Would it be the Lion, the Lamb… and the Chicken?

Day 9 - Friday, 20 March. For the first time this week I’ve got some company – Val has found time in her busy schedule for a day’s walk, and Mike is back as well. So as not to have too strenuous a day we decided on a round from Grasmere consisting of Steel Fell, Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag, aka The Lion And The Lamb.

In cool, cloudy conditions we were soon on top of Steel Fell (1811’) but unable to see much. Then it’s an easy path to Calf Crag (1762’) where the weather began to clear. When this happens it always seems to happen quickly, and within a few minutes we were bathed in sunshine, looking down on RAF jet fighters doing their training runs. They may be disturbing the peace but they’re always spectacular.

It being Friday, there were plenty of walkers about, taking advantage of the glorious weather. The ridge walk to Gibson Knott (1379’) gave us chance to have a look across at Tarn Crag, which we did the previous Sunday, and at Steel Fell which we were unable to see much of a couple of hours earlier.

Then it was on to the final top, Helm Crag (1299’): viewed from the road this has a striking top – a 25’ high rock outcrop - often called ‘The Howitzer’ - which Wainwright describes as “brought underfoot only by precarious manoeuvres of the body”. I’ve been up Helm Crag before but I’ve never climbed to the very top: this time was different, however, as I’m honour-bound so to do. I can inform readers that the rock-climbing involved to reach the pinnacle is not all that difficult. Getting back down again is a very different matter, and had me worried a couple of times! That's me at the top. The other fella is not connected with any mountain rescue organisation.

Back at the car before 3 o’clock Mike had the bright idea of climbing Seat Sandal to make the big Grisedale circuit a bit easier. I looked at it and decided that it could wait – I was ready for a relatively easy day, so I have to confess that after a shower and a change we enjoyed a couple of pints in the Hole i'th Wall in Bowness before dinner and an early night!