Lake District May 2004

The plan was to walk up to Pavey Ark but when I arrived and drove along the Langdale valley I liked the look of the Elterwater fields to my left, and decided to explore them. It’s a very pretty area which, because it is low level, I have never visited. The call of the high peaks is always louder, especially when it is clear and sunny. I spent about 2 hours meandering around Elterwater, mainly looking for interesting photographs. When I’d finished I proceeded along to the bottom of Pavey Ark, and set off at about 3.30. It’s a walk you can complete in 3 or 4 hours and the May days are light enough and long enough for early evening activity. When I arrived at Stickle Tarn I decided not to skirt around Pavey Ark and then up, round the back, but to explore the hills to the side of its mass and proceed from there along a flat top and then to the top of Pavey Ark. I certainly didn’t consider Jack’s Rake since I prefer scenic walking rather than scrambling. I did the latter many years ago and have not bothered to attempt it again. I’m glad I visited the adjoining area but wouldn’t bother going off that way again; it’s pretty flat and uninteresting. I enjoyed it, however, because it linked up with a walk I did some time last year from Grasmere – I aimed for Easedale Tarn, and kept going until I was reaching the upper fells of Langdale.

B & B was in Coniston, which is quite convenient for Langdale. Coniston is itself not my favourite area at all; the lake doesn’t interest me and although I enjoyed going along the top of the Old Man of Coniston last year, I disliked the copper mining scars scattered along the ascent.

Place Fell

It was about midday when I arrived at my real destination. Langdale/Coniston was an en route diversion because there was no vacant B & B for that night. The Ullswater valley then – I was looking forward to it. I’d looked upon it during recent day trips along the Kentmere horseshoe when I realised I’d no been there for about a year. I spent most of the last year – 2003 – delighting in Eskdale and Wasdale, which were a new discovery. But the Ullswater valley is the place where I really began to appreciate how much I loved the Lake District, first when I descended down the road and saw the beautiful lake for the first time – a joyous moment – and then when we had some terrific summer weather, a few years ago, and I discovered the impressive local walking and also the delights of just hanging around and enjoying the valley. It was good to be back: I’d neglected this area being so enthralled with the quiet Western regions for an entire year. They are my two favourites: Wasdale/Eskdale, and Ullswater. I used to think Borrowdale was nearly at the top of my list but although it probably comes third, there is a significant gap between second and third place. Pretty as it is – and with some great walking – the Borrowdale area is more popular and thus more busy than I like.

The morning was cloudy and overcast however, and I felt my first choice route – up to St. Sunday Crag – deserved better conditions. The forecast predicted more sunshine in the afternoon, and I eventually decided on the lakeside walk after going up to Place Fell. As I gazed across to Brotherswater, Hart Crag and Fairfield from the fells at the top – the southern end of the valley – I remembered just how interesting and lovely this area is. The Eskdale valley as such does not compare. I did the Place Fell walk several years ago and while there are certain parts of it which are a little tedious – notably the descent from Place Fell summit over a relatively featureless expanse – it does have worthwhile rewards. First, the views previously referred to. Second, the views across to the Helvellyn skyline. Third, some notable views down to Ullswater which in terms of their fitting into surrounding mountainous landscape, are probably the best there are. And finally, the lakeside path is quite pretty. You have to change ‘mode’ when you get there. High level walking generates a momentum if you are to complete strenuous routes, and a stroll beside the lake is just that – a stroll – which requires you to ‘slow down’ if you want to appreciate it. Although I would add that the path is unexpectedly arduous because it is both quite long, and with surprising undulations. Well and truly back in Ullswater then (I call it ‘Ullswater’ referring to the lake, when I actually mean the Ullswater valley or Glenridding, or Patterdale).

St Sunday Crag

My first walk from Ullswater may have been this one. I don’t actually remember, but it was certainly the first to make a favourable impression – and was suitably memorable. I did it 2 or 3 times quite close together, because I used to discover somewhere I liked and revisit it quite a lot, rather than explore new areas. Now there’s very little in Lakeland which I haven’t explored. In one way it’s very nice because I rarely use a map, select routes and change them spontaneously etc, but in another way the pleasure of finding new delights is now denied me. Return to old and beautiful favourites, yes, but without the excitement of new discovery.

I decided to extend my plan to include Hart Crag (partly a new experience for me) and Fairfield, which constitute a classic horseshoe route. I’d previously missed out part of this, choosing instead to walk up the Deepdale valley.

The day started beautifully – shorts and shirt sleeves – although it began to deteriorate as I approached the peak of Hart Crag. When I arrived at the latter I was quite cold and had to don both fleece and waterproof jacket, slightly concerned that I had not anticipated this deterioration: I had no further warm clothing beyond this. If it got worse, I might be in trouble. After having lunch gazing down to distant Windermere it was, however, OK once I resumed my walking and generated some body heat. The overcast cloudiness continued as I walked along the ridge to Fairfield and then down to Grizedale tarn. I decided to sit and gaze above the latter area, waiting or rather hoping for the sun to re-appear. It eventually did, giving me some decent photographic opportunities as I reached the top of St Sunday Crag and also – I now see – actually the sombre skies were more photogenic than I realised. This is partly because of the ability of my Canon 10D, recording subtle tones and gradations which were previously beyond my (camera’s) capability. Of course dark light and moody skies can give you great pictures, but you need a good camera that can cope with those conditions.

Finally, when I reached and then descended from St Sunday Crag the sunshine had properly returned as I hoped it might, and I thoroughly enjoyed the glorious views down to Ullswater, which I’d not experienced for several years and are the highlight of this walk. It was a good day.

Helvellyn

The famous walk for the Ullswater area is of course Helvellyn. I’ve done it several times – including this one, actually 7 or 8 times. While I’d ranked it second to my day 2 route, it’s fame is well deserved. Helvellyn is synonymous with Striding Edge or maybe Swirral Edge, and they are certainly memorable and dramatic features. But more than this, the trek up from Glenridding is scenically delightful, and the views along the summit ridge are some of the best in the Lake District. When I got to the Red Tarn area I decided to climb up Swirral rather than Striding Edge, for several reasons. First, I’d been up it early in 2003 in snowy conditions and it was a traumatic, dangerous experience. I wanted to do it again to savour it in dry and easy conditions, and also to purge the bad memory. Second, it would extend my walk a little further, making it a more logical circular route. And third, the weather had become quite bad with thick cloud and limited visibility. Striding Edge is a much longer ridge and since there were no views at all in these conditions, there was little to gain by using the longer ascending ridge. I quite enjoyed clambering up Swirral Edge, and enjoyed seeing where the frighteningly dangerous sections are: if they are covered with snow it becomes like a huge white golf ball, where you cannot see beyond a curving 10 or 15 feet up and down. And finally, I wanted to expand my knowledge of Swirral Edge so I can ‘understand’ it if I ever do it again in snowy conditions.

I had some lunch at the summit and decided to sit, rest and gaze for quite a long time – 30/45 minutes I think – hoping for the sun to reappear so I could get photos. It did reappear, and I enjoyed the post-lunchtime period when the crowds had disappeared and I had the summit to myself: a rare experience for Helvellyn. If you do something slightly differenty up in the hills – extra early or unusually late in the day – you are often rewared with more solitude.

Onward then, to Nethermost Pike and then Dollywagon Pike, a pathway which I always enjoy. Then down to Grizedale Tarn – a few photos of it from above – and down and along Grizedale valley. I’d previously dismissed the idea that the latter is a long and tedious trek, because in some ways it’s quite attractive. This time I have to agree: it’s the one part of this route that detracts from what is otherwise a first class walk.

Lake

Most of the times I’ve quite enjoyed my B & B experiences up in the Lakes, but this was an exception. I won’t spoil my little report by going into details or referring to the B & B in question, but I will mention it as a ‘note to self’: never go there again. The people were hostile, a little weird, and very unwelcoming. I have seen a little of this before in Glenridding: some of the village residents obviously dislike being there, are bored silly by it, and resent the passing visitors. Anyway, I wanted to get out of the place as soon as possible which meant I found myself on one of the little Ullswater beaches quite early in the morning, and enjoyed seeing the lake more flat and still than I have ever seen it. You don’t often see reflections like this on such a large expanse of water, and, indeed, within just 5 minutes it started to disappear as a more normal daytime wind came to life and ruffled the surface.

Only last year did I properly discover how lovely it is simply to ‘hang around’ the Lake District, i.e. sit and have tea, or wander just a mile or two along a valley, that kind of thing: you don’t have to be up in the hills pursuing more strenuous activity, every day. Your trip becomes wonderfully holiday-like, and not only concerned with long days in the mountains. I felt like just such a day, and spent 2 hours playing around the top of the Aira Force river, taking photographs. It’s like returning to boyhood when I would play in garden ponds or on holiday, roam around rock pools and play in the sand. You forget yourself, and are completely absorbed in the outdoor environment. Nice.

Ullswater has lots of nice little places to go, scattered along the valley. I’d been past it twice, but had never rested and sat on a little headland area across the lake, which is more peaceful than the roadside beaches. It’s quite a long walk to get there, but enjoyable, and I laid down, gazed at the views, and had a nice snooze in the sun – which was actually quite hot, so I got sunburnt. Ack.

Helvellyn

I changed my plan for this day, which was initially to go up Striding Edge and return by way of St Sunday Crag, which is quite a long trek. I decided otherwise when I was on the summit because the weather was not terribly inspiring, I was interested in visiting a new little peak – Catsycam – and this shorter day was more suitable for the conditions.

I went up Striding Edge many years ago and remember being unnerved at the steep drops either side, but understanding that this was psychological more than technical. The actual walking/scrambling is not difficult, unless it is windy or snowy. Last time I didn’t especially enjoy the sharp ridge, but this time I did, in the same way I enjoyed Sharp Edge on Blencathra last year: it’s a lot of fun, such that I made a mental note to repeat it again.

So up to the summit for the second time this trip, but it’s such a dramatic and interesting walk it was no less fun than the first time. More fun then going down Swirral Edge, and from there up to Catsycam – actually part of the Hellvellyn/Red Tarn amphitheatre, a minor peak which frequently overlooked but which offered me a new summit vantage point. In fact there’s not much to achieve in the latter sense; the Helvellyn ridge is so substantial that views from nearby minor peaks are subsumed by those from the top. But I was glad I’d seen this for myself, and it does extend the natural ridge curving around Red Tarn. The plan was then to return by way of the Glenridding mine path, but I knew from experience it’s not very interesting and decided to cut back to a previous part of the walk, making a figure of eight route, and return along the Grizedale valley path which is quite pretty. Another lovely day.

High Street

This was a walk I’d planned to do, but after the previous days it didn’t seem particularly urgent. My walking appetite had lessened, because it had been nicely fed. But I decided to do it after a pleasantly lazy morning – and early afternoon – setting off at about 4.15 from Hartsop. A late start, but there’s no logical reason why you have to set off in the morning, if you don’t mind roaming around in the evening. The main attraction here was to reach Thornthwaite beacon, from which I’d gazed down to Ullswater during recent Kentmere day-trips. It’s fun to approach points from different ways, linking up your present day with the memory of a former one, and enhancing your mental ‘map’ of an area. I enjoyed feeling as if I’d come up from Kentmere not Hartsop; you connect not just the paths and terrain, but happy memories, which is nice. Along the topthen, the former Roman road we now call High Street, and down to the Hayeswater reservoir. It’s not a fantastic walk, and the final descent is long and painfully steep - toes rammed into the fron of your boots, guaranteed. But for 4 or 5 hours, it’s quite pleasant.

Martindale

I felt the weather had probably made a deterioration which would last for perhaps a few days at least, and I was right: it was grey and overcast, and the forecast not encouraging. I was tired, not inspired for more high-level exertions, I’d done the walking I wanted to do anyway, and felt like an easy day. I drove along Ullswater and decided to continue along to Pooley Bridge – the very end of the lake – and then went further into Martindale. I did this once before a few years ago, but at a time when I used to visit the Lakes, enjoy it, but then more or less forget about it so it was quite a hazy memory. I don’t do that now; I take photographs, record it, plan and think about it in between my trips.

The far (northern) end of the lake is where the land flattens out and although that’s not the kind of terrain I like – give me some craggy drama please – it’s still a lovely area and it’s soothing to see peaceful flat fields, rather than mountains. Martindale does not have tremendous character or interesting, distinguishing features; what is notable about it is its quiet tranquillity. It’s not wild and remote like Wasdale or even Eskdale, but it’s quite a long drive to get to, there are only one or two farms there, a hotel and a few other places, and nothing else. Walking is not dramatic or even obvious, but it would be nice and relaxing if you were spending a long time in the Lakes and had ‘used up’ the more exciting attractions. When I’d finished looking around I returned to Ullswater, hung around a little more waiting for the weather forecast – not terribly good – and decided to return. Another Lovely Lake district ‘holiday’ – yes, ‘holiday’ – because seven resident days which include a little lazing around makes it more (less?) than a walking trip.