The Meaning of Grasmoor - No photos today
Another lengthy route planning session (the 50-minute drive up the M6) results in the decision to walk a variation of the Coledale horseshoe.
From Braithwaite the Whinlatter Pass road leads to the start of the route up to Grisedale Pike, the morning sunshine makes it warm work up the green slopes of Kinn but it also gives the excuse of stopping to admire the view.
The slope up towards Sleet How isn’t quite as green and the freshening breeze makes it feel not as warm but the views are still good. The wind through the gaps is quite strong and cold, I need my jacket on whilst I climb the final part of the now rocky path up to the summit of Grisedale Pike. The views are still good but I’ve seen Grasmoor and Eel Crag from here before and the mist has come in before I got to them.
The path over to Hopegill Head is a pleasant ridge walk, the strengthening wind as I clamber over the unnamed intermediate summit makes me lean at a slight angle as I walk. As I make the ascent to Hopegill Head I take the path that keeps away from the edge, the other path is too close to the edge for a windy day. By the time I get to the summit the mist has covered the tops of Eel Crag and Grasmoor.
Over the top of Sand Hill down to Coledale Hause, and find the little used path up the ridge of Grasmoor, the path is a bit vague in places but keeping close to and parallel to the crags on the right hand side will get you there.
Suddenly, I am aware of being the only person on this vast mountainside; I can see the mist being blown in across the face of angry looking crags. This is indeed a remote, hostile place but I don’t feel lonely or frightened, it is a joyful feeling – I feel that I am almost a part of the mountain. As I walk over the flat top of the mountain where there is no shelter or hiding place it starts to rain extremely heavily – the mountain shares its joy with me!
The path peters out but I can see the summit shelter ahead, time to get into waterproofs and gloves. There is a wide obvious path down towards Eel Crag and up to its summit – the view from the top meets my expectations, I expected it to be misty and it is.
There is an interesting rocky path down to and over the top of Sail and a wide easy path down to Sail Pass. Now that I am underneath the cloud base, the path towards High Moss has a real “mountain” feel as it hugs the side of the hill, and the Coledale Valley opens up before you.
From above, I can see a grassy path over to Outerside but I can’t find it when I get there. I have to cross over the grass for my first visit to Outerside and eventually find the path up its ridge and once again I can see the path that I should have taken.
The summit of Outerside is an excellent viewpoint, Causey Pike looks very imposing from this direction. There is generally easy walking through the heather to Stile End and the over to Barrow, but some parts of the path have become eroded exposing mud and rocks which were slightly awkward with being so wet.
My first visit to Barrow provides another good viewpoint with Causey Pike looking even more imposing. The easiest of descents back down to Braithwaite to finish off a memorable day.
What made it memorable, the seven Wainwrights that I had bagged or the one moment on Grasmoor that made it feel so good to be alive?
Andy Wallace 15th September 2001