After my last weeks holiday where I spent days on the fells I promised myself that I'd have a relaxing weekend but that was before my boss rang me to inform me that I didn't need to work this weekend (wow what a phone call) that's four weekends on the run can I really let this one go by? after all the next time I'm available to walk the weather may not be in my favour.

So I had my green light from my boss and my other boss, yes Paula too was fine with me walking but unfortunately as it usually is when presented with such good fortune the forecast on Sunday was much better than Saturday's which was gloomy and wet.

So I hatched up a plan to walk from Helm Crag to Steel Fell from Grasmere but later that evening while ogling over Memory Map I spotted Wet Side Edge and started to think back when was my last time over that way, as it turns out it's three years since I was last here which then sparked this route and the rest as they say is history.

Despite having the whole weekend off I took advantage of Sundays brighter forecast and used Saturday as a rest day sleeping in until gone 09:00am which was just the ticket and was just about how much my body clock could take. I used my down time to plan two walks one of which this walk and the other was the Greenburn Round from Grasmere, it was only during the drive north did I realise that I would be circling the Greenburn valley (Little Langdale) did I see the coincidence which just shows how slow my penny drops sometimes. The roads are still wet from yesterdays rain leaving rain water trickling over the tarmac as I drove through Skelwith Bridge towards Yew Tree Tarn and I could see bright sunlight through the branches of the trees overhead which showed real promise. After the steep turn right at the sign posted Tilberthwaite I arrived at the car park which had two large transit type mini buses parked up, their occupants I would pass later on the fell. With my car neatly reversed up against the grass bank I kitted up in just shorts and a short sleeve base-layer leaving my soft-shell tucked under the lid of my pack should I need it later.

With my car locked I'm just about to head over the spoil heaps towards Tilberthwaite Gill when another car arrives and a 'morning nod' is shared through the car window. A series of steps rises over the spoil heaps before the disused levels and quarries are passed which always sparks interest, but I'm keen to get into the open sunshine so I leave the quarries behind as the old mine track begins to rise steadily alongside Tilberthwaite Gill which falls steeply to my right, the sound of which fills my ears.

The sound of gushing water accompanied my descent down into the Gill which just appeared louder and louder, had I have been with someone else today I'm sure the sound of the water would have drowned out both voices. Sunlight starts to spill through the thick canopy of trees leaving little patches of light along the river bank and to be honest I could have spent a lot more time here than I actually did, it was so tranquil.

After crossing the wooden footbridge a steep path rises back out of the Gill through shoulder height bracken, oh crap, it's still damp so I use my walking poles to give the bracken a brush before I walk through.

I continued to follow the path with Tilberthwaite Gill now on my left flank after crossing the footbridge earlier, I'm especially fond of this high level path which overlooks the Gill, so high in fact the path is almost in line with the tree tops with steep drops back down into the Gill thrown in. Soon the path leads out onto open fell side where I have the option to continue towards Dry Cove Bottom and Wetherlam Edge or ascend slightly over Tilberthwaite Gill once again via narrow wooden footbridge, I cross the Gill as views open out over Steel Edge.

After crossing the footbridge I take in my surroundings spotting a large campsite opposite Penny Rigg and another one behind me below Blake Rigg, now I know why the mini buses are parked back at Tilberthwaite. The group over towards Penny Rigg are putting tents down but the other group are up ahead and are starting to make a ascent on Steel Ridge , I have a good view of their ascent but I'm still quite far behind but I'm hoping I'll be able to close the gap.

I step up my pace which admittedly was difficult ascending the various grassy knolls before the spine of the ridge was met but after a lot of huffing an puffing I pass the group soon after and receive 'mornings' from all of the group members, by which time I could hardly breathe but I daren't show it to the youngsters!

Despite the glowing sunshine I was ascending into a cool summit breeze, so cool in fact that at times I could see my own breath which was one of those fantastic moments yet the goose bumps over my arms weren't agreeing, I think it's time to add the jacket.

I de-shoudler at the nearest boulder and instantly feel the fresh breeze over the sweat on my back,, it's definitely one of those Marmite moments, you either love it or hate, I love it especially as I'm about to throw another layer on.

Well the cloud didn't take long to clear leaving my surrounding summits completely cloud free but those large shadows over the fells remained constant leaving sunbursts like this one over the top of Broad Slack great highlights throughout the walk.

It was now time for a little investigative work as I peer down from the Top of Broad Slack before locating the wreckage of LL505

After leaving Swirl How summit I found my way down to the Memorial of the British Halifax Mk V Bomber which crashed here after hitting the steep crags over Broad Slack during bad weather in October 1944 All eight crew members including seven Canadians and one Scotsman the youngest of which was just nineteen years of age died instantly.

The undercarriage still remains along side the Memorial parts of which still bear the part numbers as clear as if you were looking at them on the shelf whereas one of the Rolls Royce Merlin engines was recovered and remains at the Ruskin Museum in Coniston.

Wet Side Edge was the main reason which persuaded me from the walking Greenburn Horseshoe (Grasmere) today mainly because It's been around three years since I last descended back into Little Langdale and the pull on this particular day just got the better of me.

Incidently that's the Greenburn Valley (Little Langdale) over on the right and not to be confused with the one just outside Grasmere.

I had all intentions of stopping at Slater Bridge today but after one large group had left another one was waiting to have their picture taken so I just left them to it.

Next stop Cathedral Cave.

Having left Slater Bridge feeling a tad disappointed I next headed for Cathedral Cavern or Cathedral Cave as it is more commonly known, I had to wait to let two or three bikes ride through the tunnel and I am thanked by each rider even though they had to duck so low it might have been easier just to walk the bikes out. Inside the cavern I get lucky and soon realise that I now had the place to myself.

Spooky.

After spending time back at Cathedral Cave I picked up the track again soon arriving at large wooden bridge where young children splash in the water while mothers read on the river bank. Here the path heads through Moss Rigg Wood which will eventually lead me back to Tilberthwaite not before passing more and more families all enjoying the sunshine before I realise hang on, I haven't had my lunch yet, well that's a first my stomach's alarm clock must be on the blink.

I arrive back at Tilberthwaite after passing through the High Tilberthwaite Farm where a herd of just sheared sheep graze under a hot afternoon sun. Further up the lane the quiet car park that I had left this morning is starting to look like Tesco on a Saturday afternoon but I hatch up a plan in order to avoid all of this by first throwing my gear into the back of my car before breaking out lunch under a canopy of trees as Yewdale Beck trickles by beneath my feet.