Silver How

A cold wintry day, quite foggy as we drove from Staveley to Grasmere. Parked at near the Garden centre and had the obligatory coffee in the newly refurbished cafe there. We took the road from Grasmere to Elterwater and after a few hundred yards took a foot path left heading up the slopes of Silver How. The day was crisp and cold, the higher peaks to the east were blanketed with a bright covering of snow lit by the low sun in a light blue sky. An easy path gained height gradually bending left and soon contouring above a wall heading south. As the wall fell away at a junction of paths we took our usual route turning back on ourselves, up a steep gully previously a scree slog but now we were impressed by a much welcomed path had been constructed. Last time we we were here the route was lined with 'Helibags' full of boulders for path making. Near the top of the gully we took a rest admiring the view across Grasmere to the white snow clad summit of Heron Pike contrasting with the fog, clinging to the valley floor over Windermere. Views like this infrequent but breathtakingly beautiful.
There were a few couples at the top of Silver How and being such a glorious day we set straight down along the broad ridge and stopped for sandwiches under Lang How sitting in the weak sunshine from the south. Continuing west towards Blea Rigg my plan was to take this in before descending to Easdale. However it seemed to take for ever crossing the undulations to Blea Rigg having crossed Castle Rigg we very nearly had our first real argument on all of these walks. The light was getting ldim the sun lower and lower in the sky and the temperature dropping. Eventually and probably I have to admit correctly, we made the decision to descend to Easdale tarn missing out Blea Rigg. A soon as we dropped into the shadows on the north flank of the ridge the path became icy, the biting cold stung on our face and bodies depite our winter gear. This felt like proper winter walking. We were glad for a rest at the tarn before completing the circuit down to Grasmere, still in daylight. (which made me have one little moan that we could really have taking in Blea Rigg as well!)

Time 4hrs 30mns
Grade Excellent

Memories

• Snow capped tops, fog bound valleys


• Icy cold descent

Completed 69 To go 145