Vanlife Road Trip - Part 4: Cumbria 17 July - 7 August 2021
I'm back... It's mid-July, the sun is beaming, summer is in full force and I'm back in Cumbria. Yippee! I'm taking advantage of Lorna and Martin's hospitality and pretty much abandoned vanlife for the comfort of their gorgeous home! Buttercup has had a jolly good clean, my many loads of washing have been done and I'm settled in the sunroom which I've turned in to a studio, to work on a couple of commissions.
It's surprising how quickly you fall back in to a 'house' routine... taking electricity and water for granted, enjoying the simple pleasure of a flushing loo and being able to just flick a switch for a cup of tea. It's funny the things you miss; for me the biggest thing, after a constant supply of water, is being able to open the back door and let the boys just run around securely whilst I'm occupied with something else. In the van every time they need to go out I have to be with them, or they need to be on a lead etc. For them to have the freedom to just mooch and sniff around without the normal associated walk, or being tied up, is lovely.
Now, Barrow in Furness isn't the sort of place many people would road trip to; I doubt I'd ever have come if it hadn't been for friends living in the area, but it's actually a great destination with so much history and heritage, plus 60km of coastline! The drive from the M6 takes you past some lovely little villages, if you were to wander off the main road, plus the bustling town of Ulverston with its lovely shops and cafes and steep but rewarding walk up Hoad Hill to the Hoad Monument, for epic views from the summit. You can also take the coastal route from Ulverston where you will be rewarded with fabulous views out across Morecambe Bay, and lots of spots to pull in to enjoy the view, go for a walk along the beach, or indulge in an ice cream or coffee at one of the little cafes. Once you get to Barrow, you’ll find a town full of interesting industry both past and present, and if you look beyond the shipyard and rundown town centre, and you’ll find a 12th century abbey, a castle, quirky islands, a King, woodlands, beaches, spectacular nature reserves and friendly pubs. You may also spot grey seals at the South Walney Nature Reserve, which is home to the only grey seal colony in Cumbria, deer grazing in the meadows, and a wide array of birdlife, including colonies of Herring and Black-back Gul. There is also a wildlife park just on the outskirts of town should you fancy something more exotic!
My first full day in the area Lorna took me to Walney Island for a lovely walk along the beach and through the sand dunes; there were little freshwater pools scattered around which looked like great spots for birdlife, and even an unusual gate showcasing the types of birds often seen in the nature reserve. We strolled around, up and down the dunes and back along the estuary, before tackling an extremely overgrown path around the airfield to get back to the car! It was a warm day, so seemed rude not to call in to the local pub for a cold drink and snack… one giant portion of nachos and some spicy chips later, we were adequately stuffed and mooched on back to the house.
The next day we jumped in the van early doors and headed to Coniston for a lake day with her nephews… SUPs were hired, giant SUP mastered and off we went exploring the lake. The weather and conditions were perfect, and we paddled out to a little island where there were some great rocks for jumping and diving from. This little island it’s feasible to camp on as well if you paddle your kit over. Just please take your rubbish away with you, as there were signs of picnic and BBQ rubbish and beer cans etc around, which is so frustrating. The giant SUP was a blast, and at one point we were all on it playing silly games and falling off left, right and centre into the warm water! We parked at the quieter end of the lake, at Browne Howe. This is a pay and display carpark, with a toilet block and a fab coffee van that turns up around 9am. The parking is very reasonable at £5.50 for all day, but you need to arrive early to get a space. I’d advise getting there for 8am; grabbing a spot and enjoying a brew overlooking the water… heaven. There’s no overnight parking at the carpark, but there are spaces alongside the lake in a layby which may be feasible to park in, and there’s an old quarry carpark just up from Browne Howe which is set back enough to be stealth in overnight. The quarry carpark is also a great starting point to walk up to Beacon Tarn that I wrote about earlier in my travels.
I do love paddling at Coniston; it reminds me of being a teenager when we would kayak there with cadets. It’s a lovely safe lake with plenty of great launch spots. The southern end is far quieter than the north, but if you wish to hire kit or take lessons etc then the northern end would suit you more.
Our next outing was to Piel Island… now hands up if you knew that Piel Island has a King?! Nope, me neither! But yes; it has its own King and there’s even a throne. The King is the landlord of the Ship Inn, and they are crowned during a ceremony where they sit on the throne, wearing a helmet and holding a ceremonial sword, as alcohol is poured over them! I know; it’s very odd, but apparently, it’s a very old tradition that was first recorded in 1856 but probably dates back much further to after Lambert Simnel landed on Piel in 1487, claiming himself the rightful heir to the English throne. It’s a fabulous little island to visit for a few hours, or to escape to for a day or two. You get on a tiny boat from Roa Island, which costs £5 per adult and £3 per child (return), dogs are free, and camping is possible on the island behind the pub at £5 per tent (you can camp for free if you walk to the right of the pub and find a quiet spot).
The views are lovely and at just 50 acres you can bimble around the island in under an hour. But the highlight is obviously the castle. Built in the early 14th century, it is believed it was developed as a fortified warehouse for the monks of Furness Abbey; this pretty structure is constructed with stone from the beaches but with red sandstone from the abbey used for architectural detailing. It’s pretty sizable considering its supposed purpose and location; with a three-storey keep, enclosed by both an inner and an outer bailey, in turn bordered by a moat and two-storey corner towers. We enjoyed a stroll around the island, a picnic inside the keep and then caught the boat back to the mainland as the pub was unfortunately closed. However, the pub on Roa Island was open, so we stopped here and consumed giant burgers, washed down by a cold beverage!
One evening we decided to head up to High Dam… I love it up here and have been a few times in the past. It’s just a short drive away near Newby Bridge. You climb up a winding road, passing the pretty Lakeside and Haverthwaite railway station, until you arrive at a carpark in the woods. It’s cheap to park and free after 6pm, there’s also a farmer’s field just down the lane where you can park if it’s full. From here you can visit the Bobbin Mill just down the road or head up into the woods for around a 20minute walk to reach High Dam. There are signposted walks around the tarn and woodland, all suitable for a few hours hiking. I’ve seen people cycling there before and lots of families mooch up to the dam for a picnic and swim. We had our rubber rings, swim stuff and snacks, and off we went to find a little spot to claim as our own for the evening… Unfortunately, Spike needed rescuing as he had chased a ball and got stuck under a tree; so I waded in fully dressed to save him… note my bra hanging up to dry in the photos!! A fabulous evening of swimming, lounging on the rings and having a laugh ensued, before we wandered back to the car and headed home again. Such a great place for a day out if you’re in the Windermere area and I highly recommend it as one to visit.
After a few days in Barrow, Lorna and I packed up our vans and headed off on an adventure to Ennerdale (no not Emmerdale!). We took the slow road up the coast, stopping at Ravenglass to stretch our legs and enjoy a cup of tea in the carpark. We hadn’t planned where we were going to park the night, but over tea I found a little farm site near Ennerdale Bridge that had availability for a couple of nights that we could base ourselves out of. The drive took us along the River Ehen and over the pretty Wath Bridge, which was busy with families picnicking and playing in the cool water. Another couple of kilometres up the lane you come to Fearon Place, a back to basics camping field right next to the river. The site has no facilities bar a portaloo, but the farmer and his wife are super helpful and friendly, they’ll help you out with fresh water if you need a refill, you’re allowed firepits and the river is perfect for a dip to cool off or wash in… it’s a bit steep at £15 a night, as there aren’t any facilities, but the setting is perfect and there’s a great pub just a short walk or drive up the road, and Ennerdale Water is literally a 10minute drive, where there is a free carpark, to hit the trails or water from.
We enjoyed a relaxing evening at the site, splashing in the river and chilling by the campfire. The next morning we packed up Buttercup and drove to the carpark to hike around the lake. Starting from the bottom end of the lake by the weir, we went anticlockwise, following the C2C route past Robin Hood’s Chair and over Angler’s Crag. It was a really hot day and shortly after setting off, we popped on our swimsuits and waded into the lovely clear water, before a little cup of tea from our flasks. The path was quite undulated in places and there was a little scrambling up and over the section by Robin Hood’s Chair, but it was a beautiful walk on this side of the lake. We plodded on chatting to the many C2C walkers, only days in to their adventure, and stopped to stare at the amazing views of the mountains surrounding us, their grassy slopes reflected in the water. I had read about a little waterfall near the end of the lake, so we broke right into the woods and followed the path straight on until we came across a small footbridge spanning Woundell Beck. After a little off-piste action, we discovered the little falls which fell into lots of small pools, perfect for cooling off in and to enjoy our lunch beside.
After lunch and a cold beer (cooled in the falls!), we retraced our steps back to the main path where we joined the forest roads on the other side of the lake and started the walk back to the carpark. Now on our way up the other side we saw 16 people in total, all walkers, predominantly doing the C2C; on this side we saw over 120! This side of the lake is far more accessible with wide paths, very little ascent and a large carpark near Bowness. It’s very popular with families coming for the day to picnic, swim and SUP etc. We walked on past all the busy spots until we came to a nice beach just along from Mireside; this was the quietest point between Bowness and returning to the weir where we started. Here we had another swim to cool off and finish our flask of tea before we strolled the final 1.5km back to the van. Such a lovely walk, with epic views, great swim spots and off the beaten path gems; it was pretty long in the heat (around 8miles), but we were well prepared with plenty of water, snacks and swim stuff… oh and a cold beer!
Back at the campsite we had a shower – I say shower, in fact I hosed myself down with my mini Karcher – and got into fresh clothes to enjoy a delicious meal at the Fox and Hounds in Ennerdale Bridge. The next day we went for a little stroll around Cogra Moss, a pretty tarn just a short walk from Felldyke carpark; before heading back to camp to chill by the river. After a rather nice alcoholic slush puppy (!), we climbed aboard our rubber rings (kids at the site thought this was hysterical!) and floated down the river. A lovely relaxed day in the sunshine before an evening around the fire with some new van lady chums.
Overall, a wonderful few days away at a lovely campsite (despite setting out to wild camp for the three nights), with fabulous walks, views, people and experiences.
On return to Barrow, house life was re-established, and I cracked on with painting commissions and joined Martin for some lovely local walks whilst Lorna was working. That weekend I left the paintings to dry and headed off for a mini adventure, just Buttercup, the boys and me…
TOP TIP: If someone tells you not to drive over a mountain pass in your van, it’s sometimes worth heeding that advice! But more on that in a moment… before nearly killing myself on a dodgy road, I headed down some lovely narrow lanes, through the Langdales, to Blea Tarn. Note to drivers, if you can’t blooming reverse, please keep away from single track roads! Anyway, Blea Tarn is just beautiful… it’s one of the swim spots I read about in one of my many books during my epic researching… it’s a small tarn that sits surrounded by mountains, with mossy banks, woodlands, pretty streams and fabulous walks. I parked in the National Trust carpark right by it (it’s very unlevel FYI) and headed across the road, through the gate and was right there at the tarn. It’s ease of access means it does get busy, but even with plenty of visitors it still felt remote and peaceful.
I decided as it was key picnic time of day, and my dogs do love to steal a picnic, that we would crack on up Side Pike to enjoy the views back over the tarn from its summit. It’s a short walk that follows the edge of the tarn through woodland, before 500m of open grazing land, and then the steep ascent of the fell. There is a little scrambling required to get up Side Pike but it’s not too challenging. From the summit you are rewarded with beautiful views back down over Blea Tarn and across the valley to the Langdale Pikes. There are lots of awesome hikes from here, including Lingmore Fell, Wrynose Fell and of course the epic walk beside the waterfalls to Stickle Tarn; you could even make the short Side Pike walk a circular one by carrying on along the ridge before descending to the road. However, I didn’t want to walk on the road, and it was too late in the day for a big expedition, so we returned the same way we had come and headed back to the van.
After dinner, I left the boys in the van and went across the road for a nice peaceful swim in the tarn… it was stunning. There were a couple of paddle boarders out and one guy trying to sail with no wind, but otherwise it was so quiet, and I felt really connected to the breath-taking landscape surrounding me. The sunset was awe inspiring and has certainly produced lots of inspiration for my future paintings… you can understand why it’s so popular with photographers.
I must admit I was a bit naughty and stayed in the carpark overnight; not really allowed in National Trust carparks, but there were a few cars parked up where the owners were out hiking and camping in the fells, so I decided to risk it. There were no issues and I left VERY early the next day making sure I left the place cleaner than I found it. My reason to set off so early was to drive over to Eskdale via Wrynose Pass and Hardknott Pass… This takes me back to that sage advice I was given about not driving over certain passes! Well, at 6am off I went on my new adventure for the day. I mooched around the lovely bendy narrow roads towards Wrynose Pass, seeing no one out and about, it was a beautiful drive. I popped Buttercup in to a low gear, and off up Wrynose Pass we went; it was tight and twisty and steep in sections but nothing I hadn’t driven before on similar roads around the country…
The views were epic looking out across the valleys and to the towering crags in the near distance. I drove down to Cockley Beck (here you can shoot off to Seathwaite when the bridge is open) and decided to ignore the large sign stating only suitable for cars and light vehicles. As soon as you start up Hardknott Pass it’s VERY steep and bendy! I took a second run up for the first section, and was off… Only to be faced with a rather tight and slightly worn section of road 20m later. However, ABS kicked in, low gear was selected, a little rubber burnt and off we went climbing up this impressive and intimidating pass. Like Wrynose the views were off the charts but even more so, as the Scafell range came in to sight beyond the mound of Hard Knott and the valley where the River Esk runs through. I summitted the pass and breathed out at last… who else holds their breath on super challenging roads?!... However, the technical driving wasn’t yet over as I had to descend to the fort carpark still. This was going rather well until a particularly tight bend, which Buttercup was just far too long to negotiate in one. I hovered the bonnet over the near vertical drop and hoped my handbrake and clutch were ok as I did a few Austin Power style manoeuvres to get my van around the bend! Then I was clear and off again down the last section of the steep pass. I pulled into the carpark at Hardknott Fort, let the brakes and clutch breathe a sigh of relief and climbed back into bed for a few hours.
Hardknott Fort is a great example of a Roman outpost founded under Hadrian's rule in the 2nd century; it has amazing views from it, looking out to Scafell Pike, and I found it to be well worth a visit. It’s not huge, it sits on around 3 acres, and houses a bath house, Commander’s House, headquarters and a large granary.
After my snooze, I packed my bag and set off to visit one of the swimming spots that had been on my list for over a year, Tongue Pot. From where I was parked, I headed down past the Fort to Brotherilkeld and joined a footpath under Yew Crags to where it met with the main footpath that follows the river from Jubilee Bridge carpark. As you plod along this gorgeous valley, you pass lots of pretty pools with small cascades pouring into them and steep crags rising from the riverbanks; Scafell is hidden from sight in the valley, yet you feel like you are surrounded by great hills all around. Just before the old packhorse bridge you will see Tongue Pot. It’s a long narrow pool below a small waterfall, with steep rocky banks on either side, creating the feel of a secluded gorge. Kids jump from the lonely tree that sits on the bank above the deep pool, and those really brave leap from the rocks on the other side. It’s busy when I pass with families and youngsters jumping and playing in the cool water on this beautiful sunny day; so I mooch on up a little further and walk over the old bridge. I see Esk Falls ahead; here a series of stunning falls pouring over giant boulders, the river in full force with epic pools of deep-water swirling beneath each cascade. There is a group scrambling up the rocks, before jumping and screaming with joy back into the pools below. They are having a fabulous time canyoning this river with their guide; so I head back over the bridge to find something more secluded. Bingo! A beautiful waterfall with a lovely small gorge and deep pool, tumbling down from Lingcove Beck; perfect for a little swim and picnic.
As you know, I love to swim, and I love water… In fact, I will go in pretty much any water happily. But, I got in this pool (it was cold), I swam up towards the waterfall, felt totally freaked out, and swam back! Possibly the quickest swim I’ve ever done, including those dips in the middle of winter in frozen water! I clambered back up on the bank and enjoyed my lunch, before I decided to go explore Esk Falls now the canyoning guys had moved further upstream. I was debating whether to jump in, when a young guy joined me to debate the same thing… he had just come off of Scafell and was desperate to cool off. He asked me to keep watch of him as he jumped in, in case he should get in trouble (thankfully he didn’t!), then we strolled down to a now quiet Tongue Pot for a lovely swim.
Tongue Pot was just as epic as I hoped it would be…the water was warm, the pool long and deep, so you could actually swim, and the views just breath-taking looking back down the valley from the water. After quite a long swim, and my new chum had left on his way to the pub, I climbed out and got dressed ready for the walk back to the van. I followed the river all the way back to the farm and then retraced my steps back up the steep hill to the Fort and Buttercup. After a well-deserved cup of tea and dinner, I watched the sun set over the valley and Scafell. Just the perfect day; the next morning I would be driving back to Barrow to cook a yummy dinner for Lorna and Martin and finish the paintings I had started.
The week brought lots more lovely walks around this great little piece of Cumbria; including visiting the Black Huts and the gorgeous beaches of Sandscale Haws Nature Reserve, that stretch out beyond; the moody and haunting remains of Furness Abbey, the interesting beaches of Beanwell Cote, where there are engraved slabs from the sea swimmers over the years; and the beautiful Abbotswood Nature Reserve. As I said at the start of this rather long (sorry!) blog episode; Barrow really has so much to offer the visitor and I hope if you are visiting the Lake District in the future you don’t overlook this little corner of Cumbria.
With paintings finished, van admin complete and a heavy heart, I packed up Buttercup and said my goodbyes. It had been a wonderful break with my friends but it was time to move on… The road is calling, and I must go.
I headed along the coast road and parked up for the night on the sea front at Ulverston Sands. It was raining, but despite the weather an elderly couple put down a blanket and sat on the bench eating their fish and chips, whilst looking out across the Bay. Blissfully unaware (or just not caring) of the rain drops falling around them. They looked happy and content with life and this made me smile; I too felt content and happy with my new life in my little house on wheels, excited about the journey to come and the adventures that lay ahead. There and then it dawned on me that I was finally living the life I had so longed for but had always been too afraid to pursue... Adventure is definitely out there for all to grasp; and that is certainly what I'm doing!
Join me next time as I meet up with George and we head north… to Scotland baby!
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