The Grade 1 Scrambler

Guide to scrambling Blindtarn Gill west of Grasmere in the central Lake District.  Summary: a decent grade 1+ scramble with a variety of cascades and a challenging central waterfall though overgrown in places

Route in: 555 or 599 bus to Grasmere, or park in Grasmere; walk along Easedale Road then west and south-west along the footpath past Blindtarn holiday cottage

Start point: enter Blindtarn Gill anywhere above OS ref NY 32228 08143

Grading: there are three or four grade 1 cascades to climb and a large multi-grade waterfall that can be climbed at grade 2 or above

Notes: the gill will be much more of a challenge in wetter weather; in places it contains a lot of boulders and fallen tree trunks that can be regarded either as a problem or as a challenge

End point: where the gill opens and flattens out onto Blindtarn Moss around NY 31872 07916

Route out: find the path to the south of the gill and follow it north-east and back into Grasmere

Map link: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-43b3447

Time: c.30 mins from Grasmere to start point; 30-40 mins scramble; then about 30 mins to walk back

Combine with: Wray Gill, Sourmilk Gill

Gear: drybag, wetsuit and climbing helmet

Verdict: a decent grade 1+ scramble with a variety of cascades and a challenging central waterfall though overgrown in places

Category: Standard scramble

Score: 7/10

Video guide:

Map:

Map image/data from OpenStreetMap via AllTrails