A great day above Grasmere today climbing Steel Fell and following the ridges above Greendale to Helm Crag.
We set off from Grasmere in glorious weather this morning and headed along the lanes below Helm Crag to Helmside, at the foot of the southern ridge of Steel Fell.
We followed the southern ridge up over Cogra Breast to the summit plateau of Steel Fell and were soon admiring the wonderful views north over Thirlmere to Skiddaw and Blencathra.
We followed the ridge west, crossing the usually boggy ground by Griffin Tarn, the ground here was almost dry today!
We were soon up the final slopes to the summit of Calf Crag and eating our sandwiches sat on the rocks just below the summit cairn, admiring the views over the Far Easdale Valley below.
After lunch, a birthday cake and a rendition of Happy Birthday to you in both English and French we were off again, following the ridge down to the summit of Gibson Knott and then down onto Helm Crag, our final summit of the day.
A few of the group climbed up onto the Howitzer, while others were happy on the rocks to the north of the highest point today, but it was a wonderful viewpoint, north over Steel Fell and south over Grasmere and the Easdale Valley to Easdale Tarn.
After a long photo stop we were soon off, following the ridge down from the summit and taking the new path down to the Easdale Valley and Easdale Road back into Grasmere.
