Route: Green Crag
Area: Southern Lake District
Date of walk: 9th September 2014
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 6.1 miles
Weather: Sunny at times but a lot of cloud cover. Warm
We parked at the Woolpack Inn (free but it’s only polite to buy a drink there after the walk) and crossed the River Esk via Doctor Bridge. An easy zig zagging path guided us through the crags ahead, and there followed a gentle uphill walk across very remote (and at times quite juicy) terrain until we reached the foot of Green Crag
There followed a short steep pull to the top, where we met two fellow walkers – the only people we’d encounter during the whole walk
We then descended towards Kepple Crag, following a faint path. It was a gradual and very easy way down with great views in all directions
Having made it back to the Woolpack Inn we paid for our parking by buying a couple of much needed drinks and then, suitably refreshed, headed back north reflecting on what a fantastic walk it had been
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The start of the walk - the Woolpack Inn Eskdale
The River Esk from Doctor Bridge
Doctor Bridge
Eskdale
On the zig zag path leading up the fellside
A view back to the Woolpack Inn over Crag Coppice
Looking towards the head of Eskdale
One of the old stone huts used for storing peat
Green Crag, looking quite challenging seen from here
Herdwick ewe and Harter Fell beyond
Low Birker Tarn
Green Crag ahead to the right of the picture
At the foot of the steeper section to the top (though it’s not difficult)
Summit cairn of Green Crag
Dramatic skies over the Duddon Estuary
Zooming in on the estuary
Now on the descent and looking back to Green Crag
Heading back down to Eskdale
Looking back over Low Birker Tarn towards the Irish Sea
A boggy section below which we avoid by heading left and then right along the foot of the slope
Traversing Keppel Crag
More ruins of old stone huts for peat storage are seen along this section
Bonnie
The head of Eskdale
Looking back to Harter Fell
Walking back towards Crag Coppice
Harter Fell
Penny Hill Farm
The lane back to Doctor Bridge
Back at the Woolpack Inn, we pay for our car parking ticket - what a bargain!
