Grisedale, north west of Garsdale

Tuesday 26th July 2022 - circular of Grisedale

 6 miles, 905 ft. ascent

Following a comment from Gimmer on my last post I was motivated to explore his "kidney bowl" shaped valley north west of Garsdale station. That also set me wondering about that term. I couldn't help conjuring up a ghoulish mental image of such a bowl containing a morbidly bloody kidney. Of coourse the term, I suppose, derives from its similar shape to that organ, but for what practical purpose?

No matter. After parking just before the station I tramped off down the road in the rain, but with a more optimistic forecast. As I was passing a cottage on the left the owner was making signs at me through the window which I couldn't interpret until she emerged from the door to tell me she had been indicating a red squirrel  on the feeder she had established on the other side of the rad, but too late, Red Squirrel had moved on.

Part of my objective for the day was to trial new boots upped to size 11 from my normal 10 to 10.5. I have developed an extremely painful bunion (I think) at the base of my little toe which hurts on and off. At its worst it  is excruciating. I have consulted the nurse practitioner at my GPs but it seems there is little that can be done. The new boots came from Mountain Warehouse at a modest £79.

I crossed the road to ascend the path climbing over and then down into the kidney bowl. I was walking mostly through tall wet grass and reeds but with a well defined path but my feet were soon soaked which no waterproof boot can prevent in those conditions, The leather of the new boots is supple and perhaps reasonably stretchy and I had no pain from the affliction during the whole walk so I have high hopes. 

Once over the brow I was on an airy balcony path with views steeply down to Grisedale beck, a most attractive stream which my route followed  on and off until I reached my furthest north-west before turning to complete my circle. I was still hunkered down with my  hooded waterproof but only sorts on the bottom half; in summer I prefer this to the faff of donning and removing cumbersome overtrousers, and the shorts dry off very quickly once the rain has stopped.

I descended into the bowl and then climbed a short stretch of  minor cul-de-sac road before branching off into more tall reeds and long grass but with a decent path alongside the cheery Grisedale beck. Now the rain stopped and the sun shone, but I was being attacked by midges, something I have mot experienced for a long time.

At my furthest north-west I saw the ruined cottage marked on the map and then turned east to arrive at the cul-de-sac end of the aforementioned tarmac. Here I met a horsey type on her way to call in her two cob horses at the end of the road - the horses obviously knew she was coming and we all assembled in a group and chatted as she fed the horses apples. Each horse was offered an apple which was bitten in half from her hand and the second half passed to the other horse. They were fine looking animals well built and strong enough even to take me for a ride if I was so inclined.

A long descent over more access land took me down to cross the railway and follow good tracks to view Ure Force waterfall and a return to Garsdale station.

I took more photos than usual because of Gimmer's curiosity and hoping to give hm a good perception of the terrain for his virtual visit.

I  recommend this as a satisfying circular for any potential followers. 

Worth clicking photos to enlarge

Where I might have seen Red Squirrel

Looking back to Garsdale station. You can see my white car halfway up the road

Just to show typical terrain 

Down into Grisedale beck from the balcony path

Not sure what flower this is but they were impressive in their abundance, see below

Back to Grisedale beck. My furthest north-west was just round the far bend in the valley beyond the clump of trees

Back down Grisedale from whence I had come

The ruin at my furthest point west

Pano shot showing most of the kidney bowl that Gimmer remarked on

South down the main line

Ure Force above the bridge, and the other side below. It is only named on the 1:25 map, not on the 1:50 shown below but is to the west of Yore House where the foot path crosses 

Start/finish Garsdale station - clockwise

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From the car at the start, My route climbed over the righthand brow to then drop down into the bowl of Grisedale