Saturday 24th May 2008
After a chaotic train journey with screaming kids, tinny music and a train network that can’t keep to a timetable I was back in the Lake District albeit an hour later than planned. Starting from Ambleside I walked up and over Loughrigg Fell immediately enjoying the feeling of being back in the Lakes again (that was once I was away from the crowds and on top of the hills). The weather was great with clear blue skies and bright sunshine so even though I may have been doing a relatively short walk, and I didn’t go very high, it was still great to be out there walking in glorious weather through that scenery. The start of the walk followed a bridlepath that goes from Ambleside to Skelwith Bridge climbing over the southern end of Loughrigg. I have been on this path before, in 2005, but in the opposite direction while travelling from Elterwater to Ambleside on my way to Fairfield and Glenridding. I also climbed this way at the beginning of the year but then I actually went up to the top of Loughrigg rather than staying on the path. Once I was back down in the valley I crossed Skelwith Bridge and embarking on uncharted territory for me, I climbed along the road till I reached a path that enters the fell on the left. This is Black Fell, a Wainwright that I had never been up before because of its isolated position in an area that I have tended to avoid due to it’s over abundance in tourists, and a lack of high fells.
I followed a path across the fell to its highest point and branched off left making my own way across the fell to the trig point on the ambitiously named Black Crag. This was a lovely little fell, typical of low Lakeland Fells in its complexity and bracken/heather covering. After taking a few pictures of the surroundings I headed off along a clear path to Iron Keld and thence through the plantation to the Tarns at Tarn Hows. This beautiful lake is a very popular area with older people and young families of whom I saw many, but this is a place that I have never been before because there are no mountains. It is a nice place to stroll around, almost like a park, but it's not really my sort of place; I just can’t shake the thought that it’s artificial and was actually constructed by the Victorians, so it really is just like a city park. The best bit of Tarn Hows for me was actually the path down to the car park which is probably completely natural, following a stream, the Tom Gill, down a steep narrow gully past waterfalls and through dense woodland.
I followed a path across the fell to its highest point and branched off left making my own way across the fell to the trig point on the ambitiously named Black Crag. This was a lovely little fell, typical of low Lakeland Fells in its complexity and bracken/heather covering. After taking a few pictures of the surroundings I headed off along a clear path to Iron Keld and thence through the plantation to the Tarns at Tarn Hows. This beautiful lake is a very popular area with older people and young families of whom I saw many, but this is a place that I have never been before because there are no mountains. It is a nice place to stroll around, almost like a park, but it's not really my sort of place; I just can’t shake the thought that it’s artificial and was actually constructed by the Victorians, so it really is just like a city park. The best bit of Tarn Hows for me was actually the path down to the car park which is probably completely natural, following a stream, the Tom Gill, down a steep narrow gully past waterfalls and through dense woodland. 
Crossing the road opposite I approached my next target, Holme Fell, but by now the time was getting on because of my delayed start. Fearsome-looking crags on the southern side of the fell that were awesome to look at compensated for my having to give the fell a miss. I could have gone quickly up to the top of the fell and even more quickly dived back down and raced into Coniston, but it wasn’t worth it. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older but I am beginning to prefer taking my time and enjoying the surroundings. I still walk quite quickly but I have rushed too many times on a walk and I am getting fed up with it. It’s much better to just enjoy the scenery, which is what I did now as I walked near the road on a good path through lovely bluebell and wild garlic laden woods. This was a wonderful end to a good, short walk through territory that I had never been in before and now, because I had to miss out Holme Fell, I have an excuse to return to this part of the Lake District again.
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