Great Crag, Grange Fell and King’s How

We take the bridge over Stonethwaite Beck and then pick up the Cumbria Way and head south and deeper into Stonethwaite. Once past Stonethwaite Bridge we pick up a steep path through the woods that runs close to Willygrass Gill. This is the one steep ascent of the walk with a pull-up of 250 meters. Once past the woodland the gradient eases and we come out into the heathery moorland.

The route makes a brief stop at Dock Tarn which is a lovely body of water surrounded by lumpy and heathery tumps and crags. From there we pick up a few trods to reach the top of the Great Crag coming in 440 meters and the highest point of the walk. At the summit most of the highest points of the Lake District can be seen: Skiddaw, Blencathra, Helvellyn and Scafell. There is also a direct view of Seathwaite valley and Honister Pass.

There is a brief descent and a gradual one as we head north to reach the path connecting Rosthwaite and Watendlath, after this is a gradual ascent to Grange Fell and one of the tops: Brund Fell (415 meters). Now Brund Fell is not the high point (that is Ether Knott, 419 meters, and a kilometre northeast) but it is the Wainwright top and this is sufficient. The views on top of Grange Fell are almost similar to Great Crag, except Skiddaw is more prominent and part of Derwent Water can be seen.

The best is yet to come when we follow a series of paths that leave Brund Fell and head over to King’s How (392 meters high). Of the three hills it is King’s How which has perhaps the best views for the entirety of Derwent Water can be seen.

For the descent we follow a winding path that skirts around the edge of the woods. This path becomes very steep – though there are stepping stones – as it cuts through the woods. When it levels out we head for Cummacatta Wood and the B5289. Thankfully there is a verge running parallel to the road which is wide enough to walk on. We stick to this for a few hundred meters until turning left and going over the two stone bridges which lead into Grange.

At Grange we stop at Grange Café, a very good spot, for either a late lunch or refreshments. After this it’s back over the stone bridges, along the road for a brief bit, and then from Cummacatta Car Park we pick up a path through the woodland and come to the last great sight of the walk: the great Bowder Stone.

For the last bit of the walk we’re briefly on the road again until entering Frith Wood which we walk through until intersecting once more the Rosthwaite-Watendlath path. After that it is an easy 5 minutes stretch back to the start point.

Attending: Please fill out the Registration Form [found on the webpage] to join by 10pm on Saturday 14 March if you are coming on this walk. If this doesn’t work then please contact the walk leader, Miles, on 07842 783319 (text or phone, WhatsApp, or message on Facebook (Miles Saunders-Priem)). When you register online, I will reply within 24 hours.