A dramatic day in sunny icy conditions with Ian Lyne (but not Lois).Route: Leaving the car at the Glenridding car park and crossing via Lanty's Tarn to walk up the north side of Grisedale. Then following a faint path to a stile and a straight diagonal groove across the hillside to gain height before crossing the stream (with some difficulty in the icy conditions) to gain the east ridge. Snow now visibly still remaining on the top, a tactical retreat pathless down to the Ruthwaite climbing lodge to regain the Grisedale pass path to the tarn. Then taking the diagonal path (across some icy snowy pitches) to reach the ridge at Deepdale Hause and then to the summit of St Sunday. Down to Birks and then pathless to Arnison Crag and back along the road to the start.
Conditions: Brilliant sun and clear visibility though bitterly cold. Some snow on the Eastern Fells (hence the retreat) making the descent from St Sunday trickier than expected (with Spiders).
Pub: The Hawkshead Beer Hall for Hoppy Red (a trial 4.8% beer) and WPA.
