For years I'd heard the story of Wainwright’s first visit to Lakeland and of his life changing walk to Orrest Head. In reality, I was never sure where Orrest Head actually was, until when planning our Westmorland Way walk in 2009, we decided to walk over it.
On that visit we had no idea what it was or what we would see, we simple walked from Ambleside, through Troutbeck and across the fields to Orrest head on the path from Causeway Farm.
As we climbed the gorse and bracken slope we could see people on top looking West, then at the last second, in a matter of three or four paces, the view was there in front of us, we were stunned, it was breath taking and at last I could understand its effect on AW.
Since that first visit I have promised Mrs G I would walk up to Orrest head with her, approaching it from the north.
Our walk was a simple one, less than 2 miles, we parked in the pay and display car park at Windermere Station and walked Eastwards along the A591 for about a mile to the first road on the left, shown on the map as heading for ‘The Commons’, about 5-600yards up the road we joined the permissive path on left across the field into Common Wood. Following the path and signs uphill we reached Orrest Head. Even though she had heard me speak of my initial surprise, I think Mrs G was even more amazed than Andy and I had been. The view is spectacular even on a wet, misty, overcast day such as this one as you can see from the photo.
If you have not been up there, try to do so it is well worth the effort.
We went back car park and into the Lakeland plastic emporium and had lunch. Later we drove back to Keswick over the Kirkstone Pass and through Patterdale and Dockray, seeing part of the route Andy and I walked last year. Lakes 2010
We finished the holiday with a trip around Derwent Water on the Launch.
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