High Raise from Grasmere

Distance: 11 miles
Ascent: 1000m
Weather: sunny, cloudy & snow up high, cold
Crows & ravens,  buzzards, red deer, jackdaws, herdys, robin.

A beautiful start to the day, blue sky sunshine and still. We headed out from Grasmere village up a little walled path towards Silver Howe. We watched buzzards flying around busily collecting undergrowth and had fine views over Grasmere Tarn.

We visited some tops (although not as many as the other couple of baggers that were out on a similar route to us) including Lang How, Swinescar Pike and Great Castle How on our way up to Blea Rigg.

Lunch (no crisps!) was had sheltering under a rocky outcrop,  overlooking Stickle Tarn and the Langdale fells. As we got higher the paths became more icy, towards the snowline. After lunch we put on our ice spikes (once located from within the depths of Rob's rucksack) and continued up.

There were quite a lot more people up on Sergeant Man and High Raise. It was good going over the crunchy ice-crusted snow at the tops, apart from the odd sinking foot.

From Low White Stones (which were indeed white) we dropped down to Greenup Edge and down into Easedale. We saw three red deer (not far from Deer Bield) grazing and waterfalls as we descended through Grasmere Common with the late afternoon sun shining on the hillsides.

The footbridges are in good condition, although the streams were passable.