Birkett – Graham Chastney

Dow Crag to White Pike Circular from Walna Scar | Birkett DOW 1 | Graham’s Guides

This walk has it all, tarns, crags, history, geology and even a bit of cross-country.

Graham’s Walks Vitals

Distance: 8.5 miles/14 km
Elevation: 2230 ft/680 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Start: Walna Scar Car Park
Graham’s Cafe: I really should get a good recommendation for a cafe in Coniston. Depending on your route in Bakehouse Born + Bread is a great option.
Classification: Birkett, Wainwright

The Maps

OS Maps Route: 🗺️
GPX Download: 📁

The Area

If you are in Coniston village, or down by the lake, Dow Crag sits behind the more prominent and more renowned Coniston Old Man.

The name Dow Crag originally only applied to the rocky outcrop overhanging Goat’s Water. The naming of peaks only really became a convention when walkers needed a name to describe where they were going. Dow Crag therefore became adopted as the name for the hill on which the crags resided, the same is true for Tarn Crag above Easdale Tarn.

The crags themselves have been popular with climbers since climbing became an activity that people did. In the case of Dow Crags they are split into five buttresses each imaginatively named as ‘A’ through to ‘E’. In 1928 a climbing route was put up on buttress ‘A’ by legendary climber George Basterfield, known as ‘Eliminate A’ which remains a classic test route for climbers to this day.

Goats feature in quite a few names on this route with Goat’s Water, Goat Crag and Goat Hawse. The naming is probably quite literal hinting that this was probably an area where feral goats roamed.

A little way off the route between Buck Pike and Brown Pike is an interesting geological feature – Blind Tarn. Unusually the tarn has no visible inlet or outlet yet manages to maintain its water level and good stock of Brown Trout, apparently.

As you walk onto Walna Scar and White Maiden this walk has some glorious views across the Duddon Valley a place made famous by William Wordsworth. Having explored the valley as a schoolboy Wordsworth returned to the valley to write a progression of 34 sonnets reflecting the river Duddon from its source to the sea. Even today the Duddon Valley retains a certain remoteness.

Then there’s White Maiden, where did that name come from? If you are hoping for a mystical legend sorry, it’s probably linguistic again. Maiden is used in several places, across the area, to describe a hill fort and this would seem like a great place to put one but there isn’t any evidence of one being there. White probably indicates the colour of the local rock. There are other places named white in the Lake District – interestingly these include Whiteside and White Side as two different places.

There are currently two car parks at Walna Scar so you shouldn’t have any problems parking. They do have different charging regimes and one is likely to be cheaper than the other for your stay. The drive up to the car park, Walna Scar Road, is a steep narrow lane requiring confidence in your driving ability.

The Walk

Walna Scar Car Park to Goat’s Hawse

There are a couple of paths out of Walna Scar car park, the one we want is a continuation of the road that you used to drive up the hill and continues to be known as Walna Scar Road.

For the first half of this section we follow this lane, it’s wide and stony and not particularly comfortable walking. Fortunately, as you walk up to an area known as The Cove, you also have the option of walking on a footpath just off to the left of the lane hidden behind the bracken. This footpath includes a bit more up-and-down but is gentler on the feet and ankles.

Follow the route of the lane until you reach the path off to the right. This is a significant path and comes just as the crags on the right start to open out.

From a route perspective all you need to do is follow this path to Goat Hawse; there is a little more to it than that, but not much.

The route to Goat Hawse takes you alongside The Cove from which the views of Dow Crag will start to open up.

You’ll climb for a while, then the terrain will become more rocky as you climb until you start to see Goat’s Tarn. Follow the route around the west of the tarn. It might look like there’s an interesting route around the east of the tarn but it’s really a path for the climbers only.

At the end of Goat’s Tarn the path will climb to the hawse – a hawse meaning ‘neck’ and being the connecting land between two higher grounds, it’s more commonly spelled ‘hause.’ A hawse is often a high pass. In this case Goat Hawse is the top of the pass that goes between Brim Fell and Dow Crag.

Goat’s Hawse to Dow Crag

At the top of Goat Hawse you’ll join a crossroads of paths (why isn’t that a ‘crosspaths’?)

You want to take the path that is going off to the left on an incline with the crag to your left.

Follow this path to the top of Dow Crag.

This is a well worn path with several routes but all of them heading in the same direction.

The crags off to the left start to become very steep with some huge cliffs. It’s possible to get quite close to the edge and caution is required.

Dow Crag to Brown Pike via Buck Pike

The route from Dow Crag to Brown Pike is along the ridge of the crags.

There are some fabulous views down to the tarn, over 200m below, and on a good day views over to Coniston Old Man. This is a great time to marvel at the majesty of these magnificent rock formations but caution is still required.

You will see, on this section, several paths that look like they come up from the tarn, do not be tempted to try to go down any of them they are mostly walk-out paths from the climbing routes.

Brown Pike to White Pike via Walna Scar

From the summit of Brown Pike carry along the ridge down to Walna Scar Road (this is the same road that you started the walk on) and cross over onto Walna Scar itself.

The path from Walna Scar goes almost straight to White Pike. Ignore the closer hill to your left this is likely White Maiden which we are coming back to.

White Pike to White Maiden

The route from White Pike to White Maiden is less distinct than the other paths you’ve been on today. Looking back on the path you’ve just travelled on you should see a path heading slightly to the right and aiming for a wall.

The summit of White Maiden is just about at the point where the wall takes a 90 degree turn to the right.

White Maiden to High Pike Haw

The next two sections are Birkett’s off-path section; something he seemingly likes to include in his routes.

At the summit of White Maiden you can’t see High Pike Haw, nor will you see a path. My best advice is to follow the route of the wall on its journey down.

If you are a compass person set a bearing for High Pike Haw and work your way down to it following the sheep tracks as you go and trying to avoid falling off any crags. On the GPX and OS Maps Route for this walk I’ve shown where I walked last time I did this walk and you will see it’s a bit higgledy-piggledy.

If you aren’t confident with a compass then I would advise that you stay a bit closer to the wall and cross the common once you see High Pike Haw. It is quite a distinctive outcrop.

High Pike Haw to Walna Scar Car Park

To the south of High Pike Haw is a fence, this will be your guide back to Walna Scar Road. The fence roughly follows the line of Seal Gill. The fence and stream will eventually take a sharp turn to the right. Follow along for a while further until you come to Ash Beck and a return to actual paths near a disused quarry.

Once you’ve reached the path turn left along it over Ash Gill Beck via some stepping stones where there once was a bridge.

The path then follows, at a little distance, the route of a wall past a couple of quarries.

In time the path will reach a kind of t-junction with a larger path beyond which is a beck, beyond the beck the path will continue. If the beck is low feel free to traverse it, if not then head left up the hill and back to Walna Scar Road there.

If you traversed the beck follow the path on that side up to Walna Scar Road cutting off a corner and a climb. This path should join onto the path that is easier on your feet and ankles.

Once you’ve reached Walna Scar Road turn right and follow it back to your vehicle.

Alternatives and Extensions

I, for one, wouldn’t blame you if you decided to skip High Pike Haw. To return directly from White Maiden follow the path you are already on back to Walna Scar and onto the road.

You could massively extend this route by starting with Coniston Old Man. While this would be a magnificent walk it’s worth noting that Coniston Old Man features in a different Birkett route heading away from Dow Crag over to Whetherlam and starting from a different place.

There is an alternative walk which starts in Seathwaite, Dunnerdale and makes its way up to Goat Hawse via Seathwaite Tarn. You’d then return to Seathwaite via the Walna Scar Road, but in the opposite direction. You’d definitely miss out High Pike Haw if this was your route. Also, Dunnerdale is significantly more difficult to get to than Coniston, for most people.

Dow Crag to White Pike Circular from Walna Scar | Birkett DOW 1 | Graham’s Guides

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Sleddale Fell Circular from Sadgill Bridge, Longsleddale | Birkett SHA 5 | Graham’s Guides

Tarn Crag and Sergeant Man Circular from Grasmere | Birkett LAN 4 | Graham’s Guides

Fairfield Circular from Grasmere via Seat Sandal | Birkett FAR 4 | Graham’s Guides

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Silver How and the Langdale Edge | Birkett LAN 3 | Graham’s Guides

Clougha Pike Circular from Riggs Lane | Graham’s Guides

Crookdale Horseshoe | Birkett SHA 3 | Graham’s Guides

A remote walk that is rarely visited, making for a day of solitude.

Graham’s Walks Vitals

Distance: 7.6 miles/12 km
Elevation: 1730 ft/527 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Start: Shap Summit Lay-by on the A6
Graham’s Cafe: Not really.
Classification: Birkett

The Maps

OS Maps Route: 🗺️
GPX Download: 📁

The Area

This walk is about as far East as you can go and still be in the Lake District National Park. Although there are plans to extend the park as far as the border with the Yorkshire Dales National park, the current boundary of the National Park is the A6 where we will be parking.

Bill Birkett recommends parking at Crookdale Bridge where I could only see a single parking space which itself wasn’t wholly satisfactory so I’ve moved the starting point to a summit lay-by on the A6. As the name suggests this lay-by marks the summit of the A6 which is commemorated by a granite and slate memorial to the people who used to travel on the road before the M6 was built. There’s also a commendation to the local people: “Remembered too are those who built and maintained the road and the generations of local people who gave freely of food and shelter to stranded travellers in bad weather.”

This is a walk in one of the more remote parts of the Lake District, once you walk away from the A6 you aren’t likely to see another person all day. Most of the valley basin for this horseshoe isn’t even visible from the A6. Even from the tops there are only occasional views of any road.This is a walk in one of the more remote parts of the Lake District, once you walk away from the A6 you aren’t likely to see another person all day. Most of the valley basin for this horseshoe isn’t even visible from the A6. Even from the tops there are only occasional views of any road.

There are some interesting names on this route. Several fells in Cumbria, as well as other geographic features, have names that either point to local mythology or to the local heraldic systems, but it’s not always as clear-cut as that. Two of the names on this route mean very similar things, Lord’s Seat and Yarlside. Yarl is the root of the modern word Earl, side describes elevated land. Lord’s points to the local heraldic system, in this case the land was held under the Lordship of Fawcett. Seat refers, again, to a high place or prominent vantage point.

Robin Hood could point to the legendary outlaw more normally associated with Nottinghamshire. There are several places in the Lake District that mention legendary characters such as King Arthur. Cumbria has its own legendary outlaw in Adam Bell, but that’s from a bit further north. Robin Hood could also be a simple word-morph from Rob-in-Wood which has been known to happen in several places across the north of England.

A version of the Crookdale Horseshoe is also included in Wainwright’s Outlying Fells book but in an anti-clockwise direction and missing out the northern ridge which is included in the Wasdale Horseshoe.

The Walk

A6 Summit Lay-by to Crookdale Bridge

From the Shap Summit Lay-by look out for the footpath finger-sign on the other side. Go through the gate and across a field until the path joins a track. Turn left onto the track.

Follow this track down the valley to Crookdale Bridge.

Cross over the bridge.

Crookdale Bridge to High House Bank

On the other side of the bridge follow the brook upstream. There isn’t really a path here, as I am learning, Birkett likes to have at least one part of each walk off-path.

Birkett recommends a slightly different route and also a climb over a wall, there isn’t a path there and I’m not a fan of climbing walls. This different route avoids the wall climb but there still isn’t anything you could really describe as a path.

Alongside the stream follow the line of a wall. After a short distance the wall will become a fence. At the start of the fence are some wooden slats to enable you to climb over.

On the other side of the fence follow the route of the wall uphill.

Eventually you will need to head off to the right uphill. There aren’t really any distinguishing features other than the hill getting higher to the right as the wall tracks to the left and lower. Aim for the highest point on the hill and you’ll find the summit.

Near to the summit of High House Bank you should unexpectedly come across a path that will lead you to the summit.

High House Bank to Robin Hood

From the summit of High House Bank continue to follow the path to the summit of Robin Hood.

You will pass through a couple of gates on your way there. Through the first gate the path will become more of a track.

There are also a few wiggles in the path as it tries to avoid the really boggy bits.

Through the second gate you will need to head on the track to the left for the route to the summit of Robin Hood.

Robin Hood to Lord’s Seat

From Robin Hood continue on the wide path to Lord’s Seat. This route is again on the track and quite straight.

Lord’s Seat to Great Yarlside

The route from Lord’s Seat to Great Yarlside requires some more off-path navigation.

Head along the track until it starts to veer off to the left.

Leave the path turning to the right and head across the valley towards Lawyer’s Brow navigating Blueberry Gill.

There aren’t any paths here, there are a few sheep tracks and there is also plenty of bog. You are unlikely to avoid the bog completely, the best you can hope for is to stay high in the valley and hope.

From Lawyer’s Brow continue to ascend until you reach the summit of Great Yarlside.

Great Yarlside to Little Yarlside

The route from Great Yarlside to Little Yarlside is in the direction of the wall that you will see from the summit of Great Yarlside.

Great Yarlside is on the southern side of the wall, Little Yarlside is on the northern side so you will need to cross the wall at some point. There are a few options as you go along but don’t leave it too late.

On the north side of the wall the path becomes more of a track again.

The defined summit of Little Yarlside is a little way north of the track if you want to get to the precise point.

Little Yarlside to Whatshaw Common (almost)

From Little Yarlside there is a track towards Whatshaw Common along the line of the wall on its northern side.

The defined summit for Whatshaw Common is on the southern side of the wall. When I walked it recently there didn’t appear to be any way of traversing the wall near the summit point so I stayed on the track and counted this as the summit.

Whatshaw Common to the A6 Summit Lay-by

The track alongside the northern side of the wall continues down from Whatshaw Common as far as the lay-by.

Alternatives and Extensions

There are a few tweaks you could do on this walk but on the whole it’s self-contained.

About the only extension that you could do is to continue along the valley and add in the summit of Harrop Pike. This would mean a tramp across quite a lot of bog from Lord’s Seat. The route from Harrop Pike to Great Yarlside is along a track and a bit more straightforward. Harrop Pike is part of Sleddale Fell Circular from Sadgill Bridge, Longsleddale which is Birkett SHA 5.

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Sleddale Fell Circular from Sadgill Bridge, Longsleddale | Birkett SHA 5 | Graham’s Guides

A quiet walk in a less visited corner of the Lake District with glorious valley views, waterfalls, deep pools and survey towers.

Graham’s Walks Vitals

Distance: 6.3 miles/10.1 km
Elevation: 1778 ft/542 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Start: Sadgill Bridge
Graham’s Cafe: Not really, you could take a diversion to More? The Artisan Bakery, Staveley
Classification: Birkett, Wainwright

The Map

OS Maps Route: 🗺️
GPX Download: 📁

The Area

Sleddale Fell is in a lesser visited area of the Lake District hidden away at the end of Longsleddale a valley in the South East of the National Park, a little way north of Kendal.

In most places the valley name is compressed to a single word, Longsleddale, but in some it appears as two words, Long Sleddale. The Ordnance Survey has it both ways depending on the resolution of the map that you use, at 1:50K it’s Long Sleddale, at 1:25K it’s Longsleddale. I make this point simply to show that place names aren’t as concrete as some people would love them to be.

On your way into the valley you will pass Longsleddale Church, St. Mary’s, which is a glorious country church offering fabulous views along the valley. Opposite the church is the village hall and a public toilet; this is your last opportunity in the valley without going wild.

As well as being a beautiful secluded Lake District valley Longsleddale has a claim to fame. The valley is reported to be the inspiration behind Greendale in the TV show Postman Pat. I’m talking here about the pre-2017 version where it was one man and a black-and-white cat, since then Pat appears to have gained all sorts of technical abilities in his new role at the Special Delivery Service. John Cunliffe, the creator of the show, lived in nearby Kendal.

Longsleddale and part of our walk are also the route of the Haweswater Aqueduct taking water to Manchester. The aqueduct is featured in other Graham’s Guides including; River Lune and Lancaster Canal Circular from the Lune Aqueduct and Clougha Pike Circular from Riggs Lane. Directly on the route and just to the side of it we will pass several of the survey towers used in the construction of the aqueduct.

You will ascend Tarn Crag on this walk, which overlooks what is known as Greycrag Tarn. Greycrag Tarn feels like a bit of an overstatement. A tarn is normally a mountain lake or pond, but Greycrag Tarn is more of a permanently wet boggy area.

The name Longsleddale comes from three words – “long” “sledge” and “dale.”

It appears the “long” was added to distinguish this valley from Wet Sleddale near Shap.

For “sled” there are a couple of theories, I’ll let you decide which you prefer.

“Sled” is a shortened version of similar words to “sledge” in Old English and Old Norse. It highlights that this was a place where sledges were used to transport things which can be easier on steep slopes.

“Sled” could also be highlighting the U-shape of the valley. This is based on a similar word in Old English meaning glade, dell, or a strip of smooth, low-lying land between hills.

“Dale” means valley meaning that it’s not really necessary to call it Longsleddale valley, because that information is already in the name. There are variants of “Dale” in both Old Norse and Old English.

The Walk

Sadgill Bridge to the Ford

This walk starts from the end of the road in Longsleddale at Sadgill where the road becomes a metalled track and there is a stone bridge off to the left. There’s an area there to park several cars which is normally sufficient. I’ve visited on several occasions but never struggled to park.

There’s one route into Longsleddale which is a narrow track that winds its way alongside the River Sprint that you join from the A6, or through Burneside, to Garnett Bridge.

Once you’ve parked up it’s time to get back on the bridleway as it continues along the side of the river. There are some wonderful waterfalls and pools as you make your way up into the hills.

For nearly two miles the navigation is straightforward, just keep to the track. Having climbed for most of this distance you’ll pass through a gate and the path will level out. You’ll also cross a bridge. For most of the distance the river will have been on your left, there will be now be a stream on your right.

The Ford to Tarn Crag

On the OS Maps there is a ford shown across the stream and a path labelled Brownhowe Bottom. There should also be a Public Bridleway signpost showing Swindale Head and Wet Sleddale.

This is one of those situations where there are a few paths on the ground that all appear to go in a similar direction. In this case they are all heading to a very similar place which is a gate in a fence. Don’t go through the gate though, follow the route of the fence to the right as it heads up Tarn Crag.

The fence will lead you to a stile over another fence.

Beyond the stile you should see a path veering away from the fence to the right a little way before the fence makes a turn to the left. Take the path to the right. On a clear day you will soon be able to see the survey tower near to the summit of Tarn Crag.

The survey pillar isn’t the true summit of Tarn Crag that’s marked by a nearby cairn. The views are better from the tower though.

Tarn Crag to Harrop Pike

From the summit of Tarn Crag head back towards the fence along a well marked path around the east side of the tarn. Follow the fence for a while longer. You will descend a little and then ascend and as you do so the fence will turn at a right-angle to the left.

Continue to follow the fence around the corner on our way to Harrop Pike. This bit of the walk feels like a short diversion in order to get a tick.

Follow the line of the fence with it on your left, traverse another fence, continue a little while longer until you reach a stile. The true summit is across the stile and is marked by a cairn. Do whatever it is you do to tick off a summit.

Harrop Pike to Grey Crag

Retrace your steps back to the right angle in the fence from Harrop Pike.

Continue straight on and slightly to the left to the summit of Grey Crag. It’s only a short distance from the right-angle in the fence.

Grey Crag to Great Howe

From the summit of Grey Crag continue in the direction you had been going bearing to the right as you descend to a fence.

Traverse the fence via a stile and follow the path on the other side across what is becoming increasingly open moorland. There are several great views along Longsleddale in this section.

You may notice on the map a couple of places where is marked pillar to the left of the path. These are also survey towers for the aqueduct. The one near to the summit of Great Howe is easier to get to than the one further down near Brock Crag.

The summit of Great Howe isn’t particularly distinct.

Great Howe to Sadgill Bridge

The descent from Great Howe is a delightful meander down the steep sides of the valley. From the summit of Great Howe continue in the direction you had been going veering to the left and then to the right until you reach a stile in a fence.

This is one of the very few places on this walk where it’s important that you make the right navigational choice. Over the stile, head right. This may feel counter-intuitive.

The path will take you along the side of a wall, the wall being on your right. The path will take you to a glorious valley view before switching back left and down the valley side to a stile in a wall.

Beyond the wall, on most days, you will be able to see the bridge and your transportation beyond.

Cross the field to a gate in the wall near to the bridge. The gate is covered in more signs that most office kitchens.

Alternatives and Extensions

Honestly, there aren’t really any interesting alternatives on this walk. There’s nowhere that you can walk a little further and claim another summit or paddle in a tarn.

Perhaps the only thing you might choose to do is to continue up onto Gatesgarth Pass. You’d do that by missing out the ford over to Brownhowe Bottom. Near to the top of the path you’d take a path to the right and head to the summit of Branstree. From the summit of Branstree you’d then head south-east along a fence to the summit of Tarn Crag. It adds another summit, but Branstree is a much nicer walk with glorious views from the Haweswater side taking in Brown Howes, Selside Pike and High Howes.

You could do this walk in reverse, there are positives and negatives to either direction.

St. Mary's in Longsleddale (there's a public toilet here) — St. Mary’s in Longsleddale (there’s a public toilet here)

The car park and Sadgill Bridge from above

Following the fence to the top of Tarn Crag

Leave the fence and head to the summit of Tarn Crag

The survey tower near to the summit of Tarn Crag

Looking down onto Gatesgarth Pass from Tarn Crag

Greycrag Tarn, not really what you would expect from a tarn

Back following the fence. The tarn is on the right, Harrop Pike is to the left

The stile over to the summit of Harrop Pike

The survey tower off to the side of Great Howe

Jimmy and Grandad enjoying the view from Great Howe

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Tarn Crag and Sergeant Man Circular from Grasmere | Birkett LAN 4 | Graham’s Guides

A moderate walk through beautiful Easedale and out onto the tops away from the more popular walking routes. The views are spectacular and even an option for a swim.

Graham’s Walks Vitals

Distance: 8.4 miles/13 km
Elevation: 2417 ft/736 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Start: Red Bank Car Park
Graham’s Cafes: This walk starts in Grasmere where you will find Mathilde’s Cafe and Lucia’s (awaiting a guide)
Classification: Birkett, Wainwright

The Map

OS Maps Route: 🗺️
GPX Download: 📁

The Area

This walk includes two fells that show the impact of Alfred Wainwright and his guides on people’s understanding of the area. Tarn Crag used to refer to the rocky outcrop overlooking the Easedale Tarn until AW decided to apply that label to the whole summit. Sergeant Man is a must have tick for anyone working their way through the 214 summits, but it’s not really a summit worthy of the status. AW’s logic was that it was a better summit than the taller High Raise behind it and to be fair to AW High Raise is a flat grassy prominence. Sergeant Man is definitely worth visiting, it’s an interesting rocky crag and the views are spectacular, despite its diminutive stature. Tarn Crag is also worth visiting, but the best views are a little way from the summit overlooking the tarn. You can’t actually see the tarn from the summit.

The name Sergeant Man is a bit of a mystery. Sergeant could be a corruption of another term or even a person’s name. There’s also a possibility it relates to the Anglo-French servient, meaning ‘to serve’, and highlighting its subservience to High Raise. Man is used in Cumbria dialect to refer to a man-made pile of stones or a prominent rocky pinnacle of which there are several examples across the Lake District including Old Man of Coniston, Skiddaw Little Man, and Helvelyn Lower Man.

There are a couple of places on this walk that are popular with wild swimmers and dippers. At the base of the main waterfall of Sourmilk Gill there’s a good sized dipping pool. Easedale Tarn is also a good spot, but mountain tarns require extra caution, they are always a few degrees colder than any other water.

The walk up to Easedale Tarn was very popular with the Victorians and even had a shop next to it. I’ve written more about this in the Easedale Tarn Circular from Grasmere route. This popularity continues today and rightly so, it’s beautiful. This route isn’t busy all the way though; once you branch away from the main path onto the Tarn Crag path you will find yourself alone.

The Walk

In Complete Lakeland Fells, Bill Birkett recommends parking at a car park on Easedale Road at grid reference NY 334080. There is no longer a car park at this location, or on Easedale Road at all, so I’ve shown this walk starting from Red Bank Car Park.

Grasmere to Sourmilk Gill

This part of the walk will be the busiest of the day.

From the car park head down Langdale Road, which is almost opposite the entrance. This will take you past Tweedie and onto Broadgate. Continue past the Heaton Cooper Studio and turn left onto Easedale Road.

Just before Easedale Road you will see two of Graham’s Cafes; as part of the Heaton Cooper Studio is Mathilde’s Cafe, on the other side of the road is Lucia’s Coffee and Bakehouse. Both are great places to start and finish a walk, Lucia’s is particularly good for a packed lunch, Mathilde’s is more of a place you go to as a reward at the end of the walk.

Returning to our walk, follow Easedale Road until you reach Glenthorne Quaker Centre and Guest House where you’ll notice a gate on the right which will take you off the road onto a path running parallel to Easedale Road up to Goody Bridge.

A short way beyond Goody Bridge the road takes a right-hand turn and there’s a path going straight on over a footbridge.

The footbridge will take you onto a cobbled bridleway which will be your guide all the way to the waterfall of Sourmilk Gill.

At the main falls there’s a short path off to the right which takes you to the clear pool at the base and for much of the year you can use the large rocks in the beck to explore. A word of caution though, these rocks can be slippy.

Continue on the path beyond the main waterfall until the ground levels out a bit. You should be able to see the ascending path of Tarn Crag on the other side of the beck; your task is to get across. When the river is low there are several stepping-stone options for a dry crossing. On the map I’ve shown where I crossed it recently but there’s no guarantee that this is still a good place. The only reasonably guaranteed option for a dry crossing is to walk to the tarn and cross there.

The Ascent of Tarn Crag

On the other side of the beck the path from the tarn to Far Easedale is very well marked; the path to the top of Tarn Crag is off from this. There are a couple of ascending paths in this area, the one that we are going to follow is nearer to Far Easedale and follows the line of the ridge.

The path is a ridge walk to the top of Tarn Crag, it’s quite visible on the ground and there aren’t any other routes crossing before the summit.

There are plenty of views on either side of the ridge, but the ones down into Easedale are particularly dramatic.

Once you reach the summit make sure you have a good look around to take in the views either side of the ridge.

Tarn Crag to Codale Head

The route from Tarn Crag summit to Codale Head isn’t very clear, there are several paths crossing the area and some of them aren’t particularly distinctive. Birkett recommends following the line of an old iron fence, but that’s no longer very visible though it can be seen in places.

If visibility is reasonably good you should be able to see the recognisable summit of Sergeant Man from near the summit of Tarn Crag; the summit of Codale Head is to the right from this perspective. As long as you stay near to the top of what is now a quite wide ridge you should be able to find the summit.

On a poor visibility day it’s time to exercise your map reading skills.

Codale Head to Sergeant Man

From the summit of Codale Head the top of Sergeant Man is a short wander around the edge of a basin with an unnamed tarn. There are routes around both sides.

On most days you should be able to see Sergeant Man from Codale Head, it’s the triangular shaped peak which is likely to have someone stood on top of it.

If you wanted to stop for refreshments at any point, the summit of Sergeant Man is a great place to do it; there are great views.

Sergeant Man to Easedale Tarn

The route down from Sergeant Man is to head towards Blea Rigg and take a left hand path down towards Easedale Tarn.

The path you want is at a bit of a crossroads and it would be quite easy to carry on to Blea Rigg, or even to head off the other side to Stickle Tarn, so a bit of care is required.

The lower parts of this path have needed some restoration and it is stepped which can make for harder walking particularly when it’s wet.

The walk down into Easedale gives glorious views of the surrounding crags, Codale Tarn and Easedale Tarn. You’ll pass Belles Knott which Birkett refers to as “The Matterhorn of Easedale”, a name christened by Alfred Wainwright. The name derives from its shape but you’ll need to look behind you to see the similarity.

Easedale Tarn to Grasmere

Easedale Tarn is another great place to stop for refreshments; even when busy there’s something quite tranquil about it.

Heading down from Easedale Tarn follow the route along the righthand side of Easedale Beck, this is the path to Sourmilk Gill and will take you to Easedale Road past the Quaker House, through Grasmere village and on to your vehicle, if you have one, at Red Bank Car Park.

Alternatives and Extensions

This walk takes you most of the way up High Raise which makes this a reasonable extension. While adding another tick, it’s not really adding much interest and we traverse High Raise on other routes, but don’t let me put you off.

This walk uses the same path into and out of Easedale. Alternatively, use Far Easedale via the footbridge at Stythwaite Steps on your way in. This route would be preferable during times when river levels are high and finding a stepping-stone route across Easedale Beck is unlikely. You can also use this route down by traversing Easedale Beck at the tarn stepping-stones, turning the walk into a figure-of-eight.

Another alternative when river levels are high, is to walk all the way up to Easedale Tarn and traverse the river there. It’s still stepping-stones, but they are good sized ones.

If you are going to traverse Easedale Beck as high as the tarn you might also like to try the alternative route to the summit of Tarn Crag that goes up from the north side of the tarn. This path is less well defined than the one along the East Ridge and steeper, but sometimes that’s where the fun is.

There’s an option to extend the latter stages in this walk by visiting Blea Rigg; continuing on the ridge for a while longer on your way down from Sergeant Man. Blea Rigg is part of another Birkett route – Silver How along the Langdale Edge | LAN 3.