Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Wainwright Guide: Book Three – Central Fells
Overlooking the sleepy quaker village of Grasmere, Helm Crag or ‘The Lion and the Lamb’ as it is affectionately known, is one of the crown jewels of the Central Fells. At only 405 metres in height it may not be the tallest or most challenging fell, however its charm and character make it one the very best hikes in all of Lakeland.
The first time Jonny and I headed up Helm Crag it was a beautiful sunny evening and we got the very best of Golden Hour. We have since repeated the walk many times as just a single fell, but it is also a fantastic starting point for a mini horseshoe walk that includes Gibson Knott, Calf Crag and Steel Fell. In all weather conditions I can confidently say that the views are just as spectacular every time.
Where to Start?
The best place to start the hike is from the village of Grasmere itself. There are multiple car parks with the standard Lake District parking tariff applied, the closest being behind the village hall. Jonny and I have also been known to park along the A591 at the following pin and head into the village from here. The benefit is free parking, however there is a longer walk to get to the base of the fell.
If you are starting from within Grasmere itself, head towards the green opposite the Heaton Cooper Studio. From here you should be able to see Easedale Road. There is a sign painted onto the wall with an arrow towards Easedale Tarn. Head along this road until you reach the signs for The Lancrigg Hotel.
If you are starting from the A591 head back towards Grasmere, take the first road on your right (Pye Lane) and follow it until you come to a bridge. Cross the bridge and take the well signed footpath to your right. A large National Trust sign will be visible on the gate. This footpath will bring you out onto Easedale Road near to the Quaker Church. Turn right and follow the road along until you reach The Lancrigg Hotel.
Wordsworth Woods
Instead of continuing to follow the road, head into the grounds of the The Lancrigg Hotel.
The road will bring you past the hotel itself and continue on through the woodland. The hotel has well signposted the way to Helm Crag and the woodland path will bring you to a gate.
Go through the gate and you will immediately spy a small cairn, a bridge and a path to the right. This is where the ascent begins.
The Ascent
The first part of the ascent is fairly steep. It begins with a path before becoming a long set of steps, carefully placed but with a fairly large gradient all the same. Although this initial climb will seem like a bit of a brutal start the path soon reaches a bit more of a plateau and Grasmere, the body of water, comes into view.
The path continues with some steeper and some shallower sections and soon leads onto a grassier section of ascent. It is here that the Herdwick sheep hide amongst the bracken and if you are walking with a dog you’ll want to get it back onto the lead! You will also not be far from the top here.
The final portion of ascent involves a little bit of scrambling. Within a few minutes you will arrive onto the summit plateau where the rock formations that lend this fell its nickname can be found.
The Summit
The Lion and the Lamb is best viewed from the North. A small amount of imagination is needed for the lamb but the lion is clearly visible and can be easily traversed for some incredible views. Some would have this rock formation as the true summit, however another rock formation more commonly is said to hold this honour.
The Howitzer requires a fair amount of bouldering and climbing skill to reach the top of. As such, Helm Crag is the only fell where the walker is required to climb to reach the summit! Many forgo the hair raising exertion and settle for just being on the summit plateau itself is having reached their destination.
Views from either rock formation are quite frankly stunning. You can see Windermere, Esthwaite and Grasmere, sometimes even as far as the sea.
In the other direction the views towards Thirlmere and Hellvelyn are incredible. Fairfield looms imposingly overhead to the East and then you also get fantastic views to the West of the Langdales and Easedale Tarn. Perfect for a summer evening.
Further Fells
From the Howitzer the route to Gibson Knott is fairly self explanatory. Combining these two fells is one of the easiest ridge walks in the Lake District and a great introduction to starting some of the longer walks before building up to the longer routes.
If you’re wanting a little more adventure then it is quite easy to either head off on a mini horseshoe ending at Steel Fell, or to head into the Langdale Pikes and complete a whopping set of 13 Wainwrights before descending into Grasmere via Silver How. The possibilities are endless.
The Descent
There are multiple options for descent, however the best views are descending from the way you came up. You can also head down into the Easedale Valley or down towards the A591. Any of these routes have fairly steep sections so I would always advise caution and to take your time.
Once you have reached The Lancrigg, be sure to head into the Poets Bar for a refreshing beverage. The views from the beer garden are excellent and a fantastic reward after a beautiful walk.
Have you climbed Helm Crag yet? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!
