Lakes - April 2024 Part 4/4: Eskdale -> Coniston Holly How -> Windermere
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| An atmospheric view northwards from the climb out of Eskdale. |
This is part 4 of a 4-part series. You can find parts 1-3 here:
It's the fifth day of my grand walking tour, and things are about to get rainy.
I made my careful way along the rocky ridge to the Old Man of Coniston, whose beard was whitened with the odd patch of snow. It was pretty grim going, the driving rain persistent enough to soak through my treated waterproof overlayers on both my top and bottom halves. Even my walking boots, a tough leather pair, were beginning to struggle with the amount of water. It's always important to bring waterproof clothing, but it's equally important to remember that you can't proof against every eventuality, watery or otherwise. Some levels of wetness can be combatted by equipment on the day, yes, but anything further has only one worthy adversary: the drying room. More on that later.
The path to Ambleside is very simple, and I chose to go by the road for the final stretch back to Windermere. I wouldn't normally recommend this, but it served to differentiate the return from the beginning, kept my boots dry (or at least prevented wetting them further) and meant I would be sure not to miss my train. There are times when practicality must overcome romanticism.
I awoke early and set off from YHA Eskdale with a song in my heart and a hope in my head: the vain hope that if I made good enough time, the tyrant rain might not catch me. Alas, it wasn't to be, but at least the first climb was very pleasant. My route took me close to 'point of historical interest' Hardknott Roman Fort, but on this occasion I pressed on past the Hadrian-era fortification, determined to beat the rain. The views back over the valley were wonderfully moody, and by the time I reached Seathwaite Tarn, I was nearing cloud cover.
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| The small road leading up to Seathwaite Tarn, where the clouds await. |
The Tarn itself is a reservoir, a little south of Grey Friar and tucked into the lea of the Hows Shudderstone and How Wood. It was up by these two hows that I intended to go, but the paths I saw marked on my OS map failed to materialise and I ended up making a beeline for Dow Crag instead. As the rain and hail began to fall, I roved up through cloud cover and was sorry to miss what I'm sure are lovely views down to Goat's Water, which despite its unprepossessing name looks quite nice on Google.
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| Seathwaite Tarn itself, not at its most inviting. |
Due to the weather conditions, I had neither the opportunity nor the inclination for photo opportunities, although I did take a final snap of the summit cairn, if for no other reason than to give proof that I was there.
The descent from there was not difficult, but the steps were slick with rainwater and my spirits, too, were thoroughly dampened. I passed other poor unfortunates, similarly struggling onwards through the near-perpetual rain cover, and wound my way down past the Coppermines and into Coniston itself, where I bought a few provisions and found my way to YHA Coniston Holly How. I had arrived before check-in, but a kind soul let me into the hostel and I was able to cook a proper meal and start the long process of drying off.
YHA Coniston Holly How is a nice, well-appointed building only a stone's throw from the lake (if you are blessed with a particularly powerful arm). The only issue with my stay here was that the drying room was unoperational - and on the very day I needed it most! I did the best I could to find radiators, had a hot shower, and bunked down in a dorm room for the night.
YHA Coniston Holly How verdict: Good!
My kingdom for a drying room!
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| The view down over Tarn Hows. |
The following day was much brighter, and although my waterproof and boots hadn't quite had the chance to dry, I steeled myself for the final stretch with a cautious optimism. It was sunny, I hadn't thought about work in days, and I was warmed by the soft glow of accomplishment. Feeling perhaps a mite too pleased with myself I set off by Coniston Water, walking up by the road, through the forest, and passing the atmospheric Tarn Hows.
Onwards I went, over hill and dale, even spotting a rainbow or two over the cloud-flecked landscape.
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| Proof of sunny spells: a rainbow! |
And so, sat at Windermere station making my ponderous way through a bag of oranges, I reflected on my journey. I had walked around 70 miles, visited 5 YHA hostels, met new and interesting people, seen mountains, tarns, lakes, and the sea, and reconnected with nature and myself in a way I had been sorely missing. All was right with the world.
In my next post, I will talk about my experiences volunteering with the YHA.
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