Take the Long Way Round: Tackling Grisedale Pike for the Second Time. . .

It's been almost six years since I've gone up Grisedale Pike - which is in the Lake District, not far from Keswick - and for a very good reason.  While a good two hundred metres less than the highest fells in the area, the main path up is an extremely steep slog, one of the worst I can remember.  You can see the gradient from the photo in my blog post back then.  So it was with a bit of trepidation when I heard that was the planned ascent for yesterday's walk with our rambling group.

Fortunately, one of our members had sussed a different route up and suggested it to our leader and this is the walk that we did. It took much longer to ascend, but made the walk SO much nicer.

We started as before in Braithwaite, but instead of heading straight up Grisedale, we ambled around it, heading north towards Thornthwaite and then through the Whinlatter Forest Park.  The first mile or so was relatively flat and we passed pretty patches of bluebells.

Then we had some gradual ascents through woodland on lovely needle-strewn paths. It was very easy going and we quickly got above the treeline, where the views opened out. There were so many enticing looking paths, such as in the photo below.  They just begged to be followed.  I had to keep at the front of the group in order to take such unpopulated photos, but my legs were feeling great on the day.

As you can see we are approaching Grisedale from the side (the top is just to the right of this tree).

Looking back at where we've come (we're about two-thirds up at this stage), and you can see Skiddaw and Blencathra in the distance.

Still going up, but how pretty are these greens?

Nearly at the top!

 And here we are at the summit looking at the rest of the Coledale Horseshoe. It was only the last twenty minutes that was very steep. The rest was gradual, with lots of fairly flat bits to catch your breath on.

And here are the views in every direction.  You can see Keswick, quite tiny below, and Derwent Water, and looking to the northwest, you can actually see Scotland, although it was too hazy to capture with my camera.

We stopped for a late lunch and soaked up the views. I even got some knitting in, because what a spot to knit in!

Then it was time for the descent.  Again, we avoided the most direct and steepest path and continued on, down and around the mountain on the other side.  I had forgotten my poles but I didn't need them; the paths were good and dry and the descent quite gradual and steady.

You can see the path we took heading back to Braithwaite in the valley, just in the bottom left hand corner of the photo below.

And our last mile was completely flat too on a straight road but with a wall of intensely yellow gorge lining both sides.

In all, our circular route was approximately ten miles. The weather was great with just enough sun to warm us up on the top but with cool and welcome breezes too. I was completely exhilarated by the whole walk.  And no longer will Grisedale ever seem so grim!