Tongue Gill & Castle Crag

This is the penultimate post of my hikes in the Lake District last year, this one started out at Rosthwaite to the head of Tongue Gill, and then return to Rosthwaite via Castle Crag.

The initial intent was to see if we could as far & as high as High Spy, though the weather report wasn’t looking that favourable.

The walked starting out from Rosthwaite is pretty much flat until you reach the Seatoller/Grange bridleway, and then a steady climb until the steepest part by the disused Rigghead Quarry.

Here is the view looking back towards Castle Crag from the bridleway.

Tongue Gill stream

The weather got steadily worse as we hiked up Tongue Gill, as shown here.

By the time we ascended to the head of Tongue Gill there was extremely poor visibility with strong gusts, and so the decision was made not to carry on to High Spy but instead head back down from whence we came and divert to Castle Crag.

We glimpsed the sun on limited and very brief occasions.

The path to Castle Crag is to the right a little further down this track and there is a small slate section close to the top that can be tricky in the wet.

Here is the scene once you reach the top of the slate path

This is the view from the cairn looking towards Great Crag, Ullscarf, Eagle Crag and Rosthwaite fell before the final short incline to the actual summit.

and finally the view at the top of Derwentwater & King’s How.