The trouble is, there are so many things to do in life, you can’t do them all. You have to compromise. Nobody likes compromise. Rob would like to live his life to the following rules: keep an open mind and keep on climbing. His life is littered with tick lists of things to climb. On holiday we had a list of things to do and just seven days to do them in. It was going to be impossible to do them all so we then had other lists of ‘must do’s’, ‘would like to do’s’ and ‘will definitely do’s if the weather improves’. I lost count of the number of lists we had. Are we alone in this or is this what everyone does on holiday?
If you are planning to stay in any of the Lake District Cottages in Eskdale or Wasdale, this is what my suggested tick list would be for you to do (in no particular order):
Stanley Ghyll waterfall
This is my favourite walk which takes you over little bridges and along a small river up to a lovely waterfall. The walk has a feel of the rainforest about it and is beautiful in all weathers. Start at the war memorial in Eskdale, or at St Catherine’s Church which makes it a little longer (especially if the stepping stones are under water).
A few pints in the King George IV pub in Eskdale
Under new ownership, this pub has really turned itself around in recent months. The staff and owners are friendly and it has a wide range of ales. Pets are welcome here too. There are even a few self catering Lake District cottages attached to the pub so if you stayed in one you wouldn’t have far to walk back!
A trip on the Ravenglass & Eskdale ratty
I used to spend all my summers on the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway and never tired of the fantastic scenery on the seven mile trip, or the ice-creams at the other end! You can even buy a ticket for your dog to enjoy the trip.
A walk up to Blea tarn in Eskdale
There are a variety of starting points for this walk, but a good one is at Beckfoot Station on the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway. The path leads up the fellside and brings you out at Blea Tarn. Go for a skinny dip if you dare!
Muncaster Castle (especially in April or May) near Ravenglass
I had my first ‘proper’ job at Muncaster Castle and just loved it. One of my favourite jobs was putting out the signs for the bluebell walk in May. It’s great at any time of year but the rhododendrons, and then the bluebells are at their best in April and May. The Georgian Terrace walk has fantastic views towards Eskdale while the rest of the grounds are less formalised with little woodland paths beckoning you to follow them. Dogs are welcome on a lead here.
A walk by the river from Forge Bridge to St Catherine’s Church
Just down from the George IV pub in Eskdale is Forge Bridge (incidentally, a good place for swimming). You can walk along the river here to St Catherine’s Church in Boot at the other end of the Eskdale valley. The walk takes you through woodland and is another of my favourites.
Scafell Pike & Scafell from Upper Eskdale or Wasdale
A trip to Eskdale or Wasdale is not complete without a walk up Scafell Pike, the finest mountain in the Lake District, and of course, England’s highest peak. If you’re a local, you’ll pronounce it with the ‘w’ that was originally in the spelling: Scawfell.
A fleeting visit to St Olaf’s church in Wasdale
This is the smallest church in England and has a graveyard filled with the tragedy of the earliest attempts to establish rock climbs on the highest mountains in the Lake District. An interesting place to be and a perfect place for a spot of quiet reflection.
Great Gable from Wasdale
This is a good walk at any time of year but Remembrance Day is an amazing time to go up as hoards of people gather from all over the Lake District for an informal
get-together at 11am.
A few more pints at the Wasdale Head Inn
Always good after a day on the fells. The Wasdale Head Inn was around when the first ascent of Napes Needle was done at the turn of the 18th Century. The birthplace of British climbing.
“Nobbut a Fleeing Thing”
Dave Birkett’s fantastic route on Wasdale Screes graded at E8 it is one of the most spectacular climbs in the Lake District.
A trip over Hardknott Pass – the steepest road in the Lake District
3:1 gradients take you from Eskdale over to Ambleside and then Windermere. It is best to go over this road when the Lake District is quieter, although it tends to be shut in Winter due to icy conditions.
Swimming in the dubs & rivers of Upper Eskdale
From Brotherilkeld Farm (the last place in the Eskdale Valley) you can follow the path going towards Scafell Pike and find some fantastic pools to splash about in on the way. It is more of a journey to get to these than the river in Forge Bridge so there is a chance you will have them to yourself.
A walk over Muncaster fell to the coast
This is another walk with many starting points – a good one is to walk past Foresthow Guest house which is at the Miterdale end of Eskdale (past Irton Road Station). The walk takes you over Muncaster Fell to Ravenglass. Come back on the Ravenglass & Eskdale railway if you have tired legs!
A picnic anywhere
I’m a big fan of eating in the fresh air. Take a good book with you too and make a day of it.
A walk in the woods of Miterdale
The little valley of Miterdale often gets forgotten about in favour of its parent valley Eskdale. As a result there are fewer people there but it is just as beautiful. Rob likes all the forgotten boulders around and about for some excellent climbing. He won’t say where they are though as they’re a secret for him alone to do!
Wastwater lake on a clear night
One of my favourite things to do is visit Wastwater Lake in Wasdale on a clear starlit night. Magical.
There are plenty of cottages in the Lake District, especially in Eskdale and Wasdale that make a great base for exploring these stunning valleys.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Sunday, 20 March 2011
The Eskdale Corn Mill
The Eskdale Mill in the hamlet of Boot takes its water from the beautiful Whillan Beck, which runs down from Burnmoor Tarn, high on the fell below the imposing Scafell. There are plenty of self catering lake district cottages in the area which would make a great base from which to explore the valley further.
A mill at this location dates from the 1200s (although this is just the first written record) and so could date back much further as the mill is built to a Roman design used in the mills on Hadrian’s Wall and with our own Eskdale Fort on Hardknott Pass it is feasible that this could have been a mill to supply the garrison based there.
The current Eskdale mill dates from the 1700’s and the wooden machinery which turns the millstones which grind the grain. The mill operated at a profit supplying flour and animal feed to the valley until the early 1900’s when the Lar’l Ratty (the steam train) started to bring in goods into the Eskdale Valley and the mill couldn’t compete.
The mill had its final days of glory during the First World War when the valley relied on the mill once again to provide the valley and surrounding areas with flour and animal feed once again.
Today, Dave King, the miller, gives tours of the milling process and the 2 waterwheels do still work. The mill is usually open 11.30 to 5.30 from April to September (they may be closed on Mondays and Saturdays so give Dave a ring to check if you are
planning a visit).
In 2006 the Eskdale Mill and Heratige Trust (a registered charity) bought the Eskdale Mill and which will hopefully secure the mills future as a historic monument of an industry which has been carried out on this location for at least 1000 years and probably more like 2000!
This wonderful piece of working history can be combined with a trip on the Lar’l Ratty, if you take the train from Ravenglass to Eskdale from the final station at Dalegarth it is a short 10 minute walk into Boot where you can visit the mill then either have a ice cream from the post office (or station) if the weather is nice or a refreshing drink in one of the 2 pubs in Boot, The Boot Inn and the Brook House, both serving great food and a fine selection of ales.
Alternatively you can rent one of many Lake District cottages, there are several within walking distance of the mill.
A mill at this location dates from the 1200s (although this is just the first written record) and so could date back much further as the mill is built to a Roman design used in the mills on Hadrian’s Wall and with our own Eskdale Fort on Hardknott Pass it is feasible that this could have been a mill to supply the garrison based there.
The current Eskdale mill dates from the 1700’s and the wooden machinery which turns the millstones which grind the grain. The mill operated at a profit supplying flour and animal feed to the valley until the early 1900’s when the Lar’l Ratty (the steam train) started to bring in goods into the Eskdale Valley and the mill couldn’t compete.
The mill had its final days of glory during the First World War when the valley relied on the mill once again to provide the valley and surrounding areas with flour and animal feed once again.
Today, Dave King, the miller, gives tours of the milling process and the 2 waterwheels do still work. The mill is usually open 11.30 to 5.30 from April to September (they may be closed on Mondays and Saturdays so give Dave a ring to check if you are
planning a visit).
In 2006 the Eskdale Mill and Heratige Trust (a registered charity) bought the Eskdale Mill and which will hopefully secure the mills future as a historic monument of an industry which has been carried out on this location for at least 1000 years and probably more like 2000!
This wonderful piece of working history can be combined with a trip on the Lar’l Ratty, if you take the train from Ravenglass to Eskdale from the final station at Dalegarth it is a short 10 minute walk into Boot where you can visit the mill then either have a ice cream from the post office (or station) if the weather is nice or a refreshing drink in one of the 2 pubs in Boot, The Boot Inn and the Brook House, both serving great food and a fine selection of ales.
Alternatively you can rent one of many Lake District cottages, there are several within walking distance of the mill.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Castlerigg Stone Circle at Keswick, the Lake District
Here’s a brilliant thing to do in the Lake District if you have small children and don’t want to put too much effort in.
Take them to Castlerigg Stone Circle in Keswick and forget about the history of it, forget the mystery within it, forget even the beauty surrounding it (although it is worth taking a moment to enjoy that ‘wow’ factor), just spend a happy hour there playing hide and seek. We went there yesterday, just me and the three littlies aged 4, 2 and 1.
It took us a while to leave the puddles in the parking area, as long as you bring your wellies you’ll have just as much fun as we did(you might want to bring a change of clothes for afterwards though! We then struck out towards the stone circle and two minutes later we were there. It was so easy. Bruno and Daisy then did a spot of bouldering and climbing, while Julia was as happy as a bumble bee on my back. By the way, if you are planning a holiday in one of our Lake District cottages and have a small child, do invest in a backpack. We have a Vango one which came highly recommended and it’s much better than any other I’ve seen!
After the bouldering came the brilliant idea of a game of hide and seek which progressed into a high tech game of hide and seek where the hiders moved from stone to stone while the seekers got perplexed. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time. If you are really savvy you can see if you can get one of the many sheep in the field to give you a bit of help!
The setting is truly awesome with the Lake District fells surrounding you in a 360 degree circle. The day was overcast and the puddles big but it was no less beautiful for all that. One of the oldest stone circles in Britain, it is thought that Castlerigg Stone Circle at Keswick is over 5000 years old. No-one knows for sure who built it or why but this perhaps gives it its air of mystery.
Well worth a visit if you are staying in one of our Keswick cottages, or in nearby Braithwaite, Portinscale, Borrowdale or Bassenthwaite. There are quite a lot of stone circles dotted all over the Lake District. Another favourite of mine is the one on Cold Fell which I used to pass daily when travelling to work from Eskdale.
Take them to Castlerigg Stone Circle in Keswick and forget about the history of it, forget the mystery within it, forget even the beauty surrounding it (although it is worth taking a moment to enjoy that ‘wow’ factor), just spend a happy hour there playing hide and seek. We went there yesterday, just me and the three littlies aged 4, 2 and 1.
It took us a while to leave the puddles in the parking area, as long as you bring your wellies you’ll have just as much fun as we did(you might want to bring a change of clothes for afterwards though! We then struck out towards the stone circle and two minutes later we were there. It was so easy. Bruno and Daisy then did a spot of bouldering and climbing, while Julia was as happy as a bumble bee on my back. By the way, if you are planning a holiday in one of our Lake District cottages and have a small child, do invest in a backpack. We have a Vango one which came highly recommended and it’s much better than any other I’ve seen!
After the bouldering came the brilliant idea of a game of hide and seek which progressed into a high tech game of hide and seek where the hiders moved from stone to stone while the seekers got perplexed. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time. If you are really savvy you can see if you can get one of the many sheep in the field to give you a bit of help!
The setting is truly awesome with the Lake District fells surrounding you in a 360 degree circle. The day was overcast and the puddles big but it was no less beautiful for all that. One of the oldest stone circles in Britain, it is thought that Castlerigg Stone Circle at Keswick is over 5000 years old. No-one knows for sure who built it or why but this perhaps gives it its air of mystery.
Well worth a visit if you are staying in one of our Keswick cottages, or in nearby Braithwaite, Portinscale, Borrowdale or Bassenthwaite. There are quite a lot of stone circles dotted all over the Lake District. Another favourite of mine is the one on Cold Fell which I used to pass daily when travelling to work from Eskdale.
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