After two weeks away climbing Pillar Rock and after work walks I find myself back into my campaign which today will see me collect nine Wainwright summits starting from Grasmere. It's been quite a while since I last planned a walk from this Lakeland hamlet going as far back before the floods hit back in December. The walks within this project are still very much weather reliant as the forecast still can't cusp those prolonged periods of dry weather that we are very much on the verge of and because of this, walks are still being planned around the forecast but hopefully not for much longer once summer settles in.

Todays route had been slightly altered due to collecting Sergeant Man back in January in favour of High Raise which back then, I simply couldn't summit due to deep snow and the shortened daylight hours, I had the thought of shall I just summit Sergeant Man anyway but I thought this may just confuse matters so I by-passed it under the watchful eyes of a few fellow walkers before traversing over the top of Coledale Head but before I get to that let me talk you through the route which today starts in the centre of Grasmere before heading out through Kelbarrow from where I'll gain my first summit of Silver How then continuing towards Blea Rigg via the Lang How ridge. From Blea Rigg I'll descend towards Stickle Tarn in full view of Pavey Ark and Jack's Rake, it's a steep but rewarding ascent towards Harrison Stickle with fine views back out over Great Langdale before continuing to collect both Loft Crag and Pike O'Stickle from where I had the choice to summit Pavey Ark or Thunacar Knott first, Thunacar won due to its workable logistics.

High Raise was next which was collected easily after leaving Pavey Ark first skirting the upper contours of Bright Beck with fine views opening up over the Langstrath Valley. Bowfell and Great End. From High Raise and with most of the hard work behind me all that was left was to collect Tarn Crag which over looks Easdale Tarn which before hand I had the idea of gaining its summit from Codale Head instead of the tried and tested route of Coledale Tarn, a decision which was equally rewarding before returning to Grasmere via Sourmilk Gill and the Easedale Road under what felt like a blazing afternoon sun, a walk that turned out to exceed expectations far better on foot than it did on paper.

Grasmere is only an hour and a half drive away from my house which meant I could allow myself a lie in setting my alarm for 05:30am and not the usual 04.45am, it's only three quarters of an hour I know but I sure benefited from the extra time in bed. I had been texting Tim the evening before and from the Motorway Services during this mornings drive up as Tim was competing in the Salomon 50k Ultra which started from Keswick's Crow Park at 06:00am

Besides wishing Tim good luck and the usial text chat Tim also gave me a weather forecast which was reported as still a bit gloomy but showed promise, by the time I reached Grasmere my sunglasses were out although I could see where Tim was coming from as the cloud, despite the warm temperatures was still clinging to surrounding summits around Grasmere, but this was not to last.

Grasmere was as quiet as expected and I parked easily at the top of Broadgate not far from its junction with the A591 and kitted up in the mild morning air, I don't know why I decided to throw my jacket on, perhaps just to take the bite away soon after leaving a warm car but I did anyway but my decision to do so was short lived soon opting to ditch it upon reaching a wooden gate at the Kelbarrow Plantation.

With my jacket rolled under the lid of my pack and feeling much more comfortable I head off through the gate not before stopping to look back on Grasmere where the surface looked just like a mill pond.

Once I had passed through the wooden gate the path rises steadily flanked by two stone walls before opening out onto open fell side, here the path is still prominent with views towards the first summit of the day in Silver How just up ahead.

It would seem that Spring and indeed Summer has well and truly sprung with the trees looking magnificent in all their glory, even the Bracken is starting to grow which I would imagine by this time next week is going to transform the look of the fell side all over Lakeland.

Todays route in order to gain Silver How is a first for me as in previous ascents I have always gained the summit via Wray Gill which first passes Allan Bank before a steady pull towards the summit, however, I thought I would try a different route which really appealed to me when I first penned the walk.

I'm not quite sure how long it took me to reach the summit from the foot of the path but it's been around an hour since I left the car and in that time I've experienced a warm sun with great views albeit within my proximity but it looks like for now I'm about to lose some light, and with it, that warm sun too.

On a clear day I should be able to see the Langdale Pikes up ahead but due to it being still relatively early the morning mist hasn't quite lifted which gives me a reason to knock it down a gear in order to allow the cloud to lift, after all just look at what I have ahead between here and Blea Rigg, it looks as good as it gets to me.

I had to talk my way out of an ascent via Jack's Rake despite only attempting it just the once the lure as I passed Stickle Tarn almost got the better of me, in fact, had today been a Saturday and tomorrow wasn't a school day I'm confident I would have gone for it, oh well never mind, as mentioned best stick to the job ahead.

When views from Stickle Tarn a distinctive 'Y' can be made out from the scree path just above the Tarn, if you follow the path to the left it is here you will find the start of Jack's Rake, a walkers route who isn't afraid of a little exposure, in the centre is East Buttress and to the right is Easy Gully which is also accessible to walkers with the exception that the top of Easy Gully is blocked by chock stones which can be negotiated by experienced scramblers, keeping further right and out of view (seen in the last photograph) is the North Rake which is accessible to most walkers who like to keep their feet on the ground without getting into technical matters.

Despite wanting to soak up the unfolding scenery it was time to re-shoulder and make my way over the top of Harrison Combe from where I'll gain my next summit of Thunacar Knott. Three young chaps and a dog were waiting at the foot of the path and I thanked them for their patience as I made the sometimes tricky descent, ahead the upper contours of Harrison Combe which I found to be sponge like, it was here my dust coated boots took a soaking from the bogs which I did manage to leave behind, not before a few pathless negotiations mind.

Ahead, Thunacar Knott as I take one last look back over a cloud covered Harrison Combe.

The couple who I had spoken to whilst at the summit of Harrison Stickle had just reached Thunacar Knott at exactly the same time as I did, the fellow did most of the talking in a Lancashire accent which I recognised to be from around the Preston area of Lancashire, he had previously visited Pavey Ark after Harrison Stickle and was on route to what he called High Stile, oh sorry you mean High Raise I smiled, yes that's it he replied, I got the feeling he was collecting his Wainwrights too but not in the same way as I was.

I quickly changed the subject to the weather and how fine it had been before glancing back at Bowfell...Will have to keep an eye on that though as the summit had been taken over by cloud once again from the direction of the south, bloody hell where did that come from we laughed it was clearing a moment ago!

We part with an 'enjoy the rest of your day' and shared our routes, his High Raise and mine, Pavey Ark.

I was again tested by the familar bogs that line the area below Thunacar Knott and Pavey Ark, these I had anticipated and tried to not let them bog me down too much...sorry for the pun there.

Next is High Raise and from just below the summit of Pavey Ark I can see my fellow walkers are gaining good ground on High Raise.

It was only after flanking Sergeant Man did options open up in how I would gain my last summit of Tarn Crag by either the familiar route where I would descend towards Bell Knotts and Codale Tarn or, take the alternative route over the top of Coedale Head and descend via the Lang Crag ridge, the latter of which won.

There was no need for map or compass, not in these conditions anyway as I traversed the flat yet boggy ground of Coledale Head, it was tempting to stray closer to the edge but I knew I still wouldn't get a glimpse of Codale Tarn due to the layout of Slapestone Edge which kinda descends in what can only be described as 'tile roof' with its many rock ledges, instead, I pick up a narrow grass trod and follow it sometimes steering further away from what is considered to be the best line of descent, the reason for this is the steep crags that form at the top of the ridge, I was diverted but soon read the lay of the land which saw me retrace my way back to the path.

With the ridge descent now behind me I stopped to admire the views over Codale Tarn and then back up the ridge and spotted a wide grassy path to the far right, by the looks of things I had descended the steeper route via a grass trod when I got to asking myself "why didn't I spot that path earlier" oh well never mind.

The couple who were in the last photo before I left High Raise summit must have decided to follow my footsteps (never a good option!) and were caught out above the steep crags, at one point I felt like waving my hand towards the right in the direction of the prominent path but it was too late and they had started the same descent as I had, the woman looked a little concerned as she paused above the crags but they both negotiated the crags and like me, were soon on route to Tarn Crag.

I had full intentions of finishing my lunch on the village green in Grasmere, I don't know why it was just something that I had decided upon during the round, however, once I had descended towards the waters edge I had second thoughts, de-shouldered and ate the rest of my lunch as the water lapped over the rocks at the waters edge.

Just bliss.

Easedale Tarn was starting to feel like the tourist hot spot it is and it was great to see families old and young enjoying Lakeland especially on such a beautiful afternoon. Goody Bridge is soon reached after losing count on how many hi's hello's or afternoons I had passed and soon cross Goody Bridge from where I felt the cushion of the Easedale Road underfoot, however instead of walking back into Grasmere via the road I opted to take the bridle path with views over Allan Bank and Silver How, my first summit of the day.

Lambs bleated over the screams of children playing and I was soon brought back in reality as the path ended in the afternoon heat of a bustling Grasmere, on the village green young couples eat ice creams and picnicked leaving me thinking that my decision to finish my lunch on the shore of Easedale Tarn was perhaps the best one, after all there's now't like the smell of a good day on't fells.

A scurry left saw me pass the familiar red phone box and I was pleased to see that Sam's Book shop had people waiting outside to get in. I am the only walker around as I walk pass the hustle of the shops opting to keep out the way of the shoppers on the other side of the road but before I reach the car I glance back at Silver How whose view is obscured through telephone lines, trees and buildings, smile and say thank you for a wonderful day on the fells.