Fairfield, Great Rigg & Heron Pike - Thursday 28 December 2017
Route
Traveller's Rest - Hause Moss - Grisedale Hause - Fairfield - Great Rigg - Heron Pike - Greenhead Gill - Traveller's Rest
Parking
The Traveller's Rest Pub Car Park on the A591 - Grid Ref NY336089
(Please discuss parking with the pub staff - they are happy for you to use the Car Park as long as you visit the pub on completion of your walk). Their parking fee (currently £5) can be deducted from the purchase of drinks.
Mileage
7.6 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths for the most part. Sections of the route were icy underfoot therefore care needed to be taken. The ascent to Fairfield from Grisedale Hause and along the summit ridge to Heron Pike was covered in snow. The path marked on the OS Map from Heron Pike down to Greenhead Gill is extremely vague and could not be located in snowy conditions. As to whether the path actually exists is another matter.
It should be noted that the summit of Fairfield is extremely confusing in mist.
Weather
Bitterly cold and sunny with light breezes on the summit ridge. Visibility was excellent.
Time Taken
7hrs 30mins
Total Ascent
3274ft (998m)
Wainwrights
3
Map
OL5 - The English Lakes - North Eastern Area
OL7 - The English Lakes (South Eastern Area)
Traveller's Rest - Hause Moss - Grisedale Hause - Fairfield - Great Rigg - Heron Pike - Greenhead Gill - Traveller's Rest
Parking
The Traveller's Rest Pub Car Park on the A591 - Grid Ref NY336089
(Please discuss parking with the pub staff - they are happy for you to use the Car Park as long as you visit the pub on completion of your walk). Their parking fee (currently £5) can be deducted from the purchase of drinks.
Mileage
7.6 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths for the most part. Sections of the route were icy underfoot therefore care needed to be taken. The ascent to Fairfield from Grisedale Hause and along the summit ridge to Heron Pike was covered in snow. The path marked on the OS Map from Heron Pike down to Greenhead Gill is extremely vague and could not be located in snowy conditions. As to whether the path actually exists is another matter.
It should be noted that the summit of Fairfield is extremely confusing in mist.
Weather
Bitterly cold and sunny with light breezes on the summit ridge. Visibility was excellent.
Time Taken
7hrs 30mins
Total Ascent
3274ft (998m)
Wainwrights
3
Map
OL5 - The English Lakes - North Eastern Area
OL7 - The English Lakes (South Eastern Area)
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GPX File
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Walk Description
Meeting old friends you have not seen for a few years is always a pleasant experience. Sharing a classic walk with them is even better. I had not seen Ian for over 25 years since we served together at HMS Raleigh in the early 90s - he was in the area with his chums from work therefore Angie & I drove out to Grasmere to meet up and walk over Fairfield in the Eastern Fells with him. Today's route would see us depart from The Traveller's Rest at Grasmere and ascend Fairfield via Grisedale Hause - once on the summit the plan was to transit over Great Rigg and either descend via Stone Arthur or carry on a bit further and come down via Heron Pike.
After a fair bit of snow and freezing conditions, the walk today would certainly be a challenge therefore we made sure we had the microspikes packed today but as it happens we did not need them - the terrain was mainly soft snow as the white stuff had not had a chance to compact itself yet. The visibility promised to be very good also as the various weather information sites stated cloud free summits - normally the kiss of death for any walk we have done before with that criteria. Therefore after Bacon Sandwiches & Tea we were off, heading down the A591 in the direction of Grasmere before turning north east to Winterseeds and the delightful path which delivered us to the base of Great Tongue and the meeting of Little & Tongue Gill. There are two options here for Grisedale Hause - either left to follow the path alongside Little Tongue Gill or right to pass above Tongue Gill. Our route today would be to the right, which is another delightful walk that undulates gently before steepening near Hause Moss to finally arrive at Grisedale Hause.
From the Hause the climbing starts with the path heading steeply and zig zagging to reach the summit plateau of Fairfield. The area is littered with cairns & shelters and in mist can be very confusing. Today our route to Great Rigg was clearly evident and we descended on the snowy surface to gain the summit where we continued on to Heron Pike, however there is always the option to return to Grasmere via Stone Arthur. On the summit of Heron Pike we turned west to try and find the path marked on the OS Map which should have taken us to Greenhead Gill - however the path has more than likely gone out of use as for the life of us we could not find it. Instead we made our way down, steeply on occasion to the gill as best we could and followed the path alongside it to eventually reach the A591. A great day out in fantastic conditions - hopefully as the pictures below will show.
After a fair bit of snow and freezing conditions, the walk today would certainly be a challenge therefore we made sure we had the microspikes packed today but as it happens we did not need them - the terrain was mainly soft snow as the white stuff had not had a chance to compact itself yet. The visibility promised to be very good also as the various weather information sites stated cloud free summits - normally the kiss of death for any walk we have done before with that criteria. Therefore after Bacon Sandwiches & Tea we were off, heading down the A591 in the direction of Grasmere before turning north east to Winterseeds and the delightful path which delivered us to the base of Great Tongue and the meeting of Little & Tongue Gill. There are two options here for Grisedale Hause - either left to follow the path alongside Little Tongue Gill or right to pass above Tongue Gill. Our route today would be to the right, which is another delightful walk that undulates gently before steepening near Hause Moss to finally arrive at Grisedale Hause.
From the Hause the climbing starts with the path heading steeply and zig zagging to reach the summit plateau of Fairfield. The area is littered with cairns & shelters and in mist can be very confusing. Today our route to Great Rigg was clearly evident and we descended on the snowy surface to gain the summit where we continued on to Heron Pike, however there is always the option to return to Grasmere via Stone Arthur. On the summit of Heron Pike we turned west to try and find the path marked on the OS Map which should have taken us to Greenhead Gill - however the path has more than likely gone out of use as for the life of us we could not find it. Instead we made our way down, steeply on occasion to the gill as best we could and followed the path alongside it to eventually reach the A591. A great day out in fantastic conditions - hopefully as the pictures below will show.
With Ian - a good friend and shipmate from my days in the Royal Navy.
Despite us not having seen each other for 25 years it was pleasing to see he had not changed - always got something to eat in his sticky mitt!
Despite us not having seen each other for 25 years it was pleasing to see he had not changed - always got something to eat in his sticky mitt!
Heading out of Grasmere via Winterseeds - Seat Sandal is ahead
Helm Crag
Approaching Great Tongue - Little Tongue Gill descends from the slopes of Seat Sandal.
Ahead at the Foot Bridge there are two options for Grisedale Hause - either go left to follow the path above Little Tongue Gill or right to pass above Tongue Gill.
Ahead at the Foot Bridge there are two options for Grisedale Hause - either go left to follow the path above Little Tongue Gill or right to pass above Tongue Gill.
Looking back towards Grasmere
The Coniston Fells over Silver How
A little further up the view widens to include the Coniston Fells to the left and the Langdale Pikes to the right
The Cascade, Tongue Gill
Nearing Grisedale Hause - it started to get a tad icy here but could be avoided
Gavel Crag on Seat Sandal
Looking across Hause Moss to the western ridge of Fairfield
Seat Sandal from Grisedale Hause
A glorious view of the North Western Fells
Fairfield's ascent in mono from Grisedale Hause
Another view of Seat Sandal from Fairfield's western ridge.
It took an absolute age to ascend the ridge as I had to keep stopping to look at this view
It took an absolute age to ascend the ridge as I had to keep stopping to look at this view
Fudge was loving all this snow
A panorama from the ridge taking in Seat Sandal, Grisedale Tarn & Dollywagon Pike
Dollywaggon Pike, Nethermost Pike, Striding Edge & Helvellyn
The inky blackness of Grisedale Tarn
Seat Sandal again - this time with a glorious backdrop of Lakeland Fells
It was approaching Fudge's dinner time but he just didn't care - snow was more important
Another glorious view of the Helvellyn Range
On the summit plateau of Fairfield looking to the Far Eastern Fells
A Fairfield summit panorama
With Fudge on Fairfield's summit
Worth the climb - just look at that
One of the many shelters on the summit of Fairfield
St Sunday Crag
Another Fairfield summit panorama
It is no secret that Fairfield's summit is extremely confusing in mist - today however, our route of descent to Great Rigg was evident.
Heading for Great Rigg
Just great up here today
Seat Sandal and an array of fells as we descend to Great Rigg
Looking down the valley towards Ambleside & Windermere
Looking across to Hart Crag
The view back to Fairfield from the approach to Great Rigg
The summit of Great Rigg
The path to Heron Pike with Windermere distant to the left. Glowing in the sun is Coniston Water with Rydal Water to the right
The head of the Fairfield Horseshoe
Superdog
This Raven hovered around the cairn on Heron Pike - clearly intent on a feed
Looking over High & Low Pike to Red Screes
On Heron Pike's summit - as you can see Reggie Raven has not given up
On the summit of Heron Pike
Making our way back to Grasmere from Heron Pike
Stone Arthur & Great Rigg
Down at Greenhead Gill