Monday 28 February 2011

Eagle Crag and Sergeant Crag

An early start had me a parking place in Stonethwaite  in front of the
postbox.

Adrian, a friend at work had done this walk a couple of weeks back and I remembered that last time I did it there were a couple of ponds full of frog spawn.

The forecast was better for the Sunday but as is the way of these things I was tied to the Saturday.  So I trudged up the valley in the flat light of a cloudy day.










The route from here appears to be impossible as it goes up the front of the crags in the picture above. The secret is to go up the fell to the col between Bleak How and the fell behind.  There is a series of ramps and ledges to the top.  Having said that the path does swing off right at the top and a more 'interesting' direct route can be made up the top tier.



The top has a wonderful slab of rock that makes a grand picnic table in summer.  At this point a few bright intervals were appearing in the clouds.  Off to the next peak, Sergeant's Crag.



View to Bowfell /Esk Pike.

 Just down from the next summit are two small tarns which I can't see on the OS map.  I'm sure others will spot them straight away.  I was here in the past when the tarns and the surrounding grass were covered in frog spawn.  We spent half an hour rescuing it and putting it in the water.  Must be  bit early this year as no sign of anything.  Still it 's a good place to sit and contemplate the meaning of lif.


The descent is straightforwards down the side of Greenup Gill, in which, if you deviate from the path, there are some good waterfalls to see.


No frog spawn , but I did see four buzzards, one red squirrel and a hare.

3 comments:

afootinthehills said...

That's a lovely walk and I especially remember Eagle Crag during my early rock climbing years. Maybe I'll get down to the
Lakes this year in the autumn and

Happy memories!

Greg said...

Impressed that you climbed on it cos it looks terrifying.
Where's that photo taken on the top of your blog , it looks great?

afootinthehills said...

The photograph on the blog is of A'Mhaighdean (Fuar Loch Mor below it) - often referred to as 'the remotest Munro'- in the Letterewe Forest east of Poolewe and is taken from Beinn a' Chaisgein Mor (Corbett). You can find photos of the trip at afootinthehills.smugmug.com

Yes, I always thought the climbing on Eagle Crag was quite serious compared with even the likes of Lower Falcon.