a still surface, but the photos rarely
come out as planned, unless you're setting up and taking
ages. Up to the north Skiddaw and Blencathra were free of
cloud, but in between was cloaked in darkness, making a good
contrast from the summit - marked by a stone and steel cairn
- quite arty really. The way ahead once up on the top
was gently undulating, quite boggy in places with one or two
small tarns to reflect upon. The view over to Ulscarf gave
us a chuckle as we recalled some not so excellent navigation
- lets go down this way - steep wasn't the word, even the
deer we met on the way down raised it's eyebrows. Up towards
Calf Crag we found a little crag out of the chill wind, sat
down for a lunch break and revived energy with several
Marmite based snacks. On the way up Steel Fell Paul had met
a young lady who asked if we had seen a single toe type
running shoe. We hadn't, but we did several hundred yards up
the ascent. Meanwhile said young lady had walked up the
valley to the top and met us again. She was happy to know
that said shoe was still in existence and ran off for a
happy reunion - I thought it looked a bit scruffy really to
be honest. We didn't hang around very long and were soon up
on Calf Crag knocking a few stones off the cairn - oops, and
then it was mostly downhill all the way to Helm Crag. But
like most Lakeland descents it's not as easy as it looks,
with many steeper small scrambles down, small boggy sections
and a little bit back up as well. It got a little more
overcast as we descended towards Gibsons Knott and before we
reached Helm Crag we got a bit more of a hail storm. It got
progressively busier as we approached Helm Crag with many
families out and about, making the best of the remainder of
the Easter holidays. An older lady passed by with a
'Cotswold Outdoors' plastic carrier bag covering her new
backpack - obviously blissfully unaware that there was a
rain cover - nevermind, one day will be a moment of
discovery. There's a cracking view down over Grasmere from
Helm Crag, and a steep descent down the SW corner to the
valley below. The rain finished and the sun came out for a
little stroll past the YHA at Thorny How on the way back to the
cars. Another cracking walk and I take back what I've
previously said about Seat Sandal - as long as I never have
to go up that grassy ridge again!!
Plenty of families about up on Helm Crag with the best dry
bag I've seen for a while - a Cotswold Outdoors plastic bag
covering a rucksack - it seemed to work. Then back down to
the cars - 4500ft of ascent
the coast to coast path at Mill Bridge, the start of our day
Paul dancing across Little Tongue Gill stepping stones - sod the bridge
having a rest already at the start of our route up Little Tongue
a nice farm track takes us higher for a little while
the views looking good already before we are anywhere near the top
almost up at Grisedale Hause
then it's a steep little pull up to a big summit area
looking back down on Grisedale Tarn with St Sunday Crag up to the right
to the north Skiddaw just sneaks into view
the views down over Grisedale Tarn are superb
Seat Sandal summit scenery superb
patches of snow lying around
looking down over Grasmere
the view to the north west to the Derwent Fells
and zoomed up to Skiddaw
very atmospheric today
Helvellyn still snowy in the distance
it's steeply down to the valley once more
looking over the valley to our next target of Steel Fell and Helm Crag, the second half of our walk
the white dot is a microlight flying along the valley below us
Steel Fell up ahead and more ascent
the moss was drying out after a prolonged spell without water
we did get caught by a short shower
and it looked like we would get soaked
looking back over to Seat Sandal
a steady pull up towards the open fell
it started raining as we made our way up the steady ascent
Paul gave me a head start up to Steel Fell but he still got up there first - but he doesn't take pictures!
Helm Crag and some threatening clouds
the last steep pull up towards the summit
Grasmere getting a soaking
looking across to our return route and Gibsons Knott
wet and dry
Seat Sandal across the valley
Dollywagon Pike across the valley
Steel Fell summit looking north over Thirlmere
little Loughrigg took a right pounding with hailstones down near Grasmere
the big unnamed tarn on the way across to Calf Crag away to the left. Ulscarf is up to the right, with High Raise in the distant left
approaching Calf Crag
looking down Greenburn Bottom towards Helm Crag. Loughrigg is the iced up one beyond Grasmere
looking back to Steel Fell with Seat Sandal beyond
spectacular stormy skies missed us mostly - looking down over Easedale from Calf Crag
and back to Brownrigg Moss where the unnamed tarn was
it's quite an undulating descent down this ridge to Helm Crag at the end
Gibson Knott summit and the view to the SW
further down the ridge we will get a little moist
a brief shower as we approach Helm Crag and it's 'Howitzer'
looking back up the ridge to Calf Crag at the top - bit of hailstones now
the 'Howitzer' on Helm Crag
the lady with her Cotswold Outdoors bag
good views down over Grasmere from the descent of Helm Crag
Easedale Tarn across the valley, with Harrison Stickle appearing above the horizon
the path winds down the steep crags
looking down over Easedale
almost down to the valley
and now the sun shines on Grasmere
looking back up to the crags of Helm Crag
Loughrigg is now ice free. Silver How up to the right
a last little steep descent down a paved lane
Paul lagging behind again
a last look at Helm Crag
and a pleasant walk back along the lanes to the cars at Mill Bridge