Wednesday 31st Dec, Codale Tarn and Blea Rigg

I was out with Lucy again today on her third day of guiding walking in the Lakes. Our route today was from Grasmere village up to Easdale Tarn and Codale Tarn before climbing up to the ridge leading to Blea Rigg from there we descended to Silver Howe before returning to Grasmere.

The valleys were covered by an amazing inversion of freezing clouds all day although the fell tops were clear, calm and enjoying some winter sunshine. We had set off early again to get ahead of the crowds on a popular Lakeland walk and were able to watch the sunrise as we passed through the fields below Sour Milk Ghyll. Much of the Ghyll was frozen with large ice formation on all of the falls. The paths were also covered in thick ice and we had to pick our route carefully in places.

We were rewarded for our early start when we arrived at Easdale Tarn to enjoy the solitude of the tarn with a mirror like surface and reflections of the surrounding fells without any other walkers present. After a short break we continued up towards Codale Tarn diverting briefly to scramble up the ridge of Belle Knott before visiting the Tarn.

From here our route was up onto the ridge of Blea Rigg were we had some amazing views of all of the Lakeland fells in near perfect conditions. We stopped at the Shelter Stone for a well earned lunch break before completing our walk over Silver Howe. We descended out of the sunshine back into the freezing cloud and a very grey Grasmere village.

A great day on hills in wonderful weather.