From the car park at Patterdale (£2 for a day - better than the £5.50 in Glenridding!), up behind the hotel & through Glenamara Park. Over Hag Beck & to the foot of Thornthwaite Crag. A steep climb to a stile over the wall and then a good path around the northern flank of Birks (if you need to bag it, a short walk back on yourself to the featureless summit & return will only take about 15 mins). St Sunday crag now opens out in front of you.
Around the base of the mountain across Gavel Moss (boggy) and up a short gully to the base of Gavel Pike. A good stomp up the ridge (no difficulty) & over the Pike itself and a gentle walk to the top & summit. Along narrowing ridge towards Fairfield and the base of Cofa Pike.
Cofa Pike is not as difficult as it looks from the base. A couple of easy routes open up as you start to climb & you tend to zig-zag up through the rocks to the top. A narrow ridge leads onto the Northeast flank of Fairfield (great fun in deep powder snow!) and thence to the summit.
Descend via the steep screes towards Seat Sandal & down to Grisedale Tarn & the path back to Patterdale. 11 miles, 6 hours & 2900' of climb.
