Great Carrs, Grey Friar & Swirl How

As it was a Tuesday morning in February, I had the choice of the few parking spaces on the road between Great and Little Langdale - This one is not far from the NT Car Park at Blea Tarn.

Soon I was heading downhill along the lane with views of Wetherlam ahead of me.

Crossing River Brathay on a very small packhorse bridge as I leave the Wrynose Pass road.

The track took me past this lovely country cottage which I guess is for holiday visitors now.

Lingmoor Fell and Little Langdale Tarn.

The route I'm taking today takes a sharp right towards the Greenburn Valley.

Looking northwards, I can just see the Langdale Pikes between Wrynose Fell and Lingmoor.

Time to cross Greenburn Beck.

The walk up Wet Side Edge is a delight - it so merits frequent stops to look over to Wrynose and all the other surrounding fells. Little Langdale Tarn can still be seen as I climb higher on this very broad and safe edge.

Cold Pike and Pike of Blisco with the Wrynose/Hard Knott pass road winding it's way upwards below

Wetherlam to my left.

It took quite a while for me to climb up Wet Side Edge, but the weather was pleasant and the views lovely, so the walk was proving to be a great one. However, it looks like there may be some cloud cover when I reach Little Carrs which can be seen up ahead with it's craggy eastern face.

Yes, the wind and rain soon whipped up and it was waterproofs on and camera away. My next photo was to be at the summit of Great Carrs - and for an hour or so I was in the clag with all the views that I had been enjoying, gone.

I had Grey Friar all to myself - in fact, I hadn't seen another walker all day - what an amazing place to be - in a country with nearly 70 million inhabitants and you are the only one on a whole mountain. Quite remarkable, anyway - I stopped to enjoy a hot coffee and some lunch with the 'Matterhorn Rock' nearby.

Grey Friar summit cairn.

On my return to the col between Grey Friar and Great Carrs I had a decision to make ? - Straight on and back to Great Carrs, left to miss the Great Carrs summit and pick up the route back to the car or right and to head in the direction of Swirl How. I chose the latter and headed off to visit Swirl How.

Patches of snow remained on the fell side as you neared 800m on Swirl How.

Picking up the main path between Brim Fell and Swirl How in the gloom.

Swirl How summit.

A moment to stop and pay respects at the small memorial to the eight airmen who lost their lives in a Halifax Bomber crash in 1944. Some wreckage remains at this crash site between Swirl How and Great Carrs.

Below the cloud and the views gradually return as I head back down Wet Side Edge for a short while.

A left turn at the cairn and a quick descent down to the Wrynose Pass road.

Three Shires Stone.

Rather than heading directly back to the car, I decided to take a path to Blea Tarn and visit this stunning beauty spot before calling it a day.

The picturesque path to Blea Tarn

Blea Tarn - or if you like, 'the opening scene with someone swimming in the tarn with the Langdale Pikes in view'

Truly a beautiful and serene place to end a great walk in the lakes.

Lingmoor ahead as I make my way back to the car - time to put some music on and drive 100 miles -tired, but happy.