Covid-19 Update
All non-essential retail outlets are currently closed, except for take-aways. This is set to change on April 12, pending a review. Go to https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/coronavirus for the latest information about visiting the area. The majority of car parks and public toilets are open. Go to the Lake District National Park website for information about which car parks are open, how busy they are and whether the toilets are open:https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/car-park-statusSupermarkets and food shops are open.Check here for updates to the situation.Please note that it is your responsibility to keep up-to-date with latest government guidelines: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
ESSENTIAL!: How to use the app
On installing the app and opening for the first time:Accept permissions when first opening the app.Select the gear symbol then select 'Play stop audio' and 'location settings'.Make sure your device GPS is turned on. Make sure 'autolock/screen timeout' is disabled.To best enjoy the app, click the folded map icon and keep the map open to monitor your progress. To read a stop's description before reaching it, tap on the relevant number on the map then tap on the name that appears. Once you've read the content, tap the map icon again.If you are driving alone a dashboard phone mount is advisable.THIS TOUR WORKS BEST IF YOU STICK TO THE SPEED LIMIT!!Starting the tour:Once in Keswick, tap 'Start Tour' then select 'Keswick PUSH PLAY' and hit play.When you're ready to start driving the loop, select the 'Beginning of Loop 2' stop.Tap the map icon, top right.On Android, tap the 3 dots top right then 'Get directions'.On iPhone and iPad, tap the number '1' on the map then tap the road sign icon at the bottom of the screen. Then tap 'Directions'.This takes you to your phone's map.We recommend you make a note of the directions and re-enter the app before leaving Keswick as there is limited opportunity to pull over and do so once on the road.Follow the directions to the beginning of the tour.Using the app:Most of the narration is GPS-triggered although there are a few 'push play' sections to give you the choice when to listen to them. Within each 'stop' you will find instructions on when to hit play if the GPS does not trigger for atmospheric reasons. THIS IS FOR PASSENGERS ONLY or when stationary.Also within each stop are written directions to the next stop.Look for links to walking routes and places of interest embedded in the text of the stops.If you leave the loop and want to rejoin it, click the folded map icon at the top of the stop page then tap the 3 dots top right followed by 'Get directions'.The narration will only play automatically once unless you exit and re-enter the tour, in which case it will replay when you next cross the GPS point.The GPS triggers are set to work in the order of the tour. If you try doing the tour backwards the information will be out of place.You can begin the tour at any one of its locations and can always manually select any location at any time.Updates:We are continually improving the app so please tap 'check for updates' from the gear symbol drop down menu, top right on the app homepage on an Android, bottom of the homepage on iPhone and iPad.Next tap the loop on the tour list to open it.If there is an update you will see a small number '1' over the 3 dots in the top right corner of the subsequent screen.Tap on the '1' and then tap 'update tour'. A 'downloading' message will appear. This will take about a minute if connected to WiFi.HAVE FUN!
A Brief History of Cumbria
Cumbria as a county in its own right was formed from three older counties of Cumberland, Westmorland, and parts of North Lancashire and North Yorkshire in 1974. It may be a relatively new county but its history is rich and ancient.Between the last Ice Age and the Neolithic period, the entire British mainland was covered in forest. The uplands of Cumbria were covered in pine and birch whereas oak, alder, ash, and elm flourished in the lowlands.During the Mesolithic period, around 5,500BC the lowland coastal areas of Cumbria were inhabited by cave-dwelling people. Animal bone and primitive tools have been found at Kirkhead Cave, near Lower Allithwaite, dating back to 11,400BC.From about 4,000BC, during the Neolithic period, more permanent homes were established and people started to develop the land around them. The introduction of flint axes led to the clearing of upland forests for farmland.The Langdale valley, which you will visit on Loop 3, was once the European centre for greenstone axes, which were fashioned from broken rock fragments called scree. These were gathered from the hills surrounding the valley, especially Pike O’ Stickle, and the fells of Scafell Pike. Axes that were made there have been found across Europe.Bronze tools have been found around Ambleside, Keswick and St John’s in the Vale.The Megalithic tradition which spanned the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age saw the erecting of stone circles and monuments. There are many theories as to why these were built but most archaeologists concur that they were used for ritual and ceremony. Cumbria has more sacred sites than anywhere in Britain and 3 of the country’s most significant circles: Castlerigg near Keswick, Swinside in the Duddon valley and Long Meg near Salkeld. The Celtic people started to move into the region in the 3rd Century BC, bringing with them advanced farming techniques, metalwork, sophisticated religious practices and basic systems of law.The Iron Age brought accelerated clearance of the forests, needed to fuel the fires to smelt iron ore. Hill forts such as at Dunmallard Hill, near Pooley Bridge, were built in this period.The arrival of the Roman Empire in Cumbria in 77A.D saw the subjugation of the native Celtic Carvetti tribe, part of the larger Brigantes tribes in the north. Attempts were made to conquer Scotland but these were unsuccessful.In 122 AD Emperor Hadrian ordered that a wall be built between England and Scotland to keep the rebellious Scottish tribes out. Construction took approximately 17 years. It stretched 74 miles (118KM) from Bowness-on-Solway, west of the city of Carlisle, to Wallsend in the east. Remains of the longest continuous remaining stretch of the wall can be visited at Birdoswald Roman Fort at Gilsland near Carlisle, Cumbria.During the Roman period, Cumbria was a military zone. The Romans established several strategic forts, two of which, Hardknott and Ambleside, can be visited on loop 3. They also built roads connecting Kendal with Ravenglass and Troutbeck with Brougham near Penrith. You can walk along the old Roman road of ‘High Street’ from Troutbeck hamlet on Loop 1. Civilian settlements grew around the military bases, especially at Ambleside.The Celts of the northwest managed to hold on to their culture despite Roman rule and local place names show their influence. For example, the mountains of Blencathra and Helvellyn derive their name from the Celtic language.When the Romans withdrew from Britain, around 400AD, the Celtic people of this area called themselves ‘Combrogi’ meaning ‘Fellow Countrymen’. This later became Cymry and is the origin of the modern name Cumbria.In the 6th century (501 AD- 600AD) Urien, son of Cynfarch Oer, became ruler of Rheged, a kingdom of the Hen Ogled ("Old North"), the Brythonic Celtic speaking region of what is now Cumbria, Dumfriesshire and parts of Yorkshire.The northern kingdoms fought each other for many years until King Urien emerged as the region's most powerful leader. He won many victories over the Anglo-Saxon rulers of Bernicia (located in what is now south-east Scotland and north-east England) in the second half of the sixth century. Urien was eventually assassinated.Bernicia then united the northern kingdoms through an alliance of marriage between Northumbria and Rheged tribes.The Cumbric language was gradually replaced by Anglo-Saxon.The 7th to 10th centuries saw many battles over the sovereignty of Cumbria. This warfare reached its climax with the defeat and death of Dunmail, the last of the Celtic Kings, by the combined forces of Saxon King Edmund I and Malcolm of the Scots in 945 on the mountains near Grasmere. The lands were granted to the Scottish king for his support. You will pass a cairn called Dunmail’s Raise on Loop 1 where the Celtic King is said to be buried and you can climb to Grisedale Tarn where his crown is said to lie.Norse Vikings from Western Norway gradually settled in Cumbria in the 9th and 10th centuries. This was largely a peaceful colonisation unlike the violent invasion of Lindisfarne by Danish Vikings.The small farms that became established in the area have their origins in Norse traditions, as does the practice of dividing holdings with drystone walls. Many Cumbrian names of places and land features derive from the Norse language:Streams are named becks, from the Norse 'bekr';Waterfalls are named forces from the Norse 'foss';'Thorpe' means hamlet;Fell derives from the Norse ‘fjall’;Small lakes are called tarns which comes from 'tjorn'Ghyll meaning narrow ravine derives from the Norse word ‘gil’;Dale comes from ‘dalr’;And 'thwaite' in Old Norse means clearing.The Viking influence remained until the Middle Ages. A mixture of Norse-English languages was spoken there until at least the 12th Century.The sovereignty of Cumbria swapped hands many times during the Middle Ages, between 500AD and 1500AD with many battles fought between Scottish and Norman/English Kings. Cumbria being on the borders was a strategic ‘no man’s land’.Sheep-farming, a staple of the local economy today was well and truly established by medieval times and The Church set up farms called granges to exploit resources. The Herdwicke sheep, a hardy local breed, served a dual purpose of preventing forest regeneration and providing wool which was sold across Europe and beyond. Many of today’s footpaths follow medieval packhorse routes which were used to carry produce to market towns across the region. Life on the farm and in the home changed very little for hundreds of years.From the 12th-century lead, copper, haematite and many other minerals were mined and quarried.The 18th century saw the building of the railways which in turn greatly increased tourism to the area due to the ease of access. The area attracted yet more attention due in part to the success of a book written by the poet William Wordsworth: ‘A Guide to the Lakes’, published in 1835. Wordsworth suggested that this area become ‘some sort of national property’ to maintain its beauty. He was, however, in staunch opposition to the railways due to their effect on the landscape.The conservation of the area was recognised in 1951 with the establishment of The Lake District National Park.
Geology of the Lake District
The dramatic geology of the Lake District has been sculpted by 500 million years of geological processes, creating steep sharp ridges and smooth U-shaped valleys, England’s highest mountain, and deepest and longest lakes. Looking at a map of the region one can make out a rough wheel whose hub is situated in Dunmail Raise, north of Grasmere. The valleys and lakes radiate outwards forming the 'spokes'.There are several distinct categories of geology in the Lake District:Skiddaw GroupThe Skiddaw Group are the oldest rocks in the Lake District. They were formed as black muds and sands settling on the seabed about 500 million years ago. They have since been raised up and crumpled and squeezed. These rocks are found mainly in the north of the National Park and the mountains they form are mostly smooth, though many streams have cut deep gorges.Borrowdale Volcanic GroupFound in the central Lake District, the 'Borrowdale Volcanics' are very hard lavas and ashes formed in catastrophic eruptions about 450 million years ago. They make up the highest and craggiest mountains: Scafell, Helvellyn and the Langdale Pikes.These peaks are not the remains of the original volcanoes - they are the harder volcanic rocks that have withstood erosion.Windermere GroupSedimentary mudstones, sandstones, siltstones and some limestone formed in the sea about 420 million years ago. These were later folded and faulted, pushed up and eroded down to their present levels, forming the gentler scenery of southern Lakeland.GraniteHuge masses of granite formed about 400 million years ago, deep below the Lake District. Erosion has revealed outcrops in Eskdale, Ennerdale and at Shap.Limestone320 million years ago a tropical sea covered the Lake District. The shell remains of incredible numbers of small animals formed limestone which is visible at Whitbarrow Scar and Scout Scar in the south of the National Park.The Lake District owes it’s name to it’s fourteen lakes and numerous tarns. The reason for such a concentration of surface water is that the deep-cut glacial valleys capture the high rainfall and the volcanic rock stops it from draining away.
Safety on the Fells
The weather in the Lake District can change rapidly. Whether you are climbing a mountain or tackling one of the lower fells it is essential that you check the forecast before you set off and keep an eye on the weather whilst you are out. Wear good quality hiking boots and several thin layers of clothing. Always tell someone where you are going. Plan your route before you set off giving yourself plenty of time to get back before dark. Be aware that you cannot always get a mobile phone signal whilst out on the hills.The Mountain Rescue Organisation give safety advice on their website; taking note of their points can save lives.Don't forget to take with you:• Sufficient food and drink • Waterproofs • A map and compass • A small first aid kit • Spare warm clothing, hat and gloves Follow the Country Code:• Enjoy the countryside and respect its life and work • Guard against all risk of fire • Fasten all gates • Keep your dog under close control • Keep to public paths across farmland • Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges and walls • Leave livestock, crops and machinery alone • Take your litter home • Help to keep all water clean • Protect wildlife, plants and trees • Take special care on country roads In case of emergency only call 999 and ask for Police then Mountain Rescue.The Mountain Rescue teams in the Lake District, staffed by unpaid volunteers, attend many call-outs each year. As registered charities they rely on voluntary contributions to continue their good work. Visit the websites of the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team and the Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team to see how you can help.
Keswick PUSH PLAY
Your start point is the town of Keswick which lies between beautiful Derwent Water and the Skiddaw mountain range. Attractions include the Keswick Museum whose archaeological centre contains prehistoric axe heads from the Langdale axe factory.Keswick is less overtly touristy than the southern towns and attracts the more intrepid explorer looking to scale the slopes of Blencathra and Skiddaw.The Medieval church in Crossthwaite, just over the river, marks the centre of the original settlement from which Keswick has grown. Kes means 'cheese' and Which means 'dairy farm', giving you an idea of the industry the town rose from.Keswick became a centre for the trade of wool and leather and ore mining before the discovery of graphite in 1500 in the Borrowdale fells. Graphite was used to mark sheep, prevent rusting of firearms and to make cannonball moulds. The invention of the pencil caused its value to sky-rocket and make Keswick a pencil-making centre. There is a pencil museum in town which will tell you all you could ever wish to know!The best day to visit Keswick is market day on Saturday when the Market place that dates back to 1276 is pedestrianised. This is one of the best opportunities for buying gifts with all sorts of artisan goods available, from cheeses and sheepskins to clothes and crafts. There’s also plenty of food stalls and the surrounding streets are littered with cafes.If you happen to be in town between 10 and 5 there’s no better a place than Mrs F’s Fine Food Emporium, where the emphasis is on vintage: comfy vintage leather chairs and sofas; vintage turntable and records; vintage clothes and ‘up-cycled’ gifts for sale. And the coffee and food are pretty good too!It’s a short walk from the town centre to the lakeside area on Derwent Water and popular Friar’s Crag gives beautiful views down the lake.https://www.walklakes.co.uk/walk_244.htmlYou can explore the lake either by the Keswick Launch boat service or the footpath which runs right around the lake. The National Park information office in the old Moot Hall has a timetable for the launch and a useful leaflet detailing the walk.Moot Hall, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5JRTel - 0845 901 0845The 8-mile walk around Derwent Water takes you through gorgeous woodland and alongside numerous secluded inlets, especially along the western shore which is more peaceful. There are a number of attractions along the way. It’s an easy walk for all the family but it does take 6 hours. Luckily you can bail out when you’ve had enough and catch the ferry from any of the 7 piers around the lake back to your starting point. You can also start this walk at Ashness Pier later in the tour.You can park at Central Car Park in town or Lake Side Car Park, which is a 2-minute walk to the walk around Derwenwater and a 5 to 10-minute walk into town. There's very limited free street parking on Stanger Street and Station Street.
Beginning of Loop 2: Drive to Ashness Gate Pier
As soon as you leave Keswick you’re treated to a delightful rural drive. The windy road that hugs the edge of scenic Derwent Water forces you to slow right down and soak up the scenery. This ride is beautiful whatever the season, be it the lush greens of spring and summer, the copper and gold of autumn or the skeletal fingers of winter.The road runs roughly north to south so the views are best from this shore when the morning sun lights up the west shore.Most of the trees along this stretch of road are oak and birch and the woods in the Borrowdale area are classified as temperate rainforest and more specifically Atlantic Oakwood, which is renowned for its unique mosses and lichens. So if all that rain is getting you down, console yourself that it’s what makes this place so special! But don’t take my word for it. These woods have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a European Special Area of Conservation.You can explore the woods on foot by parking in the National Trust Great Wood Car Park or from our first stop: Ashness Gate Pier. Limited free parking is available in a small unmarked car-park which you can access by turning left off the main road, signposted to Ashness Bridge. The parking stop is then immediately on the left.https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale-and-derwent-water/trails/walla-crag-to-ashness-bridge-walkVisit:https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale-and-derwent-waterfor things to do in the Borrowdale area.Directions from Borrowdale Road roundabout, Keswick to Ashness Gate Pier Car Park:Head south-east on Borrowdale Rd/B5289After 1.7 miles, turn left, signposted to Ashness BridgeMusic by Jenny Blisshttp://www.jennybliss.co.uk
Stop 1: Ashness Gate Pier
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ONCE IN THE CAR PARKWalking back to the main road, cross through a narrow slit in the wall, down a wooden walkway and you will get your first sighting of an iconic lake district image: the rickety wooden pier which stretches out onto the soothing stillness of the lake against the backdrop of dramatic peaks. The pier isn’t just a pretty sight: You can catch a ferry here to immerse yourself in that vista, either purely as a pleasure cruise or to get to the other side to Hawes End Pier, the start point for what has become one of the most popular walks in the Lakes: to the summit of Cat Bells:https://www.walklakes.co.uk/walk_26.htmlIf you want to get that top of the world feeling without working too hard, this is the one! The trail is an easy but rigorous two and a half hour round trip from Hawes End Pier. It’s suitable for all the family and gives you stupendous panoramic views of Bassenthwaite, Keswick, Skiddaw and Blencathra to the north, the tippy tip of Helvellyn, peeking above High Seat to the east and the verdant Borrowdale Valley to the south. On a clear day, you can even see the southern shores of Scotland.Cat Bells is so called because according to legend it was once a lair for wild cats, 'bells' being derived from the old English word of Bield for den. Those with more energy can continue on to the Honister Pass and Great Gable. https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MjA0ODg1NAThe rest can take the steps to the left of the path soon after the summit and drop down into Manesty Park, through pretty woodland, back to Hawes End.The Swinside Inn, a mile from Hawes End, is a great place to rest those weary limbs and sup on a fine ale, especially if the weather allows you to sit in the beer garden with dramatic views of the surrounding fells. But if all that walking sounds way too energetic you can always drive to your view! Half a mile from the main road is Ashness Bridge, a drystone packhorse bridge with fine views of the lake below. It’s one of the most popular photo opportunities in the Lake District.Go tohttps://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale-and-derwent-water/features/ashness-bridge-wildlife-and-a-surprise-viewfor walks you can take in the area.Directions to Watendlath:Turn left out of the car park and drive for 2.8 miles (4.5km), 16 minutes.
Ashness Bridge to Surprise View
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ONCE YOU PASS ASHNESS BRIDGE CAR PARKContinuing on from the bridge, the road winds through beguiling woodland which can be explored from several car parks on the way to and including Surprise View.You have the option of walking to Surprise View and Watendlath beyond from Ashness Bridge or indeed any of the car parks en route.https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTA0ODIyFrom Ashness Bridge to Watendlath is an hour's ramble along footpaths through the woods and along sections of the road. It’s a sublime option especially when the sun shines through the enchanting woodland and you get glimpses through the trees of Derwent Water far below and the peaks beyond.
Surprise View
Surprise View is perhaps named because it’s a surprise to be able to see anything at all, what with the seemingly ever-present thick cloud...If it is clear you will be rewarded with one of the top views in the Lake District, particularly at sunset. From here you can see the whole of Derwentwater in its splendour, Borrowdale to the south and Bassenthwaite Lake to the north.
Drive to Watendlath
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY AS YOU LEAVE/PASS SURPRISE VIEW CAR PARKA couple of miles further on, at the end of the road lies Watendlath, a tiny hamlet, farmstead and tarn (mountain lake) in a veritable vale of tranquillity. That peace can be a little diminished in high season though, as Watendlath gets very busy and the single track road can make for a lot of reversing and pulling over.Music by Yair Avidorhttp://lutenist.co.uk
Watendlath
This entire valley was donated to the Cistercian monks of Fountains Abbey in 1195 and was mainly used for sheep-farming. Sitting by the water’s edge you can feel what a perfect location it is for quiet reflection.If you fancy a spot of trout fishing you can hire a boat and line from the farm. The neighbouring Caffle House tearoom has a pleasant garden and simple reasonable meals.You can walk to the right of the tarn and on to Stonewaite (2 miles, 3.2km) and Rosthwaite (1.5 miles, 2.4km) from here, though you will be driving to them later on in the loop. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale/trails/rosthwaite-round-fells-tarn-and-beck-walkLeaving Watendlath:Return back the way you came and turn left onto the B5289 to continue the tour.
Drive to Grange
Our next stop, the peaceful village of Grange in Borrowdale, is in just over 2miles (3.2 km).Music by Jenny Blisshttp://www.jennybliss.co.uk
Lodore Falls
Behind the Lodore Falls hotel on the left is a waterfall made famous by the poet Robert SoutheyFrom its sources which wellIn the tam on the fell;From its fountainsIn the mountains,Its rills and its gills,Through moss and through brakeIt runs and it creepsFor a while, till it sleepsIn its own little lake.And thence at departing,Awakening and starting,It runs through the reeds,And away it proceedsThrough meadow and glade,In sun and in shade,And through the wood shelter,Among crags in its flurry,Helter-skelter,Hurry-skurry.Here it comes sparkling,And there it lies darkling;Now smoking and frothingIts tumult and wrath in,Till, in this rapid raceOn which it is bent,It reaches the placeOf its steep descent.The cataract strongThen plunges along,Striking and raging,As if a war waging…Excerpt from ‘The Cataract of Lodore’ by Robert Southey.
Right turn to Grange
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ONCE YOU'VE TURNED LEFT BACK ONTO THE B5289 TO BORROWDALE.Take the next right turn at the sign for Grange-in Borrowdale.There is a small free car park next to the bridge and limited free street parking.
Stop 2: Grange in Borrowdale
There’s a cosy little café in Grange with a tea garden over-looking that beautiful double-arched bridge. This is a great spot to sit back and feel your spirits lifted by the babbling river. And for those already getting withdrawal symptoms - there’s Wi-Fi! There is a small car park next to the bridge and limited free street parking in Grange.If you want to explore a little more there is a beautiful family walk along lanes and through woodland to the impressive Castle Crag which, together with Kings How, forms the ‘Jaws of Borrowdale’, the threshold to The Borrowdale Valley. A stiff climb up a well-maintained path affords eagle-eye views of the lake you’re leaving behind and the green quilt-work of the valley that awaits. https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTM2ODkyMQDirections to Rosthwaite from Grange:Crossing the bridge, turn right. Stay on the road until Rosthwaite.Turn right at Yew Tree farm for the National Trust carpark.
Drive to Bowder stone
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY AFTER TURNING RIGHT AND BACK ON THE ROAD TO BOROWDALEA mile south of Grange stands the colossal Bowder Stone which weighs a whopping 1870 tonnes. It’s worth a 5 minute stop and the 10-minute walk from the car park is beautiful. But we’ll leave it up to you whether you want to pay yet another parking fee for so brief a stop!
Drive to Rosthwaite
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON PASSING THE BOWDER STONEOn entering the Borrowdale valley by car, a wooden sign bears the legend: ‘Abandon all signal, all those who enter here.’ Well, actually it doesn’t. But it should! There really is no signal, which just adds to the feeling that this is the land that time forgot.The Lake District as a whole can feel like a living museum, a love letter to a bygone era. Nowhere is this truer than in the Borrowdale Valley, especially when hermetically sealed from the outside world by the seemingly permanent cloud canopy. There wasn’t even a road running into the valley until the mid-19th century.That untamed feeling can be explained by the fact that this valley, unlike other Lakeland valleys, remained unpopulated and therefore densely wooded until the end of the first century AD when Norse settlers arrived from Ireland and the Isle of Man and used the valley for cattle grazing. Most of the place names in the valley derive from Norse words such as fell, tarn, force, and thwaite.You will soon see why this gorgeous river flat has been a magnet for poets and artists through the ages. In fact, Wordsworth called it ‘the loveliest square mile in Lakeland’.Our next stop is the Valley of Stonethwaite Beck, which you can explore from either Rosthwaite or Stonethwaite.Music by Jenny Blisshttps://www.jennybliss.co.uk
Stop 3: Valley of Stonethwaite Beck via Rosthwaite
A little further down the road is the valley’s only shop and the Flock-in tea room opposite has a small garden with fine views. There is an alternative walk to Castle Crag from Rosthwaite along a gorgeous river and you can join The Cumbria Way, a 70-mile (112.7km) footpath that runs from Ulverston to Carlisle. Head south along the path to take a beautiful stroll along the tree-lined river, passing alongside a magical, moss-covered wood of old oaks, ash, and yew. You can find a seat on a mossy rock or under an old oak and travel back through the ages. Letting the sounds of the valley lull you into a reverie, realising that those sounds have been more or less the same for centuries. Back through the ages of Wordsworth and company to an ancient time when this was part of an immense forest that stretched from western Scotland, all the way down the west coast of England and Wales.Directions to Stonethwaite from Rosthwaite car park:4 min (1.0 mile, 1.6km)via B5289Rosthwaite, Keswick CA12 5XBTurn left out of the carpark and turn right onto B52890.5 mi/0.8kmTurn left0.5 mi/0.8kmStonethwaiteKeswick CA12 5XG
Introduction to Nature Connection Practice
Thomas Schorr-Kon gives a brief description of the 'Nature Connection' exercises which are available on the track that follows, including wide angle vision and fox-walking.Thomas is a survival instructor and founder of Trackways which has been teaching nature connection for over 20 years. He is the author of 'True Nature': an exploration of nature connection. https://www.amazon.co.uk/True-Nature-CONNECTING-ILLUSION-SEPARATION/dp/1790581168A list of Thomas' courses can be found at https://www.trackways.co.uk
Nature Connection Practice
PUSH PLAYFind a quiet spot in the woods to sit then play this track. The Alpha Breath Dynamics and Wide Angle Vision exercises last 17.5 minutes combined. The Thanksgiving exercise lasts 2.5 minutes. The fox-walking exercise lasts 4 minutesThomas Schorr-Kon shares practices to deepen our connection to nature, including:Alpha Breath DynamicsThis breathing technique slows your brainwave state to the 'Alpha' or 'flow' state which relieves stress and resonates with the rest of nature.Wide-angle visionThis simple exercise encourages you to use your full peripheral vision which also induces the Alpha state.ThanksgivingThis exercise slows your brain down further to the 'Theta' state, associated with dreaming.Fox-walkingThis exercise teaches you to walk silently through the forest, enabling you to get much closer to wildlife. It also helps to maintain the Alpha state.Have fun!Thomas is a survival instructor and founder of Trackways which has been teaching nature connection for over 20 years. He is the author of 'True Nature': an exploration of nature connection. https://www.amazon.co.uk/True-Nature-CONNECTING-ILLUSION-SEPARATION/dp/1790581168A list of Thomas' courses can be found at https://www.trackways.co.uk/
Drive to Stonethwaite
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON PASSING THE SCAFELL INN IN ROSTHWAITE
Stop 3 ALT: Stonethwaite
Feel the pace of life slow to a crawl as you sup tea in the small beer garden of the Langstrath Country Inn.Stonethwaite is a popular start-point for the hike to Langdale via the Langstrath valley. https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTQyMzQzNQBut we recommend you follow the crystalline Stonethwaite Beck, climbing past myriad little waterfalls, up up and away to the top of High Raise (762 metres, 2500 feet).http://www.english-lakes.com/high_raise.htmThis is a steep and strenuous hike but has stunning views from various points of the landscape in all four directions. Far off in the distance behind you, you can see the starting point of your journey, Derwentwater.The intrepid can continue all the way to Grasmere and beyond.Directions to Seathwaite:2.6 miles (4.1km), 8 minsTurn left to rejoin the main road then take the next left signposted to Seathwaite.
Drive to Seathwaite
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON PASSING THE TURN FOR STONETHWAITE2.6-miles (4.2km) on from Stonethwaite is the hamlet of Seathwaite, which is reputed to be the wettest place in Britain. It also lays claim to having global significance as graphite, also known as black lead, was discovered here in the 1300s. It was originally used to mark sheep and later evolved into the world’s first pencil.If you are up for a hike, you can park on the grass verge leading up to the hamlet to take the 9.5-miles (15.3km), 6 to 7-hour route up to England’s highest peak Scafell Pike (978 metres, 3208 feet) and back. https://www.walklakes.co.uk/walk_13.htmlThe views across the Lakeland fells are fantastic from Scafell Pike. It is a technical walk for experienced walkers and navigating on the higher parts of the walk can be difficult in bad weather or low visibility. As with all mountains, weather can change in an instant so be fully prepared. A map and compass are essential.It’s possible to take a much less travelled route to Scafell Pike from Stonethwaite, but Seathwaite is the classic starting point and as such it can be hard to find a space on clear days.The climb up Sour Milk waterfall to your right is a much shorter but still strenuous option, climbing steeply up a well-defined path alongside the beck with various places to sit and feel the force, eventually reaching a plateau where you can look down on the waterfall and valley far below. Not for the infirm.If any of that tickles your fancy, take the next left, signposted to Seathwaite.Directions to the Top of Honister Pass14 min (4.3 miles, 6.9 km) via B5289Head north-west towards B52890.5 mi/0.8kmTurn left onto B52893.8 mi (6.1km)Honister Pass
Seatoller
This is the tiny hamlet of Seatoller, where there are accommodation options and a National Trust Car Park - CA12 5XN (Grid ref: NY245137).From here you can explore the twisted oaks and tumbling stream which you will otherwise drive past on your way up to Honister Pass.As with everywhere you go in the Lake District there are many walking options from here including a path to Seathwaite, Castle Crag, and the surrounding high fells of Great End, Glaramara and Great Gable.https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale-and-derwent-water/trails/castle-crag-from-seatoller---the-scenic-routehttp://sdbwanderings.blogspot.com/2011/06/glaramara-great-gable-from-seatoller.htmlFor those preferring low level walks you can follow the path along The River Derwent, past Rosthwaite and Grange, through the Borrowdale valley to the shores of Derwentwater and all the way to Keswick.
Drive to Honister Slate Mine
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON LEAVING SEATOLLERYou’re now climbing up to our next stop, Honister Slate Mine. As the road opens out into the desolate Little Gatesgarthdale you may want to pull over to look at the views behind you!At the top of Honister Pass is the last remaining working slate mine in Britain. The mine has been in operation for approximately 900 hundred years, extracting the world famous Westmorland Green Slate, which was formed 450 million years ago! The slate mines have attracted some famous names from the world of classical music, who consider the acoustics to be better here than in some of the best music studios in the world.You can park all day in the car park by the café or at the National Trust car park next to the youth hostel. You can watch workers chipping away at the slate and visit the museum, or for the dare-devils amongst you, there is the Via Ferrata. This miners’ track, inspired by an Italian army route through the Dolomite mountain range, takes you up a sheer mountain cliff-face using a series of metal rungs and ladders. And if that isn’t scary enough there is an Xtreme tour which takes you across the ‘infinity bridge’: little more than a high wire across a 600-metre drop.Be sure to watch the video at Honister.com before deciding because, even though you are safely harnessed and guided the whole way, this is definitely not for anyone with even the mildest fear of heights! It’s likely that not all of you will be up for the challenge so there is a café, unsurprisingly decked out in slate, for those who’d rather admire the scenery in a more sedate manner!One of the quickest routes from car to panoramic view can be taken up to Grey Knotts, 697 metres (2286feet) above sea level. But be warned: it will either be wet or windy there and if it’s cold and windy down in the car park then be prepared for it to be dramatically more so up there. Tie down pets and small children and allow time for a possible detour to the Land of Oz.You can either take the quickest and steepest half mile route up from the Youth hostel or take the steadier but longer route by following the paved pathway which starts from the car park on the other side of the slate mine.It is a steep climb either way but worth it as you’ll be getting fine views of Great Gable, Scafell Pike, Haystacks and Buttermere within an hour. You can even see Helvellyn and Blencathra on a clear day. And if that isn’t enough you can continue on to Great Gable and be back at the car in a total of 4 hours.There are further walks from the car park to Fleetwith Pike to the west and Dale Head to the north.
Stop 4: Top of Honister Pass
Even if you don’t want to make this a stop it’s worth pulling over to get a great overview of the road ahead, snaking down and across the steep-sided valley.https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MjNfNzM3NA==Directions to Crag Wood:Directions to Crag Wood from Top of Honister Pass:5 min (1.6 miles) via Honister Pass/B5289Turn left from Slate Mine car parkHead west on Honister Pass/B52Destination will be straight ahead on the left 1.6 miCockermouth CA13 9XA
Drive to Buttermere
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON LEAVING HONISTER SLATE MINEThe ‘wild’ feeling that you get when you’re out in the dales and on the fells of the Lake District could be explained by the very topography of the land. The long narrow valleys, flanked by impenetrable mountains made this an easy territory to defend and it remained unconquered long after other areas fell to invaders.Gary Biltcliffe:The area of Buttermere and Crummock water lies in a very high sided valley with entrances that were very difficult to access. And Nicholas Size, the local author, wrote a story called ‘The Secret Valley’ in the 1930s . It was about a great Viking king who had that valley as his kingdom and it was a safe haven for many people during times of war, particularly when the Normans burnt many of the villages in the north and people fled to Cumbria. And the Viking King Buthar brought them into the valley and protected them.Many battles were fought, eventually leading to one great battle at Rannerside Knott, to the north of Buttermere. This was probably one of the greatest battles fought in that area because it was the biggest army of Normans ever assembled; 20,000 Normans against just a few thousand refugees and this great Viking king.The Normans lost the battle because of the geographic layout of the valley. It was easy to defend. Such was the magnitude of this battle it gained Cumbria its freedom for years to come and so Jarl Buthar was almost revered as a God in that area and Butharmere became Buttermere.Music by Jenny Blisshttps://www.jennybliss.co.ukand The Somerset Levellershttp://www.somersetlevellers.co.uk/
Drive to Crag Wood
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON FIRST SIGHT OF THE LAKE AFTER DRIVING THROUGH THE HAMLET OF GATESGARTHThe lake ahead is called Buttermere. It used to form one giant lake with neighbouring Crummock Water but they are very distinct from each other, Buttermere being 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) long by 400-metres wide, and 23 metres (1312.3feet) deep whilst Crummock Water is twice as long, three times as wide and nearly twice as deep.The small village of Buttermere sits between them and has been a popular spot for fishermen through the ages.Buttermere village can get very busy so if you want to get the lake more or less to yourself then park in a small lay-by and walk through a delightful little copse of trees called Crag Wood, over a little bridge and down to the water’s edge.
Layby ahead
The layby for our next stop, Crag Wood, is on the right-hand side.
Stop 5: Crag Wood
The beach is a delightful place for a picnic, taking in the atmospheric peaks and fells which surround you including High Stile, Fleetwith Pike and Wainwright’s favourite: Hay Stacks.You can walk the whole 4.5-mile (7.2km) circumference of Buttermere lake from here in about 3 hours. You can make the same round-trip from Buttermere village.The walkways around Buttermere are very clear and well-maintained, making this one of the most accessible lakes in the Lake District and one of the most beautiful lowland walks. Anyone can come here and walk safely, breathing the rarefied air of water and fell side.Directions to Buttermere from Crag Wood:4 min (1.2 miles)Head north-west on Honister Pass/B5289Continue to follow B52891.2 miTurn left for Sykes Farm just after the churchButtermere, Cockermouth CA13 9XA
Stop 6: Buttermere Village
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON PASSING THE BUTTERMERE STREET SIGN SOON AFTER LEAVING THE WATERS EDGEYou are now approaching our next stop, Buttermere village.Just after the small chapel to your right, you will see a sign to your left for Syke farm, a great spot for fine snacks, freshly baked cakes and what is considered to be the finest ice cream in the Lakes.Buttermere church is dedicated to St James and houses an antique organ dating back to 1820. The original chapel was consecrated in 1507, while the present building dates from 1840.The farm also has a campsite where you can pitch up by the water’s edge surrounded by beautiful mountains.Apart from a couple of inns and cafes, Buttermere is a launch pad for exploring the breath-taking scenery that surrounds it.You can find info on the walks athttps://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/buttermere-valley/features/buttermere&https://www.walklakes.co.uk/walks_buttermere.htmlYou can take a short and pretty walk down to Buttermere water from the farm and walk the whole 4.5-mile (7.2km) circumference in about 3 hours.Directions from Syke farm to RannerdaleHead west on B52891.4 miDestination will be on the right after a sharp right bend by water's edge.
Drive to Rannerdale
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON LEAVING BUTTERMEREOn leaving Buttermere on the B5289 you drive through the majestic Lorton Valley en route to Lorton. The road hugs the shoreline of the magnificent Crummock Water. A must-see place on your journey is Rannerdale Knotts. A small car park is situated on the right-hand side about 1.4 miles from Buttermere just as the road runs along a small beach.https://www.keswick.org/what-to-do/walking-routes/rannerdale-knotts-and-the-valley-of-the-bluebellsRannerdale has everything you could wish for in a Lake District Fell - panoramic views, picturesque valleys and during late Spring, a wonderful carpet of wild bluebells. It was here that the great battle between Jarl Buthar and the Norman army was fought. Legend has it that the bluebells grew over the bodies of the fallen.From the ridge at Rannerdale you can see three lakes and many higher and more famous peaks, notably Haystacks. Looking across Crummock Water from Rannerdale's summit you can also see the narrow gorge of Scale Beck where it enters the lake. This leads to Scale Force, the tallest waterfall in the Lake District at 51.8 metres (169.9km).Music by Jenny Blisshttps://www.jennybliss.co.uk
Right to Rannerdale
Drive to Lanthwaite Wood
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON LEAVING RANNERDALE CAR PARKOur next stop, 1.5-miles further on, is an opportunity to park and walk through the mature woodland of Lanthwaite Wood and down to the peaceful northern shores of Crummock water. There is a small free car park just before Lanthwaite farm.A flatter, but just as pretty a route to the same shoreline can be made by turning left at the T junction ahead, driving just over a mile and parking in the National Trust Car Park just before the pretty bridge. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/buttermere-valley/trails/lanthwaite-wood-and-crummock-water-walkHalf a mile further on from the car park is the Kirkstile Inn which could win the prize for best garden-with- a-view as it sits right under the dramatic pyramid-like Melbreak fell. The 17th century Inn also happens to serve up what locals say is the best food in the area.
Left to Lanthwaite Wood carpark
Turn left into the car park for the steeper option.
Stop 7: Walk through Lanthwaite Wood to Crummock Water
You can pick up the trail up by walking past the farm and turning left at the wooden ‘public footpath’ sign.The path crosses an open field, skirts a wooded mound then descends to the valley floor. Take the first left to get to the water’s edge. Crossing the sluice to the right, you can take a picturesque walk around the far shore of the lake. This is a quieter high season alternative to the Buttermere lake path.Directions to Lorton Village shop from Lanthwaite farm:8 min (3.6 miles)via B5289Lanthwaite FarmCockermouth CA13 9UYHead north on B52891.2 miTurn right to stay on B52891.9 miTurn right0.1 miKeep left79 ftTurn right at Church Ln62 ftTurn left0.3 miLorton Village ShopHigh Lorton, Cockermouth CA13 9UL
T junction after Lanthwaite
Turn left at the T junction for the alternative walk to Crummock water and the Kirkstile inn or turn right for Lorton and the rest of the loop.
Drive to Lorton
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON TURNING RIGHT AT THE T JUNCTION2-miles on from the T junction is the village of Lorton.We highly recommend a visit to the Lorton Village Shop. This small shop specialises in local produce, with over 80 local suppliers of goods and services. The delicious sandwiches are a bargain: generously filled with good quality ingredients! Their award-winning coffee (locally roasted) is also excellent. From the shop, visitors can also see Lorton's yew tree, made famous by William Wordsworth's poem 'Yew Trees'. This stands behind Lorton Village Hall, which was formerly the 19th century malthouse for the Jennings Brewery.Yew trees by William Wordsworth:THERE is a yew-tree, pride of Lorton Vale,Which to this day stands single, in the midstOf its own darkness, as it stood of yore:Not loath to furnish weapons for the bandsOf Umfraville or Percy ere they marchedTo Scotland’s heaths; or those that crossed the seaAnd drew their sounding bows at Azincour,Perhaps at earlier Crecy, or Poictiers.Of vast circumference and gloom profoundThis solitary tree! a living thingProduced too slowly ever to decay;Of form and aspect too magnificentTo be destroyed. But worthier still of noteAre those fraternal four of Borrowdale,Joined in one solemn and capacious grove;Huge trunks! and each particular trunk a growthOf intertwisted fibres serpentineUp-coiling, and inveterately convolved;Nor uninformed with fantasy, and looksThat threaten the profane;—a pillared shade,Upon whose grassless floor of red-brown hue,By sheddings from the pining umbrage tingedPerennially,—beneath whose sable roofOf boughs, as if for festal purpose, deckedWith unrejoicing berries, ghostly shapesMay meet at noontide,—Fear and trembling Hope,Silence and Foresight; Death the skeletonAnd Time the shadow,—there to celebrate,As in a natural temple scattered o’erWith altars undisturbed of mossy stone,United worship; or in mute reposeTo lie, and listen to the mountain floodMurmuring from Glaramara’s inmost caves.
Right to Lorton
Take a right at the sign for ‘Keswick’ and the pretty sign below it for ‘Lorton Village Shop’
Lorton Village Shop
54.618000, -3.301804
Drive from Lorton Village Shop
Follow the road as it bends round three sides of the green then turn right at the signpost for Keswick and Braiththwaite.10 min (3.9 miles)via B5292Fastest routeLorton Village ShopHigh Lorton, Cockermouth CA13 9ULHead south-east0.3 miTurn right towards B52920.1 miTurn right onto B52923.2 miTurn left0.2 miSlight left33 ftTurn left299 ftWhinlatter Visitor CentreWhinlatter Forest Park, Keswick CA12 5TW
Lorton to Spout Force
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON LEAVING LORTON VILLAGETurn right at the T junction onto the B5289 Whinlatter Pass towards Keswick.After crossing a bridge, you will see a large sign for Whinlatter on the left and immediately after, a sign for ‘Spout Force’. You can turn in there for a half-hour walk to Spout Force waterfall. More ambitious walkers can make the 2-mile (3.2km) hike to the summit of Lords Seat, with fabulous views over Bassenthwaite Lake and out towards the Solway coast.http://www.wainwrightroutes.co.uk/lordsseat_r1.htm
Spout Force to Whinlatter
From Spout Force Car park the road winds up through Whinlatter Forest, the only mountain forest in the whole of England. At the top of Whinlater Pass, turn left into the car park for the Whinlatter Visitor Centre, our next stop. You will find an informative visitor centre, cycle hire, Go-Ape high ropes course, large outdoor play area and a number of excellent walking trails. Those with young children will particularly enjoy the 'Grufallo Trail' - can you find the mouse, fox, owl, snake, and Gruffalo hiding in the woods? There is also a live video link to cameras showing the majestic ospreys which come to Bassenthwaite Lake in April, hatch eggs in June and fly back to Africa in August or September.https://www.forestryengland.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Whinlatter%20pocket%20guide_Walking_2017%20%28inside%29.pdfDirections to Noble Knott car park from Whinlatter car park:Turn left out of car parkHead north on Whinlatter Pass/B52921.3 miTurn right at green Noble Knott sign.
Next left
Stop 8: Whinlatter Visitor Centre
Whinlatter to Noble Knott
IF NO GPS HIT PLAY ON LEAVING WHINLATTER CAR PARK1-mile on from the visiter centre, on the right, is the entrance to the Noble Knott car park which is free. It's the starting point for the 'delightful' 'Words in the Woods' trail, a 1.5 mile (2.4km) circular route through mature woodland. Way-marked posts are inset with a variety of poetic quotes about trees from a wide range of famous writers. Much of Whinlatter forest is plantation and you can feel the difference when you stand in old woodland which feels so much more alive. Whenever possible we have led you to magical spots such as this.There are a couple of picnic tables next to the carpark with fantastic views of Bassenthwaite Lake, the only body of water actually called a 'lake' in the Lake District. Those interested in local folklore may wish to take detour down to the lake as it is where the poet Alfred Tennyson penned part of his epic poem 'Idyllis of the King' which tells the legend of King Arthur. On his deathbed, Arthur bade his last remaining Knight, Sir Bedivere, to hurl his magical sword, Excalibur, into the water.Then quickly rose Sir Bedivere, and ran, And, leaping down the ridges lightly, plunged Among the bulrush-beds, and clutch'd the sword, And strongly wheel'd and threw it. The great brand Made lightnings in the splendour of the moon, And flashing round and round, and whirl'd in an arch, Shot like a streamer of the northern morn, Seen where the moving isles of winter shock By night, with noises of the northern sea. So flash'd and fell the brand Excalibur:But ere he dipt the surface, rose an armClothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful,And caught him by the hilt, and brandish'd himThree times, and drew him under in the mere.There is a beautiful little church dedicated to Cumbrian Saint Bega on the eastern shore of the lake, dating back to at least 1300. Further along, the shore is an open-air theatre built at the spot where Tennyson is thought to have penned more of the poem.It's a 10-minute drive to St Begas from the Keswick bypass or you can take the A66 after Braithwaite to the western shore which takes four minutes.Many of the hills and mounds surrounding Bassenthwaite Lake such as Elva Hill and Ladies Table are associated with stories of elemental and nature spirits. Overlooking the southern end of the lake is The Dodd, a wooded fell, said to be haunted after dark on summer solstice by shadowy figures and otherworldly voices.The Lake itself is said to have its own monster called an Eachy, described as 3.5 metres long (11.4 foot) with three distinct humps and a python-like head. Keep your eyes peeled!Now it's back to your starting place in Keswick for some well-earned sustenance.Directions to St Bega's church and Keswick from Noble Knott Car park:10 min (4.3 miles) via B5292Turn right out of car parkHead south-east on Whinlatter Pass/B5292 towards Grisedale Pike PathContinue to follow B52922.4 miTurn right onto A661.0 miFor Keswick, turn right onto High Hill/B5289OR continue on the A66 for St Bega'sthen take the 1st exit of the roundabout onto A591 3.8 mi Turn left 0.2 mi Turn leftMusic by Jenny Blisshttps://www.jennybliss.co.uk
End of Tour 2
Disclaimer
Wayfarer Tours Ltd cannot be held responsible for any accident, injury or damage to property that occurs whilst using the app or visiting any of the locations suggested in the app.
Contributors
Narration:Steve Wharton (Storyteller and musician)www.cumbriansongs.co.ukGary Biltcliffe (Earth Mysteries author and researcher)belinusline.comMusic:Jenny Blisshttps://www.jennybliss.co.uk/Yair Avidorhttp://lutenist.co.ukThe Somerset Levellershttp://www.somersetlevellers.co.uk/Writers:Marco JacksonCathy SteadGary BiltcliffeDawn Oakley-Smith
