Birk Crag, Harrop Tarn and Blea Tarn

Return to the minor road, and turn right. Walk along the road for approx 350m, passing the Binka Stone, and bear right through the gate onto the bridleway. Bear slightly left and cross the field to the gate above. Go through, ignore the track on your left, instead bear right to find the bottom of the path to the grassy rake going right to left to traverse below the crag.

At the top of the rake the path bears right to climb the fellside in a rather more direct line. There are some juniper bushes here. You soon join a wall, with a visible path on the other side - don't try and cross the wall. Bear right and continue climbing alongside the wall.

Reaching the remains of a sheepfold at the wall corner, turn right and climb the grass slope behind you to the top of Birk Crag. A small cairn marks the high point. Wandering around the summit area you can get some cracking views north along Thirlmere to Blencathra, or south to Dunmail Raise and across to the Helvellyn massif. And down to Harrop Tarn, the next destination.

Return to the wall corner and bear right to follow a path alongside the broken wall and fence. Drop down through more juniper bushes. Cross a short section of boardwalk to a gate in the deer fence. Go through the gate, and turn right. Cross the boggy patch and carry on to the tarn outflow. Cross the footbridge to the track and tarn.

Continue along the forestry road, past the tarn, it now climbs slightly to a junction. Bear left signposted "Watendlath".

Within 200m (220 yards) bear right away from the forestry road to climb on a narrow path through the trees. This path meanders quite a bit but is well used and easy to follow.

Reaching an old track through the forest bear slightly left to continue on the path. Cross a boggy patch by the small section of boardwalk to reach a muddy track.

Bear left along the track, and when this ends bear right to the gate in the tall deer fence.

Go through the gate and continue on the grassy path beyond. Now obvious to your left is Mosshause Gill. The path bears gently away from the gill in a series of small zigzags and meanders. It also gets increasingly boggy, the give away is the amount of sphagnum moss underfoot. After a few false summits the ridge and a fence line is reached at a gate.

Go through the gate and carry on the now very boggy path bearing slightly right. In a few metres Blea Tarn will appear in front and below you. A small grassy knoll is a handy place to stop to soak up the views and have a bite to eat.

Return back to Harrop Tarn by the reverse route. A few notes follow... The gate on the ridge line is easy enough to find again but the path beyond may be a little less obvious. Aim a little south of east, at about 1 o'clock, or looking across to the central ridge at Fairfield which is similarly placed. The boggy path should soon appear.

Drop down to the woods at the deer gate. Don't miss the junction off the muddy track, the track turns left as the bridleway back to Harrop Tarn bears off right. A small post is hidden behind a tree!

Returning to the metalled forestry track turn right and drop back to Harrop Tarn. Just before the outfall turn left onto the narrow path coming up directly from the car park. Follow the path down alongside Dob Gill, look out for the waterfall about half-way down.