Steel Fell, Calf Crag & Helm Crag

NY336076 From the minor crossroads by the Heaton Cooper art gallery in Grasmere, walk north-west up Easedale Road for 850m, past YHA on right, and fork right on lane at Goody Bridge. Walk ahead for 1.1km and fork left by the bridge over the River Rothay.

NY331095 Cross the next bridge and immediately fork left on a narrow lane at Ghyll

Foot, with tall trees on the left.

After

300m, uphill, go through the gate by the last house – you are now on access land. Follow the wall on the right and go through a gap in the next wall, then through the next gate. The path crosses open slopes and rises to a wall with gate. The path now rises more steeply up the obvious south-east ridge of Steel Fell, with the crags of Cotra Breast falling on the right. Pass a couple of rocky outcrops on the way to the summit cairn, from where there are good views down to Thirlmere and across to Helvellyn and Fairfield.

NY319111 Turn left to follow the line of a fence to walk around the head of Greenburn Bottom. The fence, which marks the former boundary of Westmorland and Cumberland, becomes old and intermittent after 400m but remains a guide as you cross damp ground by a few small tarns. The fence bends south-west and, just before it turns sharp right near Brownrigg Moss, walk south for 150m to the small cairn on Calf Crag.

NY301104 Now turn east along the bumpy ridge, skirt Pike of Carrs and continue on a path which winds past rocky knolls for 2km to Gibson Knott. A cairn can be found just to the north of the path. The ridge twists south-east down to Bracken Hause and then climbs to Helm Crag. The north-western protuberance, called ‘the Howitzer’, is the true summit but requires an optional airy scramble. It’s also been called ‘the old lady playing the organ’ but you might need to look at it from several angles to spot that one. (Wainwright gave it a miss – so don’t worry if you’re not up to it). The southern outcrop, prominent in views from Grasmere, is wellknown as ‘the Lion

and the Lamb’.

NY326093 Leave the top by walking south-east along the ridge and join the well-worn path which bends right, past a cairn, to zigzag downhill around White Crag. Continue down to a wall, turn right and follow the track to a junction. Turn left, go through a gate and walk on to meet the lane.

NY327084 Turn left and follow this back into Grasmere village.

Looking down the south-east ridge of Steel Fell, with Helm Crag in the centre. The rock outcrop known as ‘the Howitzer’ marks the true summit of Helm Crag – Steel Fell can be seen in the background.