Monday 18th December 2023
After coming back from the Lake District last summer, I had a difficult autumn that saw me doing hardly any walking for various reasons and this had a negative impact on my mental health, so I made the decision to start walking again as often as possible even it was only locally for just an hour like in lockdown and this had a hugely beneficial effect on my mental health as well as my physical health. The benefit seems to start almost as soon as I walk out of the door as it is not long before my heartrate slows and I am suddenly feeling more relaxed, but I was still not walking for more than an hour or two, so I was desperate for the chance to be out for longer. Being outdoors is a huge boost for me, so it is ironic that I work in an office all day in front of a computer and the pressures of work tied me up all autumn until the week before Christmas when I finally broke free and was able to experience the freedom that I so desperately needed. There was only one place I wanted to go and that was the Lake District even though the weather was now much worse than when I had left it at the end of August, but just being in the Lake District, no matter the weather, was all I needed. Unfortunately I didn’t reach Windermere until two o’clock and at this time of the year it would be dark by four, but I was keen to do a walk in the available time.
When I arrived in the Lake District four months earlier, I immediately set off along a footpath that crosses the western slopes of Orrest Head and now I followed in my footsteps until I reached High Hay Wood where I had lingered previously wishing I could explore before reluctantly returning to the path. Now, despite the drizzle and rapidly approaching lack of daylight, I came off the main path to take a permissive route through the wood, across several grassy fields and into St Catherine’s Wood. The view up Whinless Beck, between the woods, was captivating and began the work that had prompted me to come to the Lake District and revitalise me after the long autumn. After passing through St Catherine’s I crossed a road and followed tracks across sodden grassy fields that brought me into the Trout Beck Valley. I came this way in 2016, after visiting the top of Orrest Head, and on that occasion I discovered that the bridge over Trout Beck had been washed away. Now, I found that splendid, substantial bridges have been installed that took me easily across the valley and steeply up the path to Town End. Eventually, I managed to drag myself up the hill to Holbeck Lane where I had great views, despite the dwindling light, across the fields and down the length of Windermere.
Branching off onto Skelghyll Lane, I crossed the hillside and climbed to meet the track that crosses the southern slopes of Wansfell and I have taken many times while staying at the Ambleside Youth Hostel. This track took me into Stelghyll Wood and with the light failing I made my way along the wet path, across Stencher Beck and down the hill to the northern end of Windermere and the Ambleside Youth Hostel. This has been a tricky year for me when I have had difficulty motivating myself to get out for a walk, but whenever I have gone for a walk I have found that the benefits were tremendous. It was great to be back in the Lake District and although the ground may be saturated after the huge amount of rain we’ve had this autumn and the weather may not been good, it was just the recuperation I needed and that nowhere else could provide.
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