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No posts for ages, I know. We’ve been away the last two weekends, most recently to the Lake District, where we spent four days in Great Langdale. Alas, while the rest of the country basked in sunshine, we were subjected to torrential rain and gale force winds. We lost the path at the top of Crinkle Crags in what were probably the worst conditions I’ve ever experienced while hiking; visibility was down to a couple of metres, which meant that any path that wasn’t completely continuous became a real hazard. It was, ultimately, a really satisfying day, given the challenges faced, but in future I think I’ll consider what emergency equipment I’ve got in my rucksack a little more carefully – for the first time I was contemplating thoughts of having to spend the night on the fells.
I should add that Crinkle Crags, would, on a fine day, be a great walk; I can’t wait to try it again.
We were camping at the National Trust campsite in Great Langdale which I would recommend. I usually prefer a more secluded smaller campsite, but it does have very hot showers and well maintained facilities. There is a great hikers pub nearby (The Old Dungeon Ghyll) with lots of real ale (Black Sheep Bitter, Black Sheep Ale, Old Peculier, Yorkshire Terrier, Theakstons XB, Jennings Cumberland Ale) and loads of malt whiskies (I stuck to Tallisker 10 yr old, as it happens). Down the road is another pub worth looking in at called The Sticklebarn. We walked from the The Old Dungeon Ghyll along the bridleway past Dungeon Ghyll waterfall to get to it, and stopped for a pint of the delicious Bitter and Twisted. I’d give the next pub along, The New Dungeon Ghyll, a miss.
The day after doing Helvellyn (having spent the evening in the Traveller’s Rest) we decided to take it easy and walk to Howtown, planning to get the steamer back to Glenridding. The walk was described by Wainwright as one of the best walks in the Lakes. It is certainly the best lakeside walk I’ve done, and perfect for a day when you don’t fancy hitting the fells. The weather was even more glorious than the day before; it felt like walking in the Med. The fantastic thing about a walk like this on such a hot day is that not only are there great views, but that there are lots of places to sit down relax, and take them in, whether that be on a grassy outcrop overlooking Ullswater or in the shade down with your feet in a secluded stream. I only wish we’d brought some bottles of beer as well the sandwiches.
The walk can be made to include Place Fell, if you fancy getting up a bit higher, and I think that we might give that a go next time we’re in Ullswater.
Once we got to Howtown, we went for a quick pint in the Howtown Hotel, near were the steamer stops. The Theakston Bitter was refreshing, although not handpulled, and the daffodil filled garden to the rear was a fitting end to the walk.
The steamer costs about a fiver, and it’s a pleasant journey. The steamer we were on first saw service in the 1880s, but has been completely refurbished. For some reason dogs hate it.
We were up in the Lake District the week before Easter (photos only going up now). The weather was unbelievable for April (and on a few days, would have been unbelievable for August). We arrived on Wednesday morning, and despite my girlfriend having just arrived on a flight from Hong Kong we decided to climb Helvellyn – up Swirral Edge and down Striding Edge. Both edges are superb in their own right; Approaching Swirral with Red Tarn on your left is a great sight, especially when it’s sunny. Swirral itself is best at the point where a gap appears on your right hand side, opening up a brand new vista for the first time. Striding Edge is even more exhilarating. Most people seem to do it on the ascent, but I don’t think it really makes much difference to how much fun it is, clambering as you are over bare jagged rock, with lots of mini-summits to drag yourself up.
There’s a fairly decent pub called the Traveller’s Rest on the road that takes you down to Glenridding that we hit at the bottom. The beer was really great (Cumberland Ale), and we enjoyed a couple of evenings there over the next few days, even if the food left a little to be desired. There’s quite a lot on the menu (sadly of the chicken burger/jumbo sausage/frozen fish variety). I don’t understand why pubs like this feel the need to offer so many meals; it invariably leads to poor quality. I’d rather see four or five really simple, fresh dishes.
Anyhow, the beer probably made up for it.
I say it every time I’m there, but I believe that Glenridding is missing a really good pub. The cottage (an old miners cottage) we stayed in just outside Glenridding was great, with fantastic views of the fells, but as for Glenridding itself, I prefer villages like Threlkeld (with the superlative Horse and Farrier) , Braithwaite (with the Coledale Inn) or Sawrey (Near with the Tower Bank Arms, or Far with the wonderful Sawrey Hotel).
