It was indeed the sun. That big yellow fire thing up in the sky, putting out a load of heat. Fluffy white clouds too, with a bracing breeze for good measure. Time to take advantage of the dryness and do a third night out with the giddy pups.
We were camped in Patterdale for a few nights with the van, so it was easy to make up a little circuit of around 6 miles each day, to take in a wild camp up at Angle Tarn.
We started by a-wandering down the valley to Hartsop, then followed a very steep track up to Hayeswater. There was lots of stuff going on here, due to the powers that be building a hydro-electric scheme below the reservoir.
And still the sun shone.
Picking up even more of the bracing breeze, we climbed a touch higher and contoured ย around the hills for a bit, finally dropping down to our destination for the night.
This was where we first became aware of the stags and their harems. Obviously the rutting season, we could both see and hear them in the distance. It went on all night long – quite spectacular really – and at times overnight, it sounded like some of them were very close to the tent.
It was quite pretty as the sun went down.
And then the rain started. On and off all night long, it was still fairly heavy when we woke up in the morning, but by the time we were due to break camp it had stopped. Another fine day was in the offing.
Our return route took us across to Boredale Hause, followed by a bit of contouring round the lower slopes of Place Fell and back along the Ullswater Way.
It was all rather pleasant.
Lovely evening, I take it you pitched on the little sticky out bit of a land in the fourth photo, looks a very fine pitch. Must be crowded in there with two people and two dogs. I remember many crises when it was just two of us and a big wet dog!
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Yep, it was quite nice on that little sticky out bit! Caught the wind, but it wasn’t too bad.
For giddy pups, the dogs are remarkably well behaved in the tent – being a bit tired after a decent walk helps, I guess. And it is a 3 person tent – that also helps with the space! ๐
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When was that? Me and Richard passed by a green tent in exactly that location on Saturday to bag him 3 more of his Wainwrights!
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I had to think to work that out! ๐ It was Thursday 6th October.
There’s not a lot of dry spots around the Tarn though, so I suspect that spot is very popular.
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Yeah I suppose that is a popular spot. Would have been funny if it had been you though…
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Wouldn’t it?! That’s why I spent the time working out exactly which day we had been there – I was very curious! ๐
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I’ve just found out a fellow blogger (Bob of Blue Sky Scotland) was actually staying at Hartsop on the Saturday when we passed through at the end of our walk!
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I often wonder these days if there are people about who we might know from blogs etc, while we’re out a-wandering….
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I do too – and forums
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Very pleasant indeed. I have often paused by Angle Tarn and thought it would be a perfect place to spend a night. Looks like it is.
Cheers, Alen
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It certainly was, Alen! ๐
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A lovely walk that, glad you got some good weather, you deserved it. Last time I camped there the stags came in quite close to the tent.
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It was quite a treat, really, we never expected to see or hear stags at all over there! ๐
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I’ve never camped at (that) Angle Tarn. Looks marvellous. There are a lot of deer in that area, a huge herd in Bannerdale. I think I would have been a bit spooked to be listening to them all night. My kids are very keen to get out for a camp, but I’m very concerned about the cold and the many hours of darkness.
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It did occur to me at one point that a stag might run into the tent in the dark, so I had to work hard to dismiss that image from my head in the middle of the night ๐ It was a lovely spot, but there’s not a huge amount of dry ground close in to the tarn. Think we might have found about the best pitch!
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Some excellent views there. Love the Lakes when it’s quieter.
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Hi Andy, thanks for visiting! I agree, you have to seek out the quiet times/spots…… ๐
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They’re usually the damp spots….๐๐
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