Stone Arthur, Great Rigg & Fairfield - Friday 28 February 2025
Route
Grasmere - A591 - Stone Arthur - Great Rigg - Fairfield - Grisedale Hause - Hause Riggs - Little Tongue - Mill Bridge - Grasmere
Parking
Plenty of parking in Grasmere (Pay & Display). The walk can also be started from the large lay by on the right hand side of the A591 as the road enters Grasmere from the north. The Grid Reference is NY 33772 08543 and the nearest postcode is LA22 9RG.
Mileage
7.7 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths throughout
Weather
Sunny for the most part and mild temperatures in the valleys. There was much snow on Fairfield and therefore it was quite cold on the ridges. Visibility was generally very good although we did get some low cloud on Fairfield. With this in mind, it is well known that Fairfield is a very confusing place to be in low cloud therefore the ability to navigate is paramount. Today was a classic example of the difference in conditions between valley & summit.
Time Taken
4hrs 45mins
Total Ascent
3316ft (1011m)
Wainwrights
3
Map
OL5 - The English Lakes - North Eastern Area
Walkers
Dave & Angie
Grasmere - A591 - Stone Arthur - Great Rigg - Fairfield - Grisedale Hause - Hause Riggs - Little Tongue - Mill Bridge - Grasmere
Parking
Plenty of parking in Grasmere (Pay & Display). The walk can also be started from the large lay by on the right hand side of the A591 as the road enters Grasmere from the north. The Grid Reference is NY 33772 08543 and the nearest postcode is LA22 9RG.
Mileage
7.7 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths throughout
Weather
Sunny for the most part and mild temperatures in the valleys. There was much snow on Fairfield and therefore it was quite cold on the ridges. Visibility was generally very good although we did get some low cloud on Fairfield. With this in mind, it is well known that Fairfield is a very confusing place to be in low cloud therefore the ability to navigate is paramount. Today was a classic example of the difference in conditions between valley & summit.
Time Taken
4hrs 45mins
Total Ascent
3316ft (1011m)
Wainwrights
3
Map
OL5 - The English Lakes - North Eastern Area
Walkers
Dave & Angie
GPX Files
From 1 March 2025 GPX files will not be available directly from the walk page as there is difficulty in using a downloadable version from the website. To that end, if you require a GPX File please get in touch via the Contact Form below and we will gladly forward it to you - thank you.
From 1 March 2025 GPX files will not be available directly from the walk page as there is difficulty in using a downloadable version from the website. To that end, if you require a GPX File please get in touch via the Contact Form below and we will gladly forward it to you - thank you.
Route Map
Early morning in Grasmere is the best time to be here as it is blissfully quiet. Looking up Broadgate with today's first destination of Stone Arthur providing the perfect backdrop. We made the route up as we went along today and left the village with the idea of climbing Stone Arthur then seeing what the conditions were like on the western side of the Fairfield Horseshoe.
Silver How from Broadgate
Seat Sandal and its southern face from Broadgate. Little did we know it at the time but we would be returning to Grasmere via the Little Tongue path below the southern face.
Helm Crag & Steel Fell from Rothay Bridge with the River Rothay below
The Swan Hotel and the A591 which we will cross and then head up the lane to the right
The lane up the side of The Swan eventually leads to a way marked access lane signed to Greenhead Gill & Alcock Tarn
The access lane continues gently uphill with sumptuous properties on one side and the tumbling waters of Greenhead Gill on the other
The lane reaches a gate and once through it a signpost to either Stone Arthur our Alcock Tarn - we were off to the left
Almost immediately the gradient steepens as the path contours the side of a small plantation
Looking back to the plantation and what a view back to Grasmere and beyond
Helm Crag, Greenburn & Steel Fell
The path levels out for a short while as it crosses a ford over an unnamed gill then steepens once more
Greenhead Gill lurks in the shadows below as we gain in height - the views back to Grasmere really open out as height is gained
The path continues along the lower flanks of Stone Arthur and High Raise & The Langdale Pikes now come into view
Continuing our ascent and for the second day on the trot Angie was having a "no rucksack" kind of day - I had everything we needed
The path becomes a grassy swathe as Stone Arthur's summit comes into view
Heron Pike from the approach to Stone Arthur
The rocky outcrop that marks the summit of Stone Arthur
Alcock Tarn & Grasmere Water from Stone Arthur with Loughrigg Fell centre left
Leaving Stone Arthur we made our way up the ridgeline to join the western side of the Fairfield Horseshoe just below Great Rigg
Lots of rocky outcrops on the connecting ridge with great views like this one over towards Langdale
Looking back to Stone Arthur with Grasmere Water below
A USAF C130 makes its way from the south to head down over Thirlmere (Click Play to view)
Seat Sandal as we near the top of the connecting ridge. The chap to the left was a local farmer who was gathering his sheep.
Nearly up on the Fairfield Horseshoe now as we head to Great Rigg - looks like we are in for some low cloud
However looking back towards Stone Arthur the weather was still glorious
The Rydal Valley with Heron Pike over to the right
Stone Arthur behind Angie as we join the ridge between Heron Pike & Great Rigg
Approaching the summit of Great Rigg
The summit cairn on Great Rigg known as Greatrigg Man - the actual summit is a little further on. By now the cloud was well and truly enveloping us.
Seat Sandal from Great Rigg
Fairfield to the right is now totally enveloped in cloud as we leave Great Rigg
Dropping into the col below Fairfield - by this time the cloud was drifting in and out and we thought we were going to get away with it. Would the low cloud be simply fleeting and go away.....................
................ well would it........................?
No it bloody wouldn't - hey ho, you win some you lose some
Approaching the summit of Fairfield
Low cloud respite came and went and it felt as though the weather was teasing us a bit
The summit of Fairfield
Deepdale Hause and the sloping ridge to St Sunday Crag
We departed Fairfield's summit and turned to the west to make our descent to Hause Gap. As I stated in the walk preamble, the summit of Fairfield is an extremely confusing place in low cloud therefore the ability to navigate is vital. A few minutes after this pic was taken we were approached by a bloke (in jeans and no rucksack) who asked us where the summit of Fairfield was. His Mrs, who was fifty yards behind him didn't look too impressed.
Thankfully out of the low cloud as we descend from Fairfield to Grisedale Hause with Seat Sandal looking glorious
A panorama of Seat Sandal, Grisedale Tarn and Dollywaggon Pike
Dollywaggon Pike with the remainder of the Helvellyn range in cloud
Looking down Grisedale to Birkhouse Moor on the left, St Sunday Crag over to the right and Ullswater beyond
Approaching Grisedale Tarn - our path would be heading over to the left to join the Coast to Coast route coming up from Grasmere
The lower part of our route of descent from Fairfield
The path reaches Grisedale Hause at Grid Reference NY 34908 11681
The Coast to Coast route coming up from Grasmere. We could have taken this path back to the start but fancied a different way back today.
Looking back to Grisedale Hause
At Grid Reference NY 34839 11173 the path splits. The Coast to Coast path continues on to the left however we would be heading to the right on the less trodden path back to Grasmere via Hause Riggs & Little Tongue.
Shafts of light through the clouds as we look down our descent via Little Tongue
Heading above the crags & ridges of Hause Riggs
Crossing Little Tongue Gill
Our route of descent - Seat Sandal over to the left, Little Tongue centre & Great Tongue over to the right
Little Tongue Gill meets Tongue Gill at a footbridge above Tongue Gill Force. The Coast to Coast path is coming in from the left - we would be crossing the footbridge and heading down the walled lane back to Grasmere.
Tongue Gill Hydro
The Hydro produces more than 450MWh of renewable electricity each year, enough to supply 150 homes. The project is the brainchild of business partners Bev Dennison and Jo Dennison Drake, who sold their local farm to finance the scheme. Work began in 2013 and was completed in 2014. The Hydro features a 600 metre underground pipeline, with a turbine and transformer. It captures rainfall from a wide catchment area which means the generator is often working at full capacity, before the water continues down the wooded ravine and over waterfalls to join the River Rothay. As can be seen, the whole project blends into the landscape because care was taken to recycle the stone to create the walls and banking, and the roof of the powerhouse is at the same level as the footpath with planting on top.
The Hydro produces more than 450MWh of renewable electricity each year, enough to supply 150 homes. The project is the brainchild of business partners Bev Dennison and Jo Dennison Drake, who sold their local farm to finance the scheme. Work began in 2013 and was completed in 2014. The Hydro features a 600 metre underground pipeline, with a turbine and transformer. It captures rainfall from a wide catchment area which means the generator is often working at full capacity, before the water continues down the wooded ravine and over waterfalls to join the River Rothay. As can be seen, the whole project blends into the landscape because care was taken to recycle the stone to create the walls and banking, and the roof of the powerhouse is at the same level as the footpath with planting on top.
Tongue Gill cascades down to Mill Bridge and will shortly join the River Rothay
No time I'm afraid - Angie & I had an appointment with a Cream Tea in Grasmere
Entering Grasmere via the A591
Cream Tea at The Inn at Grasmere - and very nice it was too