Swaledale Outdoor Club

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Thirlmere

We assembled in Richmond at 8.00am still feeling bleary eyed from Saturdays cycle ride and having Alan chauffeur us to Thirlmere seemed (and was) a good idea.

We were greeted by Tricia resplendent in Alan's new Goretex jacket. It was a rather damp morning as we climbed steeply up from the lakeside for about half a mile then less steeply to High Tove cairn on Armboth Fell, about 1000 ft above the lake. The path then descended gently to where we looked over the delightful valley of Watendlath, reached by a steep and slippery path. Even on a wet, rather cold day the autumn colours of the hills and the tarn made a lovely picture. The cafe was all a lakeland cafe should be; it is part of an old farm where the family have lived for 4 generations and a family tree traced its genealogy back to 1600. A cheerful fire blazed in the ingle nook fireplace, lovely old photos decorated the walls and the warm rock buns were delicious. Outside were two fat ponies, sheep and lots of friendly ducks seemingly unaware Christmas is only 7 weeks away.

We climbed back up the rocky path to where we took the path along the top of the gill to one of the many Blea tarns. We stopped for lunch in the ruined remains of a sheep fold, the walls just high enough to give some shelter from the wind but not the rain!

A lovely path descended steadily through the woods, past Harrop Tarn then steeply down to the road. The weather was now much better and we crossed the road to follow a very scenic and undulating path skirting the lake. It was a splendid path but most of us were glad to see the cars - too little walking - too little fitness. The party of Linda, Eileen, Tricia, Lil, two Alans, Dave and myself decided unanimously to have one for the road and stopped at Threlkeld before driving home. It was Tricia's first walk as leader and we look forward to the next one, it was a great day out!

Ray Sewards

Last Modified: 7 May, 2003