Helm Crag (the Lion and the Lamb) - A Walkers Guide

Start/Finish : Grasmere Village
Wainwrights : Helm Crag (1329 feet / 405 meters)
Distance : 3 miles
Time : 2-3 hours

The Route

I wrote this guide for a friend but thought it worth publishing on the blog as others may find it useful. This is the classic day hike up and down Helm Crag which, for good reason, is trodden by many thousands of people every year. It is particularly suited to those making their first foray into fell walking as it has all the virtues of a perfect Lakeland hike, but in miniature. Wainwright described it as "a brief essay in real mountaineering". 

   3D Fly-Through of the Route + 5 Descent Options

It is an easy climb which offers fantastic views over to neighbouring fells and down to the lake of Grasmere. It also has one of the best summits in all the Lake District with an abundance of interesting rocky scenery. My son managed it easily when aged 4 and I have seen folk in their 90's enjoying this climb. It really is a family fell and a great introduction to hiking. Cumbria Tourism produced an excellent free 'Wainwright Audio Guide' podcast intended to be used while on the walk and I have linked to this here (to download the free 15 minute mp3 file right click on the link and select 'save link as'), or you can listen via the embedded player below. Narrated by Wainwright impersonator Nik Wood-Jones, this is closest you can get to walking in the company of the great man himself. 




The walk starts in Grasmere village where there are numerous public car parks. Helm Crag is clearly visible from the Grasmere area and the 'lion & lamb' summit rock formations can be seen clearly from most vantage points. 

An autumnal Helm Crag over Grasmere

Helm Crag and Gibson Knott from the north - over the Greenburn valley

Helm Crag from the south in mid summer

Zoomed in on the 'Lion and the Lamb' summit profile from Grasmere

Head off up Easedale Road (opposite the famous Sam Read bookshop), walking towards Helm Crag which is visible for most of the way. After about 1/2 mile the road passes through a gate and enters a meadow in the grounds of Lancrigg. Continue along the road until it reaches the start of the footpath between some cottages. Take the right fork up a cobbled path through some woodland and then another right at the T-junction following signs for Helm Crag. After a short distance take the obvious leftwards path up to some wooden fencing and then follow the dry stone wall up a steepish section until the wall end. At this point the path turns leftwards (west) and continues to rise less steeply. Don't forget to glance backwards at Grasmere and over to the far left as Easedale Tarn comes into view. 

Looking down on a frozen Grasmere during a winter ascent ...

... and over to Easedale Tarn in the summer

The path soon climbs up onto a rocky outcrop (Jackdaw Crag) which is a great spot to sit and rest for 10 minutes while admiring lovely views over the Easedale valley. 

Having recharged the batteries, rejoin the path which soon turns eastwards onto more grassy terrain, eventually emerging onto a wide plateau where the view opens up to reveal much higher neighbouring mountains over Dunmail Raise. The large fells which dominate the scene are Seat Sandal, Fairfield & Great Rigg which should whet the appetite as objectives for another day. 

Views over to Seat Sandal and Fairfield

 From here the summit is just a short climb away and once there, a leisurely exploration is well worthwhile. The first set of rocky protuberances are the 'lion & lamb' formations seen from Grasmere. 

 

The 'Lion and the Lamb' from the other side

From here follow the wide summit plateau along to the other striking rocky feature, the 'Howitzer', at the northern end. So named as it appears as if a giant artillery gun is pointing skywards. The top of the Howitzer represents the true summit but does require some 'rock climbing' to get there. Those of a nervous disposition would be best avoiding this little challenge and be comforted in the knowledge that Alfred Wainwright himself never managed to reach the true top.

The 'Howitzer'

To get to the true summit requires some scrambling

Helm Crag summit plateau panorama looking north ...

... and south

 

         Fully Labelled Summit View Video

From here most folk will return to Grasmere via the same route and be content with their 2-3 hours effort. However, if you have surplus time and energy then a number of routes are available to extend the walk. An additional 2 hours will take you northwards along the ridge to Gibson Knott and Calf Crag from where you can return to Grasmere via the far Easedale valley. That route is described here. 

Alternatively, from Calf Crag you could return via the lovely & quiet Greenburn valley, or extend the walk over to Steel Fell (see the video at the top of the page for 3D Fly-Through route guides).

Fit and experienced walkers could go on up to High Raise and then return via Sergeant Man and Easedale Tarn, or via the Blea Rigg to Silver How ridge. There are many options, but while other nearby fells may offer better views and more challenging walking, none have a summit to compete with Helm Crag itself.    




  

A Dad & Little Lad Hike : Silver How from Grasmere

Date : 30th July 2014
Start/Finish : Grasmere
Wainwrights : Silver How
Distance : 3.5 miles 
Height Gained : 1158 feet 
Time Taken : 3 hours (including a summit picnic and ice cream in Grasmere)






I have walked past Silver How many times on the way back to Grasmere from along the Blea Rigg ridge but have never made the short detour to the summit. Now, being a bona fide Wainwright bagger, I had to make amends. It's only a short walk so I took my 7 year old son along for the ride. It would be his 3rd Wainwright (having previously climbed Helm Crag and Loughrigg Fell) and my 143rd. The weather was bit drizzly on the way up to the summit but then it brightened up. The cloud base was about 2500 feet so we had unimpeded views the whole way round.

The upwards climb through bracken

Views back towards Fairfield (under cloud)

A drizzly looking Grasmere

Waterproof over the rucksack - genius idea!

 It was still drizzling on the summit so we found a spot out of the wind and had lunch looking out over Grasmere.

Silver How summit

Views over Grasmere

Views along the Blea Rigg ridge towards the Langdale Pikes

 On the way down the rain stopped and the sun even threatened to come out. The boy had a great time dissecting sheep bones (Boys !?!) and wandering through head height (for him) bracken.

The path back to Grasmere

Helm Crag

Seat Sandal over Dunmail Raise

 When we got back to Grasmere we had the obligatory well earned ice cream before heading home. This was great dad & lad walk but I think next time I need to take him up something a bit more challenging because afterwards he asked if we could go up it again!  I'm thinking Langdale Pikes next. That should wear him out.

High Raise et al from Grasmere

Date : 27th March 2013
Route : From Grasmere to High Raise; anticlockwise via Steel Fell & back over Tarn Crag
Wainwright's : Steel Fell, Calf Crag, High Raise (2500 feet), Sergeant Man, Tarn Crag
Distance : 12.7 miles (20.4 km)
Height Gained : 3658 feet (1115 m)
Time Taken : 7 1/2 hours
Social Hiking Map : click here

I have also done a very basic video of the summit views, more for my own amusement then anything else but the link is here if anyone wants a look http://youtu.be/Ea78l8Yo3n8

The route; Anticlockwise from Grasmere

 I am very familiar with this region of the central fells and have climbed most of them many times before but somehow Steel Fell and Tarn Crag have managed to escape my wanderings. I have often looked curiously over at them but never set foot on their summits, so this route intended to make amends. According to Wainwright the best way up (and down) Steel Fell is via the eastern ridge from Dunmail Raise and so, having parked in Grasmere, I set off at 7am along the road past Helm Crag towards the foot of Steel Fell.

A snow covered Seat Sandal  from Helm Close

Helm Crag's eastern side

Looking up the Greenburn valley

 The path up to Steel Fell is mostly grassy and easy going except for a small craggy outcrop near the top. At this point, a light sleet shower temporarily obscured the views over to Helvellyn but thankfully it soon blew over and views were clear and unobscured for the rest of the day.

The grassy route up to Steel Fell 

A panorama of the Helm Crag to Gibson Knott ridge

Looking across Dunmail Raise to the Helvellyn Fells

Looking back

Steel Fell summit view towards Thirlmere

Looking over to the Fairfield horseshoe. Sun shining down towards Stone Arthur. 

Steel Fell view eastwards

Steel Fell view of Blencathra, over Thirlmere

Nethermost & Dollywagon Pikes from Steel Fell summit

 The route along the ridge to Calf Crag is mainly an exercise in avoiding wet feet. The terrain is wet moss, peat hags and a few small tarns.

The marshy 'path' to Calf Crag (left foreground). Ullscarf over the valley ahead

The Greenburn valley

From Calf Crag; Steel Fell, Seat Sandal and Fairfield

 Calf Crag is the highest part of a long ridge from Helm Crag up to Calf Crag itself. It stands opposite Tarn Crag occupying opposing sides at the head of the Far Easedale valley.

Calf Crag summit view back to Steel Fell

Calf Crag summit looking over the valley to Tarn Crag

High Raise from Calf Crag

The Far Easedale valley from its head. Helm Crag centre.

 From Calf Crag I joined the 'coast to coast path' which comes up from the Easedale valley, traverses the head of the Whythburn valley and emerges onto Greenup Edge. My route then turned southwards to follow this broad ridge in a gradual ascent towards High Raise. At this point the smattering of snow became more widespread with occasional drifts up to shin deep. The main path was covered and the snow must have been recent as there were no footprints to follow. There was a hard crust which sometimes collapsed under foot and sometimes did not. It made for tiring but invigorating upwards progress.

Ullscarf at the head of the Whythburn valley

Looking back over Calf Crag and the ridge to Helm Crag

On Greenup Edge looking over to Dale Head & High Spy

The 'path' upwards to High Raise

Looking back northwards to Ullscarf

Low White Stones summit looking towards High Raise

Panorama west from Low White Stones

 The High Raise summit shelter made for a convenient lunch spot with views over towards Bow Fell and the Scafells providing ample distraction from the biting easterly wind.

High Raise summit panorama east

High Raise summit panorama west

High Raise view towards the Scafells

High Raise summit shelter view over the Langdale Pikes towards the Coniston Fells

Bow Fell and the Scafells from High Raise

High Raise view over Eagle Crag towards Bassenthwaite Lake in the far distance

 From the summit of High Raise it is a simple 1/2 mile stroll to Sergeant man which is nothing more than an abrupt rocky terminus before the land falls sharply down towards Stickle tarn. 

 

A Frozen tarn on the High Raise summit plateau looking towards Bow Fell

Sergeant Man with Windermere beyond

Looking over to Pavey Ark from Sergeant Man. Glimpses of Stickle Tarn.

Sergeant Man summit panorama west

Sergeant Man summit panorama east

Looking back to Sergeant Man from the downwards path

 From here on the terrain was unfamiliar to me and largely pathless on the OS map. I headed off eastwards in the direction of Tarn Crag and soon emerged at the top of a steep crag looking down onto Codale Tarn. Having never visited the tarn, or Belles Knot which overlooks its southern flank, I scrambled down for a closer look. Wainright describes Belles Knot as 'the Matterhorn of the Lake District' due to the sharp and pointy profile it presents to walkers on the path above Easedale Tarn. It must be said that it is not nearly so impressive from the other side but was worth a visit not least for the views down to to Easedale Tarn and beyond.

Looking down to Codale Tarn and Belles Knot (the pimple centre right)

Tarn Crag & Codale Tarn

Belles Knot

For comparison; Belles Knot from the other side taken March 2010 - much more 'Matterhorn like'

Belles Knot view down to Easedale Tarn

Looking back over Codale Tarn to the Crag I descended 

 Having previously thought that my upwards labouring was done & dusted for the day, this deviation to Codale Tarn and Belles Knot required a bit more 'up climbing' in order to get onto Tarn Crag. Once on the summit plateau it is not immediately clear which of the many rocky bumps is the actual summit. After visiting the main summit candidates I headed eastwards along a track which followed the main ridge downwards to eventually join Far Easedale Gill and the 'coast to coast' route back to Grasmere.    

      

Easedale Tarn from Tarn Crag

Tarn Crag summit view towards Grasmere

Looking back up to Tarn Crag from the descent track

Easedale Tarn with Blea Rigg beyond

Back down to Far Easedale Gill

Looking back towards Tarn Crag from the Easedale Road

 
 So despite the long route today only 2 new Wainwright's were added to the tally which now stands at 125. Not sure where I'm heading next but weather permitting its likely to be a wild camp somewhere in either the western or northern fells.  

I have also done a very basic video of the summit views, more for my own amusement then anything else but the link is here if anyone wants a look http://youtu.be/Ea78l8Yo3n8