Rosthwaite to Grasmere 9 1/4 Miles.
Today was the day I got a twenty six year old monkey off my back. Twenty six years ago, crossing from Rosthwaite to Grasmere I got Gary lost on Greenup Edge, it was a wet and cloudy day with zero visibility and after wandering around lost for an hour or two we dropped down into, believe it or not, the Langdale valley. It was a long walk to Grasmere that day and I have never forgotten it. Today though was clear and sunny and I achieved the redemption I was longing for.
Leaving Rosthwaite behind, the path heads first up Stonethwaite Beck and then Greenup Gill heading for Lining Crag. Any pretence at keeping my feet dry vanished after about an hour as there has been so much rain that the footpaths are really mini streams. It doesn’t help that my boots are on their last legs with a couple of split seams. Still, its only water and I was reluctant to change boots just before a long walk. These 200 miles though will certainly see them expire. The path climbs steadily, following to the left of Greenup Gill with some impressive waterfalls in full spate to admire on the way. As you reach the top of the Gill, around a corner, Lining Crag comes into view, looking quite impressive up ahead on the fellside, so impressive in fact that when Gwen saw it she exclaimed “oh my goodness”.
The path up the Crag itself is steep and starts to the left of the stream flowing down the crag but then crosses over to the right before you reach the top. The stream was really a waterfall and there were still patches of snow dotted about. After a bit of effort we reached the top and there were good views to admire down the valley towards Rosthwaite and into Borrowdale. At the top of Lining Crag I made sure that I had a good long look at the path ahead of us leading to Greenup Edge as I didn’t want a repeat of twenty six years ago. The terrain is flattish and boggy with only a feint line of well spaced cairns to follow. Looking at it today in clear weather its not an easy path to follow, boggy and meandering with Wythburn on the left and Langstrath on the right to fall into should you miss the objective of Far Easedale so I’ll forgive myself for missing it in the mist all those years ago. No mistakes today though and after a boggy trudge following the line of cairns we crossed over Greenup Edge, avoided Wythburn going off to the left and reached the head of Far Easdale and our route to Grasmere. So far I’ve not mentioned the wind, which again was significant today, probably Gale Force strength at the high point of Greenup Edge and making it difficult to stand up at times. The amount of energy expended on just standing up was pretty tiring so, although short on miles it certainly didn’t feel like an easy day.
By way of compensation, the walk down Far Easedale was lovely. Gwen and I stopped at the footbridge at Stythwaite Steps for a while basking in the sunshine (and drying my feet off!) and then it was an easy walk down to Butharlyp Hostel. We dropped our rucksacks at the hostel and walked into Grasmere to enjoy coffee and cake at Grasmere Tea Rooms in the late afternoon sun. There is a little group of Coast to Coasters gathering, three guys who we met in our B&B on day one are in the hostel tonight and Vanetta and Gabriel rolled in just after 7pm, all credit to them for doing the walk in Gale Force winds today. We finished the day off with a pint (or two) in Tweedies bar, another favourite. A very satisfying day on many levels, not getting lost being the main one but also starting to find our walking legs and the afternoon sun was the perfect end to the day.
For map and route details of this walk click ‘Learn more’ below
