Day 3 - Rosthwaite to Grasmere

The day, fortunately, started off clear and bright again with the possibility of more hot sunshine later.  We'd stayed the night in a comfortable guest house just outside of Rosthswaite.  Rachel Dunkerley the owner kept Polly the Parrot in a cage in the garden.  This thing was adept at mimicking the local bird population, even the cuckoo was part of its repertoire!  As for wolf whistles, it was embarassing sitting in the garden when anyone walked past on the road!  Here she is:

After another early breakfast the Trio set off for Grasmere.  The route would take them along Stonethwaite Valley, an offshoot of Borrowdale Valley, then, following Greenup Gill they'd climb to Greenup Edge. There they'd have a choice of  descending on an easy path to Grasmere or take a harder route over Calf Crag, Gibson Knott then on to Helm Crag.  They're not called the "Intrepid Trio" for nothing.  They of course chose the harder route!

At the start I'd suggested an easy, shorter way to Greenup Gill so they decided to go that way.

This way wasn't quite the true Wainwright Route and after a bit of ribbing from me that they were cheating, they took the huff and decided to go the other way!

Below is the first part of the path taking them to Greenup Gill.  It follows a stone wall so their view across the valley was a bit restricted.  My way would have been more scenic!

Their route goes up the valley to the left of the crag shown in the photo above.  Greenup Gill flows down this valley and here's a view of it looking back towards Stonethwaite and Borrowdale:-

They eventually got to the point where they would go left towards Helm Crag.  A good place to ask a passerby to take a group photo!

Below is Helm Crag, their next objective. Reached by taking the path to the left of the photo above :-

and here they are walking along the ridge towards it:-

Meanwhile I'd driven to Grasmere, parked at Glenthorne Guest House, donned my walking boots and climbed to the top of Helm Crag to wait for them.  This is the ridge along which they would eventually come:- 

Here they are! Striding out as if they're fresh as daisies!

 

Head down and go for it!

When they got to the top they were rewarded with a wonderful view over Grasmere with Lake Windermere in the distance:-

 

Coming off Helm Crag on the Grasmere side is not the easiest of paths:-

and Joe decided walking poles might help:

 

It might be a grassy slope where he and Chris are standing but it soon became a stony difficult track:-

You might think going down was easy but a breather was needed from time to time!:-

  

By the way, this is me, looking pleased that we were down at last and not too far away from our hotel!

  

MORE TOMORROW!