The Langdale Pikes, from Grasmere
This is one of Stuart Marshall's marathons, on a seriously hot day, so we started as early as possible and took lots of water - which again ran out half way round!  I have one of those water bladders, which are great except that there is no indication of how much water is left until you start sucking on air.  But I knew there was a lovely tarn on the way back, and it had some equally lovely water to keep me going.  I was actually greatly looking forward to the walk, since from previous experience we were going to have some wonderful views and interesting walking, and I was not disappointed.

Here are some pictures (click on any picture for a larger version):
This is not one of those walks which project you vertically for the first 30 minutes.  There's a nice, gentle stroll out of Grasmere across the edge of Easedale, with some great views of the fells to the north and east.  This, for example, is Helm Crag, which looks far more impressive from this angle than from the east or north.

Here you can see where we were last week: Seat Sandal on the left, joined to Fairfield by Grisedale Hause.  In front on the right is Stone Arthur.
Helm Crag joining the picture on the left.

As you start climbing Silver How, the views south open up.  This view includes Grasmere and Rydal Water.
Grasmere valley, with Stone Arthur on the other side in front of Fairfield and Great Rigg.

Rydal Water and beyond, from the top of Silver How.  This is usually a great place to relax and admire the views, but today it was possessed by hosts of flying ants.  By the end of the day I had concluded that flying ants recognise a summit as theirs, since that is where they congregated - except of course on the "top" of Thunacar Knott, which they quite rightly spurn (more of which later).
Having retreated sharply from the top of Silver How, we turned our attention to the prospect before us, as in this picture.  There in the distance are the Langdale Pikes.  We approach from the right, which is the path to Blea Rigg.

Before we set off for Blea Rigg, a last view of the eastern fells.
Great Langdale, with the Pikes on the right, Crinkle Crags in the centre and Pike o' Blisco on the left

A closer view of Harrison Stickle and Pavey Ark
On the right of the path you can see Easedale Tarn below Blea Rigg.  Tarn Crag, our last fell of the day, rises up on the other side of the tarn.

A triangular stone forms the top of a cairn on the way to Blea Rigg.  Windermere in the distance.
The top of Blea Rigg.

Harrison Stickle across Stickle Tarn.  Kindly note the helicopter down left!  Not an emergency this time - just transporting stones for a new path - but you never know what it will be called upon to do tomorrow...

If you haven't picked up on why I am walking the Wainwrights, it is to raise money for one of these helicopters - click here for details
And Pavey Ark.  Click on the picture and you can see Jack's Rake cutting up the face of Pavey Ark from right to left, and Easy Gully branching off it to the right, where it meets up with the easily visible (and much eroded) North Rake.  We are approaching from the right, to climb North Rake.

Looking down from the top of Pavey Ark.  Pictures limited again, due to ants...
A group of youngsters appreciating the views.  They were on a week-long guided adventure trip (walking, scrambling, climbing, canyoning, etc).  Wish I had started that young...

The path up to Harrison Stickle.
Pavey Ark from Harrison Stickle.  If you know where to look, you will see people on Jack's Rake.

Looking north from the top of Harrison Stickle,  High Raise is the highest point on the left, with Sergeant Man the small bump on the skyline to the right.  That bump totally dominates Easedale, out of sight below it to the right.
Loft Crag and Pike o' Stickle from Harrison Stickle.
By now it was HOT, and I found it quite difficult to get the dogs out of this pool.
Pike o' Stickle from the top of Loft Crag.

Looking down towards Windermere.
Pike o' Stickle.

Harrison Stickle, from Pike o' Stickle.
Looking down the scree gully to Langdale.

Loft Crag from Pike o' Stickle.
The dogs on top of Pike o' Stickle.

Loft Crag looking rather like a gorilla (?)
I refused on principle to take a picture of Thunacar Knott, which is basically featureless - or, in AW's words, "quite deficient in interest", where "quite" means "completely".  On Pavey Ark I met a couple who asked me the way to Thunacar Knott.  I naturally assumed they were doing the Wainwrights, since no sane person otherwise asks that question.  But no, some warped individual had given them a route from Grasmere which had Thunacar Knott as the key objective!  No wonder they couldn't find it...

 This is the less than awe-inspiring view north from the "summit", to High Raise, on the left, and Sergeant Man, on the right.

Having arrived at the top of Sergeant Man, and looked over the edge, everything changes!  This is Easedale, of which Sergeant Man is king.  Blea Rigg can be seen to the right, Easedale Tarn straight ahead (but we're not going there).
From further down Easedale.

.This is not Easedale, but Codale, Tarn - a delightful place hidden in the northern folds of Easedale - and where I was able to re-fill my water bladder  (which may have influenced my high opinion of the spot).
Codale Tarn again.

Codale Tarn glittering in the afternnoon sun.  This picture was taken from near the top of Tarn Crag, our last stop of the day.
Easedale Tarn from near the top of Tarn Crag

Looking back at the Langdale Pikes from the top of Tarn Crag
And down towards Grasmere.

Twice I have descended from Tarn Crag into Easedale, and twice I have lost my way, finishing on both occasions in some very long and enveloping bracken.  You can see the kind of thing I mean...
However we managed to extricate ourselves (this is the royal "we", since the dogs didn't realise there was a problem), we found the main path down to Grasmere.  This is the little cascade - which usually is more impressive, but in a heatwave, what can you do?

This is where we started about 8 hours ago: Silver How.  Grasmere is off to the left.
At the end of the path from Easedale, where it meets the little tarmac road, there is a little café which I thoroughly recommend - it's in the right place, for a start!

And this is their view, from the front door:  Tarn Crag, on the right, and Sergeant Man in the distance.

If you would like to sponsor me and the dogs in our quest to walk all the Wainwrights for the Great North Air Ambulance Service, please click here - and thank you for your generosity!