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Great Carrs and Grey Friar

The summit of Great Carrs sits perched on the precipitous edge of the ridge sweeping around the head of the Greenburn valley above Little Langdale Tarn. The highest point of the ridge is Swirl How, with Wetherlam further round.

A notable date in Great Carrs history is 22nd October 1944 when, circling lost in low cloud trying to spot a landmark to fix its position, a Halifax bomber hit the ridge killing its crew of eight. All that remains on the site now is part of the undercarriage which lays alongside a memorial stone and cairn(1) with a cross and is situated just south of the summit. For the few people who gather at the site on Remembrance Sunday it is a rather moving setting.

Grey Friar stands a little over 1.0km (0.6 miles) to the south west, significantly quieter, perhaps it is only Wainwright baggers who go there. Its summit has two cairned outcrops the best views are from the north west most, whilst it is the south east cairn which is very slightly higher and consequently the official summit.

Our walk, considered a 'direct ascent', starts at the top of Wrynose Pass where there are a number of small informal parking spots. Three Shire Stone is just below the top on the Langdale side.