[Closed] Wetherlam this weekend

Can't remember the route I did but I remember it as a nice walk with good views. Have you checked the met office lakes report on ground conditions/weather? MWIS is worth a look too.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/loutdoor/mountainsafety/lakedistrict/lakedistrict_latest_pressure.html

I think Wetherlam is a lovely fell from all directions. For a quickest walk, I would suggest the ascent from Tilberthwaite. Park at the base of the Gyhll but ascend on the RHS not the more obvious LHS. You walk up to the farm and thru the yard at first and feel like you are going the wrong way. As you go up, study the obvious ridge coming straight down off the ridge. That's the relatively unmarked way down! Nice scenic walk up plus minor scrambling on the ridge right up to the summit. In mist it can be quite confusing up there especially as my favourite descent skirts the gullies below the summit. Follow the path down towards Coniston but keep a look out for small tarn on LHS. A faint track bears off onto the ridge down. It's very faint and there is the odd very easy scramble down the odd little outcrop. But its a really nice ridge with lovely views. You come off at the top of Tilberthwaite Ghyll again but go down the other side directly to the car. Great walk!

Drinks and/or supper in Drunken Duck or Outgate on the way home?

Teamhurtmore

Sounds good. Have to see what the weather's up to. Will do it of clear - had a mare a few years back when we get seriously done over by the weather and conditions on Crinkle Crags - mist and snow made it very difficult to navigate especially as we hadn't done it before.

Drunken Duck could be the clincher though 😉

If the weather's poor just spend a few hours exploring Loughrigg. Avoid the direct route from Grasmere, and start from Rydal. From the large cave, work you way up little paths to the summit. Guaranteed to get lost a couple of times, but great fun up there and very few people go that way!

Seriously though the top of Wetherlam is not a great place in bad weather. I did the walk described last Autumn and the summit was very misty. The route down is not on maps nor guide books and I was very conscious not to turn too early. Required some descent map and compass work on my own. But when I found the ridge it was great and the mist was starting to clear revealing bits of the hanging valley below, the occassional view towards W,mere but have the feeling of being on a much bigger and more dramatic mountain.

I have been caught out by snow in Crinkles doing a solo run from Keswick to Consiton in May. The bad step was a mini waterfall with added bits of snow and ice, which wasn't fun on my own!!!

If you have two cars, you could cheat a bit and leave one car at the bottom of wrynose and drive up to the top in another. Then easy climb up to Great Carrs and Swirl Howe then Wetherlam. You would have to drive back t be the other car at the end but could have a drink at Three Shires instead!

P.s. the route I described in the first post is in Wainwright's Southern Fells but the way down is not shown in books or the map. I find this odd because it's such an obvious circuit to do with a classic ridge walk descent without any real difficulty apart from the odd little outcrop. Nothing dangerous - unless you start exporting the mine shafts.

Only one car....just been looking at Wainwright book and OS map. Can't afford to be faffing too much as limited time so spotted a potential interesting option. Start near Little Langdale tarn and head up to Little Carrs, then onto Great Carrs, then Swirl How, down Prison Band up onto Wetherlam then down to car. Or start with Wetherlam and see how long it takes and decide at that point whether to do the full loop....what do you think?

I've walked it from Tilberthwaite before and its a nice short hike. Did it of an evening with no lights so we straight lined it off the top as it was going dark. Cant remember the exact route we came down, but it was walkable. Fell over about halfway down and lost my watch though (wthout realising till I got back to the car!)

Went back the next night in torrential rain (with torches) and found it! Definitely do it in a monsoon, its far more exciting!

If you're based in Grasmere, you could just mince up to the Lion and the Lamb and back. Shouldnt take you to long.

Rascal, that's the classic Wetherlam Horsehoe that you are describing. Another good walk if slightly longer (given your time) than the Tilberthwaite version. With decent weather both would be great walks. Have fun either way!

Time sounds like it might be a issue, so might end up mincing about Easedale/Tarn Crag via Sourmilk Ghyll. Realistically we're gonna have around 5 hrs max before it's dark. Thanks for them tips though kids 😉

Learn from my mistakes and take a torch!

Enjoy whatever you do! Fun scrambling up the beck and above (belles knot?). I checked a wainwright in bookshop today and noted that Weth from Tilberthwaite is only 2 miles!