Thirlmere to Ullscarf

Thirlmere (Steel End), Greenup Edge, Ullscarf, Standing Crag, Harrop Tarn

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The car park, and start of the walk, is at the southern end of Thirlmere. Turn right off the Keswick/Ambleside road, signed Armboth, and Steel End car park is on the right side, just past the bridge over Wyth Burn.
At the car park entrance, turn left and cross back over the bridge. Take the footpath off to the right that follows Wyth Burn up stream. The path continues to follow the Burn, steadily climbing towards the waterfalls at the head of the valley. (photo: Looking along Wyth Burn from the road bridge)
Continue up the path to the left of the waterfall, rising steeply, to reach the top and Wythburn Head Tarns feeding the waterfall. (From here the going gets rather boggy.) Follow the path, which keeps to the left, until Middle How, just past the large area know as The Bog on the OS map. (Either side of the path is boggy with some deep water holes. Be aware that in poor visibility, using a straight compass course for navigating could lead into the holes.) (photo: Wythburn Head Tarns)
(photo: View ahead towards The Bog, the level section on the right)
The path on the map stops at Middle How. If sufficient visibility, head across to the fell opposite and left of Greenhow Crags. ( The ground is, again boggy, with water sections to cross.) Once across, contour round to Flour Gill and join the footpath leading up to Greenup Edge. Continue up to Greenup Edge. (photo: Looking back down the valley, with Helvellyn under cloud)
At Greenup Edge, turn right, and follow the path uphill on its way to Ullscarf. (The path follows the line of old steel fence post.) The path deviates around boggy areas and tarns, leaving the line of fence post. After a couple of gentle ascents, the summit of Ullscarf is reached. (photo: Westerly view from above Greenup Edge)
Continue north from the summit to above High Saddle, where the path turns right to follow a ‘full’ fence. The path, and line of fence, leads down to Standing Crag. (Good views of Blea Tarn and beyond ....... on a clear day!) The fence goes over the top of the crag, but (fortunately!) the path veers right to skirt around Standing Crag. (photo: Blea Tarn from Standing Crag)
A short descent to below Standing Crag brings the footpath to the fence running north over High Tove and beyond. Follow the fence to the second gate, then turn right and head east. There is a footpath but a little vague in places. The path becomes clearer as it closes the woods. (photo: My wife Clare, plodding through a boggy section)
There is a path junction just before the wood. Take the right of the two, and at the wood pass through the two large gates. Follow the path through the woods, keeping right at any junctions, heading for Harrop Tarn. (photo: Standing Crag from near the wood above Thirlmere)
At Harrop Tarn, follow the track to where the bridge crosses the outflow from the Tarn. (photo: Outflow from Harrop Tarn, near the footbridge)
Cross the bridge, then turn left and descend down the steep ‘bouldery’ path, to the right of Dobb Gill, to join the road running along the west side of Thirlmere. Cross this road, pass through the gate, then right to follow the path along the banks of Thirlmere back to Steel End car park. (photo: Thirlmere)