Sunday May 14th, A walk, Ullswater Way Glenridding to Pooley Bridge East Side. 11.5 miles. Gd 3
I’d call this more of an outing, only the 11.5 miles makes it an A walk. It’s low level generally but options if one or two want a high level route. See below. Features of this outing;
• Early start – leaving The Sands at 8.45
• Car park in Pooley Bridge costs £8 all day. I’ve found another car park which is £3 for the day a hundred metres further to the bus stop.
• The bus to Glenridding leaves at 9.50 from opposite the Crown in PB. Bring bus passes. The fare if you don’t have one is £4.60.
• Toilets cost 20p in GR and in PB.
We alight in Glenridding, then walk to Patterdale, left to Side Farm, left again to take us onto the wonderful walk around Silver Point and on to Howtown. 6.5miles. The terrain is a bit uppy downy and rocky/stony but Wainwright thinks this walk is the most beautiful and rewarding in Lakeland. (He was talking about it going the other way but still…) No navigation to speak of, apart from spotting the daffodil signs that symbolize the Ullswater Way. And I must say, that the glorious sun and all the daffodil signs makes you feel – well, daffodilly.
The next feature of this outing can only be described as genius. Shortly after Scalehow Wood, there is a new teashop! Yes, exactly when we want lunch! We can sit on the grass fairly close by and if you so fancied you could buy a bowl of soup or a cup of tea. Aren’t some people enterprising.
After Howtown, (opportunity to bail out and take the steamer back to PB) we come to Swarthbeck where there are two options. I’ve taken the high route (not very), an ascending path for two miles then to the Cockpit before descending to Roehead and PB. However the low level option keeping to the lake shore is shorter and no ascent. I’m happy to try either or we can split up.
High level Route.
Vivienne Crow has devised a high level route, 11 miles, 1006 metres ascent. E-mail me if you want to explore this possibility, either on the same day or to try out in the future, and I’ll scan and send the route. Sounds tough.
Heather
Car Walk: Sands: 8.45am
