Overground, Underground, Wandering Free

It's been a while since my last blog...and since I was up in the Lakes. Ex-hurricane Ophelia, and Storm Brian both hit the UK shores during October and brought with them the full force of the autumn storms meaning I was struggling to find a weekend with decent weather. Eventually the day came. I set an early alarm for 5:00 am. The clocks had gone back the weekend before so at this point it was still dark outside & sunset wasn't due for another couple of hours...but I was hoping to be in the Lakes and treading the Fells when the sun rose.

I wasn't planning a day on the high fells, it was a circular hike of two of the smaller Wainwrights that were on the list - Black Crag & Holme Fell. Heading around the Southern fells, my route took in sightseeing stops at Tarn Hows, Hodge Close quarry & Yew Tree Tarn.

I reached Tarn Hows at just before 7:00 am. The sky was beginning to lighten, the time they call 'blue hour' on the lead up to sunrise. Pay & Display ticket bought, boots on & pack on my back, I headed off along the well-maintained path that circuits around Tarn Hows. At the far end of the tarn, I veered off and toward my first summit of the day: Black Crag (1,056 feet).

The ground was saturated from recent rains, and some of the paths were quite muddy, but I skirted round and eventually got to the top for 8:00 am. The sun had risen, and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. It was looking like it was going to be a lovely clear day - albeit cold.

I took a few minutes to brew a hot coffee and had an All Day Breakfast sandwich whilst sat watching the sun rise in the sky above Windermere, which was over in the east....I'd save one of the sandwiches for lunch later on.

The sun was brightly shining on the higher fells in the distance. Coniston Old Man & Wetherlam dominated the skyline to the south west. Due west & north were the fells around Langdale - Crinkle Crags, Bowfell (who had its top shrouded in cloud), and the old favourites, the Langdale Pikes. To the north east was the Helvellyn range - also shrouded in cloud at this point, along with the fells of the Fairfield horseshoe. Farifield was also displaying a dusting of the white stuff on its summit plateau - although wether this was snow or frost is another question, as it had melted come mid-day.

After breakfast I headed down the western flanks of Black Crag, moving cautiously past a herd of Belted Galloway cattle - more commonly referred to as 'Belties' due to the white 'belt' around their middle. After a short while, I reached High Arnside Farm and was welcomed by a number of barking sheepdogs. I moved on hastily so as not to disturb anyone still sleeping in the farmhouse. The single track headed down to a junction with the main A593 road, but luckily I was crossing straight over to join the next single track road on the opposite side. This ran upto High Oxen Fell Farm then turned into a less-vehicle friendly 'forest track' as it made its way to Hodge Close Quarry.

I'd previously visited Hodge Close earlier in the year on my Great Carrs wild-camp (see related post), but this time I was able to explore it a bit more freely - as this time I wasn't being weighed down by my heavier wild-camping kit.

I carefully headed down the narrow pathway into the now densely overgrown 19th century green-slate quarry. It was like walking into some secret wooded glen from Lord of the Rings, or something similar. Towards the end of the gully was a huge opening in the rock which tunnelled through into the other large quarry pit on the other side. This secondary pit was flooded - quite deep too going by how black the water was.

Apparently further tunnels & mine shafts lie hidden below its murky surface. So it comes as no surprise to find that Hodge Close is a popular spot with divers.

The two huge openings in the rock gave an impressive view across the flooded quarry and to the tree line some 100-plus feet above. One of the openings had some wrecked & rusted ironwork's - the remnants of an old crane - which made for a unique lead-in for a photograph.

After exploring the quarry, I walked back through the wooded glen, back up, and made my way round to the top-side of the flooded quarry pit. Just off from this, across a narrow single lane road, and a make-shift lay-by / car park is an empty expanse - what I can only think are old spoil heaps from the quarry - which have been flattened on top. Over the years at one end of this, a small woodland of silver birch trees has grown, and they looked quite striking amongst the autumnal colours.

Walking towards the south eastern end of Hodge Close, I picked up the path to my second fell of the day - Holme Fell. I headed up through the woodland and along the path which then followed along a drystone wall. Eventually I found the fork which headed onto the fell side.

The woodland fell away and the landscape became the usual desolate grassland - which once again was boggy in places. I hopped, skipped and jumped between the boggy patches & made my way up the fell-side. Then the path just seemed to vanish. It was no issue though - the only way was up, and I made my way zig-zagging up through the heather clad terraces - it was just a shame that all the heather had since died off - I must remember to revisit again next year when the heather is in bloom. Eventually a path reappeared, and the summit ridge was in sight.

Although this is the second lowest of the Wainwright fells - at just 1,040 feet - doesn't mean the views are any less spectacular - and the climber is rewarded with a full-length view of Coniston Water to the south.

The wind had picked up slightly, so I found shelter behind a rock, and as it was almost lunch time, I stopped to finish my sandwiches overlooking where I had come from - Black Crag - and where I was headed - back to Tarn Hows. But my next way-point was just out of sight. After descending from the fell via the Uskdale Gap path, I reached Yew Tree Tarn.

Surprisingly enough - this isn't a natural mountain tarn - in fact it isn't even 100 years old yet! The tarn was constructed by the Marshall family, who also landscaped Tarn Hows, in order to create a Trout fishery.

The pathway followed the western shoreline to the dam at the southern end, which was then crossed before reaching the A562 road once again. Luckily, once again, the path continued directly opposite.

I wasn't far of the end of the walk - a short trek along Tom Gill with Tarn Hows at the top. The walk wasn't as simple though. Steep in places, the leaves that had fallen from the trees obscured the path in places, and on two occasions what I thought was the path turned out to be a dead end. Not that I'm complaining, as the woodland was gorgeous, and accompanied by a beck which included a few spectacular waterfalls. I eventually found the path again and - after kicking myself over how obvious the correct path was - followed it right through to the top, and back onto the well maintained paths of Tarn Hows.

I headed back towards the car park and on my way, picked up a well earned post-hike 99 cornet from the ice cream van that was parked up.

Mark