Route: Stone Arthur, Great Rigg and Heron Pike
Area: Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 19th September 2013
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 7.6 miles
Ascent: 2,400 feet
It rained all morning and I’d more or less abandoned any hopes of a walk, but in the afternoon it cleared up just enough to drive over to Grasmere and climb Stone Arthur, which I’d not visited for many years
I parked in the centre of the village and after a short section alongside the A591 I turned off to climb up to Stone Arthur. At the top it’s apparent that the fell, which looks so impressive from valley level, is simply part of the ridge down from Great Rigg
I followed the ridge up to Great Rigg, then made the easy down and up to Heron Pike.
I then decided to visit Alcock Tarn, so made a pathless descent to it, and shortly after that I re-joined my original ascent path and walked back into Grasmere village, where I made the customary visit to Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread Shop. The weather had been overcast with occasional rain and wind gusts of up to 40 mph, but I’d still enjoyed my afternoon on these lovely fells
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Stone Arthur from the outskirts of Grasmere village
The start of the path up to Stone Arthur
Further along the attractive path
Looking back to Grasmere
Helm Crag
Easedale Tarn just out of shot, but enjoying the only sunshine around
….not for long though, as another band of rain crosses over
Bonnie
Summit of Stone Arthur not far off now
Looking back to Grasmere from Stone Arthur
Coniston
Summit of Great Rigg, looking towards Fairfield. I turn back at this point to head down to Heron Pike
The ridge to Heron Pike, with Windermere ahead
Further along the ridge
Looking back to Great Rigg and Fairfield
Rydal Beck
On the pathless but easy descent to Alcock Tarn, with Grasmere beyond
Alcock Tarn
Stone Arthur - it’s from here that the true nature of the fell is revealed, as part of the ridge down from Great Rigg
Bonnie - and Helm Crag again
Back down to Greenhead Gill
Back in Grasmere, it’s time for treats!
