An informal group of 12 took strides up Helm Crag for a Sunday stroll, braving gusty gusts on the tops and heavy rainfall later.

We met in Keswick for a vegetarian compot at 9:30am (to the dismay of some) as a test of the team's observation skills. The route selected, courtesy of the Eccles Scrambling bible and due regard for the poor weather, took us from the Travellers Inn (Grasmere), through Grasmere village, over the Goody Bridge and southwest along Easedale Rd to pick up a footpath up the western side of Helm Crag.

An easy ascent provided stormy views from the shoulder of Helm Crag at a vantage point of around 400m, happily below the cloud base. Great views down towards Grasmere lake to the south and up the valley to the northern pass towards Thirlmere and Keswick. Hills over 550m were all covered by racing cloud so a good decision not to venture higher.

The summit of Helm Crag featured small crags ideal for scrambling purposes, including those named 'the lion and the lamb'. Apparently Wainwright called it "a crown of shattered and petrified stone" and said Helm Crag was "one of the very few summits in Lakeland reached only by climbing rocks". The climbing was made slightly more interesting by the buffeting winds, which worsened as the day progressed, and the wet rock. The lions and the lambs therefore grouped around the summit crag for some scrambling up and 'classic belaying' down, otherwise known as the thigh restrictor manoeuvre.

Waterproofs in place, we then battled southwest, following the ridge path, against increasingly unfriendly weather. We descended via the path into Easedale following Easedale Gill and its many waterfalls to rejoin our outward path at Brimmer Head farm. Perhaps the valley was named for the ease from the wind it gave?

Thanks to Wayne, Steph, Heather, Amy, Wendy, Rob, Mr Huggins, Otis and his various twiglike accessories, Steph P, Simon, Andrew and Kate for a breezy outing.

Amanda