Fairfield & Heron Pike
NY336076 From the centre of Grasmere, walk north along the road and pass the park on the right. Cross the bridge over the river and fork left on a lane to reach the A591. Cross the road and turn left for 500m.
NY336087 Take the tarmac track on the right, walk up to a couple of houses and keep ahead to join a right of way which bends through pasture and gates to join a farm track. On reaching Open Access land turn right, uphill, after 30m to a wall set amongst trees. Go through the gate and turn left to join a well-used path which runs between walls and passes through a gate after 650m. The valley now forks at the foot of Great Tongue but the path continues ahead, contours above a walled enclosure and soon runs parallel to Tongue Gill as wild mountain scenery rises on both sides. A few rivulets cross the path as it climbs towards attractive waterfalls below Hause Moss. A couple of sharp pulls will bring you to
Hause Gap with Grisedale Tarn in the bowl below Dollywaggon Pike. This is a great place for a break and a quick circuit on the paths around the tarn provides plenty of photo opps.
NY349116 Turn right at Hause Gap and take the well-used path alongside an old wall. This climbs steeply with several stony zigzags to the summit plateau of Fairfield, where a number of broad paths converge around a rough stone shelter.
NY358117 Walk south from the top on the path along the grassy ridge to Great Rigg. The views stretch to Morecambe Bay with the Coniston Fells to the right. Keep ahead, south and downhill, and when the ridge levels out carry on to Heron Pike. The valley of Rydal Beck tumbles away on the left with Windermere beyond.
NY355082 Continue south for around 300m and turn right to leave the path and choose a route, through some bracken in summer, down to a gate in the wall by the south end of
Alcock Tarn.
Walk over to the west shore and go north to another gate at the far end of the tarn – if you’ve got a spare hour here is a lovely spot for a picnic.
NY348080 Continue ahead – the path soon zigzags down towards the edge of a forestry plantation and contours along the north side of the trees before descending to a gate in the valley. The path meets a track by Greenhead Gill which meets a narrow lane after 250m. Turn left, cross the A591 and take the lane back into Grasmere.