Above Grasmere

Beautiful weather here again today.... clear blue skies but with a real chill in the air. My current drug of choice, a run in the fells, was calling me. I needed to get my fix whilst we are still in my favourite part of the world. I found what looked like a lovely circuit, starting at Grasmere, heading up to Easedale Tarn, on up to the ridge that looks down to Stickle Tarn and a descent to Codale Tarn before returning to Grasmere.

The run up to Easedale Tarn was generally snow free but the tarn itself was sporting an icey coat. My route would take me up to Blea Rigg, the ridge in the distance...which I reached within an hour. The view back down to Easedale Tarn and Great Rigg in the distance was quite special.On up some gentle, consolidated snow slopes (zero avalanche risk here) to the ridge that looks down onto Stickle Tarn with Pavey Ark on the right - this could be the Ariège, don't you think?!
Taff was enjoying his outing
Then it was time to descend back down to Codale Tarn which was also under iceWe then had a steep descent (not entirely planned, but I took the wrong route from Codale Tarn!) back down to the north of Easedale Tarn and a trot across the bogs down in the valley that leads back down to Grasmere
I felt strong all the way around the circuit which turned out to be another 14km outing, a couple of kms less than if I had taken the correct descent off Codale. But the going had been harder and the ascent from Grasmere steeper than my two previous outings, so I was pleased with how I felt. Tomorrow will probably be a less energetic day but hopefully I can get in one last long outing on Thursday before we leave this special part of the world.