Area: Central Fells, Lake District
Probably the dullest hill in the Lakes, High Raise famously occupies a very central position. After yesterday's race, and a poor night's sleep in the van, the legs were unwilling this morning. Shame, as this terrain was mostly new to me, indeed I'd never even been up High Raise. For that matter, I don't think I've ever visited Easedale Tarn either, so incorporated it into the day, first taking the road towards Helm Crag that E and I did a couple of years ago. At Toddle Howe, a delightful track along the banks of Easedale Beck leads gently towards a short climb along Sour Milk Gill to gain the hidden cwm containing the tarn, which is very pretty. The sun came out at this point and the dappled landscape back down to Grasmere and over to Fairfield and yesterday's race route was lit to perfection, still fairly early in the morning. The climb up towards Belles Knott and the upper valley was tiring, my legs really suffering after yesterday. But eventually I got to the main watershed (with Langdale on the other side) and the terrain was kinder to my legs up to the rocky outcrop of Sergeant Man. The entire district is visible from here. Some peaks were a bit claggy, especially Helvellyn across the valley. But Scafell Pike, Bowfell, Coniston and the Langdales were clear, bringing back many happy memories since my first Lake District hillwalking trip in 1988! An easy plod over dull moorland to the vague top of High Raise, just a swelling really, with this area feeling more like the Pennines. I took a direct line back over pathless terrain (awkward around Birks Gill) to eventually gain the main path down Far Easedale which is the valley below Helm Crag and Gibson Knott. I trotted down this to pick up the lanes back down to the hostel.
