Lakes - April 2024 Part 2/4: Borrowdale -> Wasdale Hall

 

The view looking back from the climb out of Borrowdale.

This is part 2 of a 4-part series. You can find part 1 here: Part 1/4: Windermere -> Borrowdale.

I awoke early in Borrowdale and prepared food for the day ahead with one eye on the weather. After the rainy ending to my hike the day before, I was determined to bide my time for my friend the Sun (and let my clothes use the drying room to their fullest advantage).

A sidebar on good hiking food: you are probably already aware of the importance of lightweight, high-energy foods for long hikes (this hiking guide has more comprehensive information, and even a nice recipe idea). Personally, I am a big fan of peanut butter and banana sandwiches. However, I often enjoy having something more substantial. I find that preparing an actual meal (or using leftovers of a previous repast) really brightens lunchtime. For me, this is almost always a tomato and tuna dish on a base of pasta, preferably with broccoli. Bring your own fork, a tupperware full of the meal of your choice, and you can sit on some crag, by a tarn, overlooking a cove, and feast like a king.

Back in Borrowdale and the rose-tinted past, the sun was beginning to break through and my boots were bone-dry. Time thoroughly bided, I set off along the valley by the River Derwent, where every riverside path was itself a stream. It was pleasant enough navigating these upstart tributaries, and I soon arrived at the beautiful little Stockley Bridge, which allows passage across the river and up past Taylor Gill Force. I can imagine that the waters around the bridge are very inviting in the warmer months, although no-one was taking advantage of the wild swimming opportunity on that bright cold day in April.

The climb by the falls with Glaramara to your back is invigorating, and the view when you turn to see your progress make it well worth the effort. Pressing on, I passed Styhead Tarn, forgoing the busier path left to Scafell in favour of the road less travelled: onward and downward into Wasdale. It is a long descent, filled with scree, but the view was perfect - I could even spot the sea!

The descent to Wasdale, including a special appearance from the Irish Sea!

At the bottom, the path crosses a beck several times before curving to Wastwater. This long stretch by the water was a real pleasure, with the warming sun and the open sky a cloud-spotter's delight. Although I chose the road for lack of a better option in terms of route, it is not a busy one, and each pause to allow a car to pass gave me another chance to take in the beauty of the lake.

A section of the road by the shores of Wastwater.

As I had made good time, and check-in at YHA Wasdale Hall is from 17:00, I stopped for a paddle in Wastwater, basking in the sunshine and my good fortune. It was a magical end to a perfect day.

Wasdale Hall is a beautiful old building. Although constructed in 1829 (with a south wing subsequently added in 1839), its owner, Yorkshire banker and merchant Stansfield Rawson, opted for a Medieval/Tudor style, such was apparently all the rage at the time. So sayeth the information pack, located in the airy, high-ceilinged library in which I prepared for my coming hike to Eskdale.

YHA Wasdale Hall verdict: Excellent!

The main draw here is the building itself. I spent a happy hour perusing the library and examining the trappings of its gilded past.

Find part 3 here: Part 3/4: Wasdale Hall -> Eskdale