Today's forecast is slightly better than last weekend's very damp circuit of Haweswater, but with that said, the unsettled weather continues, leaving the lakeland fells feeling more like autumn than the middle of Summer. It was Rod who suggested today's walk, which matched the autumnal conditions perfectly, taking in Blea Rigg, Sergeant Man, and Tarn Crag.

Due to a family health scare, it was down to the wire if I was able to make the walk, and even though my mother-in-law is far from out of the woods, I was able to make the walk after all.

David was meant to be joining us but texted this morning explaining that he was unwell and wouldn't be able to make it, but we made up the numbers with Michael and Rod's daughter Louise, whom I met for the first time today. Louise isn't new to fell walking given the accomplishments of her Dad Louise already has a number of Lakeland summits under her belt, today she added three more.

I had the whole lay-by to myself as I waited for Rod, Louise, and Michael to arrive, during which time I had time to check the Met Office's forecast for Grasmere which didn't match the grey cloud and sharp shower that had just passed. Rod and the gang soon arrived, and after confirming that David wouldn't be joining us, we began to kit up for the day's eventualities.

Another shower came and went, and I was able to use my tailgate as a shelter, by which time I'd changed my mind from adding my Alpkit windproof jacket to my Rab waterproof. Kitted up, we left the lay-by and walked along the A591 until we turned right onto Pye Lane towards Broadgate and Butharlyp How. Grasmere was, as expected, quiet, and we turned into Butharlyp How where we passed a dog walker with her Golden Retriever. The views soon opened up, revealing Helm Crag set against a grey backdrop, little did we know blue skies amd warm sunshine were on the way.

Little did we know this was the last of the sunshine we'd see for the afternoon and it remained uncomfortably muggy. Continuing with our descent, we passed over Greathead Crag, which was where we lost Michael, or Michael lost the path after coming a cropper with his walking pole, resulting in Michael taking a tumble down the fell side. Despite a bruised, grazed, and bloodied knee cap Michael was able to laugh it off thanks to his 'SAS training'

It didn't stop there. Around ten minutes later we were decening through bracken, where for the second week running I missed the path below me and took a forward tumble. I however, had received no SAS training; therefore, I almost landed on my head. Ego bruised, I too was able to brush it off, but come on, two weeks in a row, bracken had gotten the better of me.

Continuing our descent, we caught up with a couple who kept stopping every few minutes to check their position on the chap's phone. This was all fine and well, but not very fell-etiquette as each time we tried to pass the chap he huffed something and hurried ahead, only for him to stop again and repeat, which was getting quite annoying. Rod created a gap, and the couple strode on, passing the boulders bound for Stythwaite Steps. 

It was around here that we spotted half a dozen walkers who seemed to have 'cornered' themselves by the stone wall, which looked odd, but the best was yet to come when a woman looked at us and yelled, "Come on, who's got the correct OS map for this area?" Stunned, we said, now't as I spotted a break in the bracken at the same time as Rod. Ignoring the woman, we went for it and left. It's not like we weren't happy to help, but when you're yelled at in such a manner that it almost feels like you're being blamed for them being lost, well, it's time to leave, isn't it.

We followed the break in the bracken while steeply flanking Ecton Crag to our right. The bracken eventually gave way as we neared the base of the crag and we emerged at the footbridge near the foot of Sourmilk Gill before rejoining the footpath close to Brimmer Head Farm and New Bridge. It had clouded over by now, and by the looks of it we'd lost the sunshine for good. Passing around half a dozen walkers heading for Easedale Tarn Goody Bridge was soon reached, and Easedale Road thereafter. The road was much busier now, with folk travelling in both directions, as was the odd car.

We broke left, passed through the gate into Butharlyp How where we passed who I thought was the same woman and Golden Retreiver as we had this morning, either that or I'd just experienced déjà vu. Dull now as we crossed Easedale Gill via White Bridge and White Bridge Forge close by. Pye Lane was just as deserted as we had left it this morning; the same couldn't be said of the A591 where parked cars extended well past the lay-by boundary. Weaving in and out of the cars, we reached our cars and began our kit down. Confined within the shelter of our tailgates while sat on fold-away stoles boots were eased off, ready for the long drive home.