Weekend in Eskdale

Last weekend, 18 November, Mrs G and I trundled up to Eskale for a long weekend with my brother and niece and some of their families, our daughter and some of her family. The weather was very kind, the cottage we all stayed in was first class, the walks were short but with a high injury count. With three good pubs within a mile we drank and dined well.

Against advice, on the way up on Friday we drove over Wrynose and Hardnott Pass, which was great fun in the mist and drizzle. The views were fantastic unfortunately because of the poor light they did not quite translate into wonderful photos.

Saturdays walk from Boot was along the path past Christcliffe towards Eel Tarn, down to the Woolpack then via Doctor Bridge and Low Birker to the Stanley Force waterfalls and back along the road to Boot.

 On Sunday we walked along the road to Beckfoot Bridge, up the zigzag path to Blea Tarn over the side of Blea Tarn Hill and back to Boot.

The journey home on Monday was a tour of Wastwater, Cockermouth, Keswick, Ambleside and Windermere. Of these the highlight was Wastwater with the light and the clouds it was beautiful followed by a lovely drive out to Gosforth passing through the small settlements that lay beneath Seatallon.

It was a great weekend catching up with everyone, enjoying some highly amusing moments, thoughtful reminiscences, exchanging news, making plans for future visits and meets. Walking rightly came second this weekend.

Day 1 Maryport, Cockermouth

Date : Sunday 2 October 2011

Area : West Cumbria

Walk : Maryport to Cockermouth

Start At : Maryport Habour

End At : Market Place, Cockermouth

OS Sheet : OL4

Distance M/k) : 9.5 / 15.3

Ascent (ft) : 900

Descent (ft) : 800

Route

From the Harbour in Maryport head due east through the town to join the A594, just after the railway bridge turn left through the woodland and along the path beside the river. This path is marked on maps as the Allerdale Ramble, follow this route all the way to Cockermouth.

Journey

Much of the planning for this year’s walk was done by Andy, I merely gave carefully considered advice such as “if you think I going up there after a 14 mile walk your … “ and “that’s to blood far”. I think my only constructive comment was probably “how about starting from Maryport”

This year’s walk includes a day that allows us a second look at a day we found testing on last years walk, as well as a second attempt at the day we had to cancel last year due to bad weather. Check out Lakes to the right

The weather during our journey from Derby to Carlisle on Saturday’s had been stunning, wall to wall blue sky and warm sunshine. On the train from Leeds to Lancaster the solar gain was so hot that most passengers sat on north side of the carriage to avoid the heat.

Our friends Ian and Gill picked us up from Carlisle driving us west down the coast of the Solway Firth, stopping at the Highland Laddie , where we spent a few pints getting up to date and talking over old times and about our planned walk walk.

Sunday dawned damp and misty with visibility down to around 50m. As Ian and Gill drove us to Maryport via Wigton, Aspatria we were taken with the wildly beautiful and windswept West Cumbrian countryside.

On reaching Maryport we parked by the harbour, the start point for our the five day walk to Ravenglass, further down the coast. The tide was out and at 9:30 on a Sunday morning the town was quiet.

We pulled on waterproof tops, leaving over trousers off in the vain hope that “it would brighten up in a bit”. It didn’t and about a mile down the way we gave in and accepted that the combination of rain, grass and mud meant that we needed to get our over trousers on.

Following the Allerdale Ramble out of Maryport we walked along the bank of the River Ellen where we slipped and slithered up and down a muddy path as it wound its way above the river among the steadily dripping trees. However, we were very fortunate and excited to see a red squirrel. Several photos were taken, unfortunately, the one below was the best. Andy was very impressed as it was the first red squirrel he had seen.

At Dearham we bid Ian and Gill farewell as they left us to return home to watch the rugby. Thanks a million for your hospitality and friendship guys.

We pushed on through Dearham and Row Brow along tracks and across sodden fields to Tallentire, where due to having our heads down in the driving rain we missed a stile, as a result we walked to the top of the hill and then back down and having crossed the stile back up again.

At the top of the field we entered a huge field, with dozens of cows, bullocks and or heifers in it as well as young calves and one enormous Brown Bull. Most of the cows and their offspring headed away to our left as we walked downhill across the slope to our right in the direction of the gate. The Bull was uphill of us, on our right and I have to admit to being a bit concerned, I loosened the straps on my rucksack, with its red rain cover, ready to ditch it and run, all the while keeping my eye on the Bull. In the time it took us to cross the field the Bull moved exactly five paces.

From here it was along the road to Bridekirk across the A595 and through parkland to emerge in Cockermouth.

Although it will take some time for all the damage caused by the 2009 floods to be completely restored there is little obvious evidence of it now and the town looked bright and attractive, with plenty going on. At our B&B we were told that some of their repairs had only recently been done, others will have to wait for the walls to dry more..

Riverside B&B was clean, friendly, good value and well located for amenities.

We had a superb meal and had a great evening in the Castle Bar

 Riverside

Day 2 Cockermouth, Keswick

Date : Monday 3 October 2011

Area : Cumbria

Walk : Cockermouth to Keswick

Start At : Market Place

End At : Eskin Street

OS Sheet : OL4

Distance M/k) : 14.7 / 23.7

Ascent (ft) : 1970

Descent (ft) : 1859

Route

The Allerdale Ramble heads East out of Cockermouth before swinging south east down the side of Bassenthwaite Lake and via a selection of routes into Keswick. We took the higher route through Millbeck and Applethwaite, mainly to avoid what we assumed would be a wet walk along the River Derwent.

Journey

I have to say my memory of this days walking is patchy, probably because it was a long walk with few high points. We left Riverside B&B having had a full breakfast sitting around the kitchen table chatting with our hosts, a nice way to start to the day.

The walk out of Cockermouth was a long drag through the outskirts of the town, then up the ridge leading to Watch Hill, before heading down along a forestry track and along the road to Isel Bridge where we had a chat with a chap about to start fishing on the River Derwent.

As we approached Armathwaite Hall we passed through a large area, possibly Howgill Wood where most of the woodland had been removed, it looked a very sad place.

A short while later in some sparse woodland we saw several large, quite high wire pens, then the even weirder sight of a black shape swinging elegantly through the trees, followed by a grey/white shape. It was surreal, apes doing a Tarzan impersonation in an English woodland in Cumbria!!!. We realised they were some sort of ape, possibly not but not chimps and then we saw a bird that looked like a small Emu and something we reckoned might have been a Tapir. Not that we’re experts.

A 100m later all was explained by a sign proclaiming “Trotters World of Animals” with a collection of several hundred animals. Wow

Excitement over we continued along the Allerdale Ramble down to the side of Bassenthwaite Lake passing through a series of fields and stiles, general without much of a view of the Lake.

Stopping near to St Bega’s Church we stuffed our jackets away and sat in the sun for a few minutes before thoughts drifted to Tearooms and refreshments. Which seemed to be a pretty remote prospect.

From the Church the path heads up to the Mirehouse, a historic house and gardens open to the public, then over the A591 to the car park and our wish came true as a Tearoom appeared. Here, as well as decent pot of tea and tasty cakes we were given some good advice as to the easiest route to Millbeck. We’d decided the climb around Dodd and through Thornthwaite Forest would be best avoided and the lovely tearoom lady directed us to the concessionary path that runs above the quarry to the Osprey Viewpoint (where we only managed to see a few LBJ's,) along a path well above the A591 nearly as far as Dancing Gate where we got back onto the Allerdale Ramble through Millbeck and Applethwaite into Keswick

Our B&B in Keswick was at Hawclffe House with Diane and Ian where as usual we had a warm welcome, a lovely room and a great breakfast.

 

Day 3 Keswick, Braithwaite, Buttermere

Date : Tuesday 4 October 2011

Area : Cumbria

Walk : Keswick to Buttermere

Start At : Eskin Street

End At : Buttermere YHA

OS Sheet : OL4

Distance M/k) : 8.9 / 14.3

Ascent (ft) : 2245

Descent (ft) : 2010

Route

From Keswick head west to across to Portinscale, and on to Braithwaite. From here the path runs south west up to Barrow Door, to the south of Outerside and up the East side of Long Comb.to the pass and down in to the valley below Sail past Blea Rigg and Whiteless Breast and in to Buttermere.

Journey

Another misty, chilly morning. As we walked to Portinscale and on to Braitwaite we recalled last year’s walk when we were caught in an epic rain storm close to the mines at the head of Coledale. The streams were flooded and impossible to cross so we ended up scrambling up the side of a rock face to enable us to get to the path up to Coledale Hause

This year our route took us up the gently ascending path from Braithwaite past High Coledale, between Stile End and Barrow and up to Barrow Door. Looking back Skiddaw and Blencathra were almost invisible in the mist.

Finally as we approached Barrow Door we both felt “the feeling”, this was it, this was what we came for, what keeps us coming back not the tops or the high fells but walking from place to place along ancient paths through the hills and over the passes.

As we passed below Causey Pike we could see the path ahead winding around the humps and hollows towards Outerside and High Moss. We stopped for lunch and a brew in the lee of an old sheepfold. While there we met our first walkers of the walk.

A short walk brought us to a point where we could look down on the Coledale mines, and see the tin hut where we had sheltered in last year and the route of the scramble up towards Coledale Hause.

As our path swung from west to south we could see how it climbed the side of Long Comb, clinging to the slope taking us up to the gap between Causey Pike and Sail our highest point of the day. The view here was fabulous the Derwent Fells and more behind them with the clouds sitting just above their heads.

From here it was a long, long descent along a sometimes indistinct path high above Sail Beck as we worked our way down into Buttermere.

We stayed at the Buttermere YHA for 2 nights, where the over sixties hostellers outnumbered the under thirties ones.

Day 4 Wednesday was always planned as a short day with the idea of having a rest but doing a local low level walk or maybe Haystacks from Honister. However the weather was poor so we took the bus to Keswick, had a look visiting various Cafes, shops and pubs.

Both evenings were spent in the  Fish Inn at Buttermere where we enjoyed good food and beer, great company and some lovely people to talk with, including a lady who was celebrating climbing her 214 Wainwright that very day.

Hi, to Norman and Diane from Crich, who didn’t complete a Wainwright.

Day 5 Buttermere, Ennerdale, Wasdale, Eskdale

Date : Thursday 6 October 2011

Area : Cumbria

Walk : Buttermere to Eskdale

Start At : Buttermere YHA

End At : Eskdale YHA

OS Sheet : OL4 & 6

Distance M/k) : 12.5 / 20.1

Ascent (ft) : 3150

Descent (ft) : 3372

Route
From Buttermere go south around the end of the lake, turn left following the shore line, at Peggys Bridge take the path up to Scarth Gap and down into Ennerdale, take the path up to Black Sail Pass and down into Mosedale and Wasdale Head. Head down to the car park on Wast Water, through Bracken Close and upwards to Burnmoor Tarn follow path to Eel Tarn and down to the Woolpack and on to the YHA


















Journey


Unfortunately due to high winds and heavy rain we had to abandon this walk last year, eventually making the journey by bus, train and La'al Ratty to Eskdale.


This year, Wednesday’s weather looked as if we might hbe in for a repeat of last years weather, even the forecast was pretty dismal. However, Thursday dawned bright and dry if a little breezy so off we trotted, past the Fish Inn and along the side of Buttermere heading for the path to Scarth Gap.

As we approached the start of the path we could see a small tracked excavator wobbling up the path. We caught it up where the path was diverted around a section of hillside that had been washed out by a beck flooding and where works were underway to rebuild the beck and the path. As we slowly climb we were overtaken by the second walker this year. As we climbed the views were fantastic Fleetwith Pike. Dale Head, Haystacks, High Stile.

Approaching Scarth Gap the mist/cloud dropped and the wind increased to the point where I started to wonder if we could get through. Then as we descended the wind dropped and the wild beauty of Ennerdale was laid out in front of us with the River Liza shining, silver bright against the green and brown. Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Pillar were lined up opposite us while Haystacks loomed over us.

The walk down to Black Sail Hut seemed to take no time at all and suddenly we were there, inside having a cup of tea and a hut made flapjack.


Slogging up to Black Sail Pass we felt several small quick showers of rain. The fight to force our way against the wind was just as bad here as at Scarth Gap and just as quickly over. The walk down was pleasant, the views in the slight sunshine were inspiring. Then, when about a K from Wasdale Head just as we were looking forward to the food and drink we would have there out of the blue we were hit by a horrendous hail storm, it battered us, it blew and it stung. We weren’t wearing over trousers so while we stayed dry on top our trousers were soaked, in the end we just stood hoods up, rucksacks turned to the wind driven hail.


As quick as it started it stopped and the sun was shining.

After over an hour sitting in the Wasdale Head Inn we had fed were warmed up and about dryed out so we headed off for what we expected would be the easiest part of the days walk, a stroll over to Burnmoor Tarn and on to the Woolpack. How wrong we were.

Although we both walk in approach shoes so far today our feet had stayed pretty dry, which considering the walk so far was dam good. We decided not to walk down the road to get to Bracken Close, the start of the route to Burnmoor,  but to followed the bridleway instead, only to find that we had to cross three separate stretches of calf deep water. They were wide and cold. A bad start.

We found it a long drag up past Maiden Castle to Burnmoor Tarn, it was also muddy and wet. As we paddled our way past Burnmoor Tarn where its waters stretched way beyond its banks towards Eel Tarn we were blessed with three or four more hail storms, thankfully all of short duration.

While we both had multiple rants about the mud, the water or the hail we had some really good (albeit manic) laughs particularly when we took a joint running jump over a water swollen beck (you had to be there).


Descending from Eel Tarn, almost tasting refreshments at the Woolpack, basking in the pale red sunshine pouring in from the coast through a clear sky we were suddenly hit by another bout of hail. Queue another rant.


The Hostel was good, its one of my favourite, as was the food and drink at the Woolpack Inn

Day 6 Eskdale, Devoke Water, Ravenglass

Date : Friday 7 October 2011

Area : Cumbria

Walk : Eskdale to Ravenglass
Start At : Eskdale YHA
End At : Ravenglass
OS Sheet : OL6
Distance M/k) : 10.7 / 17.2
Ascent (ft) : 1245
Descent (ft) : 1491



 Route
From the YHA walk back past the Woolpack turn left down to Doctors Bridge cross and take the path to Low Birker and up to Whincop Bridge, Birkerthwaite and High Ground bear left over Birker Fell, around the south side of Devoke Water, past Barnscar down to the A595 close to Ellerbeck. Along the A595 over the River Esk on to the entrance to Muncaster Castle follow the path through the grounds and down to Newton then follow the Cumbria Coastal Path into Ravenglass.


Journey
This morning’s sky was a boiling mix of big white/grey clouds shot through with numerous patches of blue all in motion, driven by a moderate but chilly westerly wind. As we passed the Woolpack Andy and I agreed that the Woolpacks recent facelift had, in our opinion, not improved it much, yes the bar was longer, we just felt its style was out of place and not as comfortable as when we visited last year.

From Doctors Bridge it was along but steady climb with plenty of walls to cross we had a couple of navigational slip ups, signage is sparse and the path is prone to fade away. At Whincop the path becomes a track. Looking back there were some cracking views over to Scafell and in the distance I think the Langdales.

As we walked down the track towards Devoke water we could see it sat in a bowl and we knew we were in for another day of wet feet. Here we met a couple walking six or possibly eight Border Terriers all on extending leads, including some that split so there two dogs on one lead. We stopped to chat and make a fuss of the dogs, the dogs were friendly and loved the fuss.

Devoke water is a beautiful spot, ideal to stop for a brew but the wind was cold and unremitting as we pushed on hoping for a bit of shelter for lunch. Most of the way around the path was clear and not too wet, in other places it was pure bog.

At Barnscar we met a group of four girls on DOE, the third and last walkers we had met over five days.


On reaching the enclosure wall we assumed the worst was over, the DOE girl’s had said they struggle to get up, which we dismissed as a kids thing. How wrong could we be, those girls deserve a medal, it was horrible the first field was a morass we went knee deep in mud tripped and tumbled over massive tussock grass found little correlation between the route of the map, possible routes on the ground, the relationship of gates and stiles and the path was non-existent. Other than in jungles in Hong Kong and Belize this K and a bit was the worst piece of ground, below 250m I have ever walked through. I have worked with Rights of Way guys and the OS and respect them but someone has got this little bit of Cumbria horribly wrong.

We finally got lunch in the Tea Room at Muncaster Castle, highly recommended as is the walk down the long ridge walk from the Castle to Newton. At Ravenglass the tide was out and we were able to walk along the shore as we did so I noticed that the elevation on my GPS was -4, never seen a minus on it before.

Our B&B at Ravenglass was the place we stayed at the start of our Cumberland Way Walk in 2007,  Rosegarth , once again it was absolutely first class, thank you to Neil and team.

We had a super meal in the Ratty Arms on Ravenglass Station followed by an end of walk celebration in The Holly House Hotel there was a good crowd in which made for a lively evening See here for both places    

Cumbria Way Ulverston to Keswick, Preperation

In the past few years my mate Andy and I have walked most of the main hiking routes through the Lakes, the Coast to Coast, the Cumberland Way (amended a bit), the Westmorland Way, the Cumbria Way (twice both from Carlisle southwards) and last year our own Lakeland Circle, described in Lakes 2010 .

This year after much discussion and persuasion Mrs G finally agreed that she would go on a long distance hike with me. We choose the Cumbria way as I know it, it gives a good view of the Lakeland hills, it is mainly a valley walk with only one major climb south of Keswick, over Stake Pass from the Langdales into Langstrath. Also from previous holidays and visits, many parts would be familiar to her. There were, however, two cast in stone stipulations, she would not stay at a YHA and she would not carry a rucksack, I had already confirmed I would carry as much of her gear as I could, but she had to carry some of her own stuff. We bought a bum bag.


A number of training walks were planned locally, then in the Derbyshire peaks just to get us back into the level of walking fitness needed, to enjoy a multi-day walk. At the same time I started drawing up the ‘kit spreadsheet’ and ‘kit to buy list’ both essential planning tools.

Over the past few years I have gradually reduced the packed weight of my rucksack, with lighter gear and much less of the extras, those just in case bits and bobs that get stuffed in at every opportunity. Also it was clear that in the past the biggest weight burden was the ‘going down the pub clothes and shoes’. With me having to carry more or less two lots of kit these were clearly the areas to be controlled.


Although we both had previously bought some Paramo and other bits and pieces this year the only kit bought for the walk were RAB Aeon tee shirts for both of us, new Thorlo socks for me and a couple of small dry bags, a second bum bag and then just before we started a Vaude Triset 15 rucksack.

I was to carry, two Paramo Velez AL, two cheap over trousers, my TNF Apex gillet, my hat, gloves and buffs, a small dry bag holding my trousers, t-shirt, underwear, socks and washing gear in a plastic bag and very light shoes for indoor use. Plus maps, thermos, Source water bag, two sit mats and other bits gave me a packed weight of 9.2kg excluding water and food. Mrs G carried her TNF Apex gillet, hat, gloves and buffs and several other items of a vital nature, having ditched the bum bags the Vaude weighed in at 1.4kg.

We were using a wet clothes/dry clothes system. Each night we changed into dry kit washed out socks and underwear and dried them along with any damp day clothes. If the day kit did not dry, the next day they are worn wet, dry clothes must be kept dry.

Then at Easter disaster struck Mrs G smashed her toe on the wardrobe and was unable to do much walking for several weeks and nothing serious until late May. So much training and fitness was lost and her foot was still very tender.


All the B&B’s were booked in March, we had planned to go up and back by train but that proved too expensive for one let alone two.

So on 11 June we drove up to Keswick, the M6 south of Penrith is stunning. We parked the car and a suitcase of clothes in Keswick and caught a bus to Ulverston via Ambleside. We sat upstairs all the way, it was truly wonderful. It was a sunny day and we could see so much more of the hills, lakes, towns and villages than we have ever done in the car particularly for me, the driver.

Having found our way to the B&B via Laural and Hardy we went out for a quick look around Ulverston, making our way up to the official Cumbria Way start point in The Gill before finding somewhere to eat. Thank you, to Lee at the Farmers Arms who kindly booked us a table in the Rose and Crown. Both pubs are in the same ownership, I think. Two very good meals were had and we chatted with some very friendly people.

Cumbria Way - Ulverston (Gawthwaite) to Coniston (11m)

Day one 12 June

Our B&B at Sefton House was the most expensive on the trip and I am afraid we found it to be a disappointment.

Having walked to Ulverston before I knew the first few miles of the Cumbria Way were not very special, so to shorten the 15 miles on the first day and reduce the strain on Mrs G toe, we had decided to take a taxi up the road to the edge of the National Park at Gawthwaite. Our driver was Alan of LA12 Taxis, we recommend him highly he was punctual, knowledgeable, friendly and humorous.

As we walked northwards we could see the Coniston fells in the distance and for a short while as we looked back we could still see the lighthouse shape of the Hoad Monument outside Ulvertson.

The day so far was mild but cloudy with a strongish wind from the south west. This is an landscape of stone walls, fields, copses, streams and rough moorland that is pleasant enough to view and walk through. I had thought that having walked south I would be ok going north but a couple of small navigational errors soon brought the reality home, I had to keep good map contact. High Stennerley and Kiln Bank came and went as we approached what on previous walks had been one of the high points of the day, the walk along the east side of the ridge north of Tottlebank. However, dropping down the hillside towards the track up to Tottlebank I heard a scream and a shout from Mrs G ‘it’s a snake’. As I came back up to her I saw a green and black snake about 30mm diameter and 3-400mm long, so I took a couple of photos as it hissed at me.


Mrs G said ‘I nearly trod on it, what is it’.
Naturally I said ‘it’s a snake’, which earned me a thump, ‘I don’t know’.
I think it’s an Adder’ she said.
’Never mind it’s gone now’ earned me another thump.

Eventually we got moving and I told her about the snake I had seen on a walk last year in Leigh Park (near Havant, Hampshire) which was bigger but looked the same, ‘what was it’ she asked. Avoiding another thump I explained that I didn’t know as I hadn’t looked it up, which got me another thump. We moved rapidly along past Tottlebank and on to Beacon Tarn.

By now the wind was getting up and there was wetness in the air and the temperature had dropped about 5 degrees C. We had planned to have dinner here but decided to go on to Sunny Bank which would be more sheltered so we pushed on along the side of the big wet area of Stable Harvey Moss, past Tottle Bank (confusing) up the track and down across the Torver Beck footbridge where we finally put our jackets on, then over the A5084 and down the hill to the Sunny Bank jetty where we had lunch. So far we had only seen a group of three, father, daughter and boyfriend on the Cumbria way who overtook us at Beacon Tarn, two sets of dog walkers at Beacon Tarn and a couple who were walking south out of Torver Low Common.

The rain persisted in a miserable damp sort of way all the way to Coniston with little to see but trees and water plus a couple of groups of school learning sailing and canoeing.

As we walked across the fields into Coniston the drizzle lifted and the sky brightened. Crossing over the bridge we stood for a minute getting our bearings, when a lady brushed past saying ‘it’s over there’, ‘what is’ I said, ‘the cash point’ she replied, disappearing around the corner. ‘allo , allo ‘ I thought.


Ten minutes later, after looking at pub menus and shop windows we walked down Tilberthwaite Avenue past the Crown Inn and into Lakeland House Hotel webite is is a very good, clean efficient, friendly, everything you want a B&B to be, place. We did not fault it. However, the room was small, so small, we had to shuffle around sideways between the bed and wall. At least there would be no midnight hikes to the toilet, in fact, at first we couldn’t find the toilet until I opened a pair of small white doors, which I’d thought was a built in wardrobe and found the Ensuite. There was not a lot of room in there either but the shower was good.

‘I’m just going in the cupboard’ became the standing joke of the holiday.

A good meal in the Crown Inn rounded off the first day.