Far Easedale & Sour Milk Gill

Helm Crag

Today's walk started not at all promising, the wind and rain as we left the car chilled us to the bone. From Pye Lane in Grasmere we walked along the A591 until we could leave the traffic behind to cross fields and stepping stones to reach the lane which runs under Helm Crag. The rain became heavier, full waterproofs required, turning off to pass the old YHA of Thorney How. The narrow lane brings you onto the trade route up Far Easedale, which we followed, much against the flow of pilgrims on the C-to-C. We had lunch before the bridge, then crossed it and climbed over the shoulder of Tarn Crag to arrive at the top of Sour Milk Gill. The sun was now shining and things were warming up nicely. The path was quiet amazingly, looking down to the foot of the falls a new "posh"bridge has been built. Upon closer inspection it appears that the area has been prepared for some sort of archaeological dig, I would guess that perhaps there has been an iron bloomery here. (Nothing I can find on the internet) I must have walked past here hundreds of times over the last 50 years, and never noticed anything! Our route back took us back to the car via the grounds of Allan Bank and the delights of "Cotswold Rock Bottom", always dangerous.

Sour Milk Gill