#17.Castle Crag.4-3-11.

Julie had booked a spa treatment in the hotel for 1p.m. so we decided to walk up Castle Crag from the village of Grange as it is a short walk.As there is limited parking by the bridge we got there early to bag a space.The impressive double arched bridge over the River Derwent was built in 1675.

The village is very pretty,lot's of nice house's with their flower's starting to bloom.

The skies were leaden and it was drizzling a little on the drive to Grange but had stopped by the time we had donned our boot's so there was no need for our wet gear.We couldn't see any of the mountain top's as the cloud base was quite low and it was quite cold,a complete contrast to yesterday's walk.We left the village on the lane that lead's to Hollows Farm and it's camping ground.

We then took the rough track,once a road up to the abandoned Rigghead Quarry,that lead's all the way to the bottom of the mountain,seen here for the first time.

The stone path we were walking on was very slippery and our leg's were heavy from yesterday's walk but we soon reached the bottom of the mountain.We were walking at a good pace and got a sweat on so took our fleece's off.

The path lead's steeply up through the waste material on a zig zag path to the summit.

45 minute's after setting off we were stood on the summit.At a height of 951 feet it is the only "Wainwright" below 1,000 feet,but i can see why he chose it,it is a cracking little mountain.

This is the view down to Rosthwaite village and the River Derwent.

Carefully down the zig zag path and a quick visit to the river edge to see the duck's before heading back to the car.

Our walk today was only 3 mile's long with a height gain of 850 feet but we thoroughly enjoyed it.




MILEAGE          111.5
ASCENT            29,550
TOPS                  40