So, a year to the day that we went up Helm Crag the family was back in the lakes, staying in Kendal, and taking the opportunity to knock another Wainwright fell off the list.
As the whole family was in the lakes I looked for a fell that was not too high and had a "drop off" point if anyone had had enough. Tarn Crag near Easedale Tarn seemed to fit the bill.
There was a lot of traffic with people going up to the Tarn (see below).
Frankly who can blame them as for a little effort there is a great view once you're there. Also the path from Grasmere is obvious and well looked after so there is no chance of getting lost even if there was mist around.
Sour Milk Ghyll ( about half-way up).
Easedale Tarn with the sun trying to make an appearance!
Suitably refreshed after lunch we began the ascent to Tarn Crag - around 240m of climbing from the Tarn. The various maps and guides suggested there was a path but we struggled to find it, and the going was a little steep in places but you were rewarded with even lovelier views of the Tarn.
After a climb, and skirting around various bumps in the fell, we made a left turn and the top beckoned! But is it the left hand top or right? Frankly I wasn't sure. The GPS said one way but the outcrop in the middle of the picture looked highest so we went for that. And there is a cairn there!
Although it's not the biggest cairn I've ever seen!
Have I nodded off?
As you can see over my right shoulder there was a bit of mist rolling in so we didn't linger too long at the summit and headed back down. I don't normally bother with photos of the descent but it was not obvious at all. Whether that was lack of traffic up here or a wrong turning I don't know but the path of sorts was there one minute then gone the next. As you can see, "steady as she goes" was the order of the day!
So, as 2018 draws to a close I can look back on reaching the top of 39 fells in the year and 36 of them were with Theo. We now stand at 46 fells for me and 41 fells for him. What an achievement!
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