Out at the Lakes
So, it's been a while since I wrote on my travel - over 6 years, to be precise. Not that I haven't been traveling, but just that I didn't really find the time to write them down - or tbh, too busy and mostly lazy to.
I'm back only recently from a few days at the Lake District, and it was quite nice, if not lovely. I was there for the Christmas holidays last year as well, and it was lovely - especially the snow, and met quite a few interesting people, but sadly, there was no snow this time. Plus, there were cloudy days, but I still tried to make the most of it all.
Day 1: Penrith
The plan was to leave Nottingham by the 0540 train to Penrith (via Warrington Central), and I slept promptly early on the night of 21-Dec, and woke up fairly early per my standards. The cab I had booked was at my home at 0520, and it would take not more than 10 mins to the station. Only on boarding the cab, I realized that the train was at 0520, and it had departed already. Thanks to the Off-Peak return I had, I could get the next one by 0600, but I had to go Nottingham-Derby-Crewe-Preston(Lancs)-Penrith. With the day light robbery that's UK trains, I could get an Off-Peak return for £77.40, while the one-way ticket was £76! And so much for planning, I had to endure a few extra minutes of winter now.
I was also catching with a very good friend, and was on the phone with him for over an hour. I had delicious Cornish pastries at the Preston station - it's only when I went for the second, I was told that I could get any hot drink for an extra 4p!
When checked with the helpdesk at Preston that the train to Penrith, supposed to arrive on Platform 4 had not arrived, I got to know that it had already left from 3! When pointed out that the Trainline app had said 4, all I could get was a shrug. Again, thankfully, there was another in 15. And by English standards, the trains were quite crowded - somewhat close to a weekend evening crowd on a Chennai suburban. I could get a seat, and sometime later, into a conversation with an old couple from Keswick, and got a few suggestions on hikes.
We got off at Penrith by about 11, and once off the train, nobody seemed to help them with their suitcases, given that there were no lifts in the station. I lifted their suitcases down & up the subway - the old man said he was quite thankful, although I was only surprised that others didn't help. Well, with my accommodation booked at the Youth Hostel (YHA), Keswick, which was nearly an hour away, and I could check-in only after 1500, I decided to stroll the streets of Penrith, walk the same lanes as Wordsworth, followed by some light lunch at a cafe.
There was also a library in the same complex, and I indulged in some light reading of poetry & travelogues, before checking the beautiful St. Andrew's church nearby, which had among others, a 350-yr old font, a couple of centuries-old tombstones, and an elegantly curved staircase. I checked the town market and headed straight to Keswick.
The staff at YHA are one of the friendliest I've ever come across - Harry, Susan, Tom, and the one whose name which slips my mind right now, couldn't have been any more helpful. YHA is a place where one can meet loads of interesting people - traveling-backpackers to living-out-of-a-backpack-ers. Sadly, there wasn't much of a crowd this year. I had some light dinner there and was off to bed early. Given that I had been up earlier than usual and had already walked quite a bit, I dozed off in no time.
Day 2: Skiddaw
A good start - the English breakfast at YHA was really good, with veg. sausages, hash-browns and the best croissants I've ever had! The weather forecast was horrible, with rains predicted for the better part of the day, but the weather actually wasn't much so. With a couple of encouraging words from my Australian cyclist roommate, I geared up and started for Skiddaw, which, thankfully, was the hardest to get lost on.
Now, prior to all this, I had looked at various options for mountain maps, and had a good few options to choose from
As the adage goes, it's more about the journey than the destination. There werequite a few markers along the trail, and the views were brilliant, for a cloudy day. I could see Derentwater on one side, and a few on the distant other. I'm quite poor with words, so instead of me trying harder, here they are.
It's been a habit of mine to collect a few interesting rocks from every hike, and at Skiddaw, some of the rocks were just beautiful! My only sorrow is not coming across any hornfels. Admiring these, I reached the summit, but owing to the clouds, there wasn't much of a view, sadly. And I wanted to get down on the other side, but because I started late, and daylight was rapidly decreasing, I confined to returning the same route.
But a few minutes into my return, I wasn't sure if I was returning the same route, because, owing to the clouds, I had not seen most of there on my way up! It also started raining out of nowhere, and I skidded a couple of times. Well, it was Skiddaw, after all!
Having reached the hostel, I promptly washed the shoes & jacket and put them to dry, had a nice & hot jacket potato followed by cake & coffee. There was a cold day, so I couldn't keep the door / window open. It was a cold night too. If you got the reference, do let me know :)
Day 3: Helvellyn
The forecast was bright today - the only sunny day during my stay there. I tried to have an early start to the day, but the breakfast at the hostel starts only at 0730. So, I finished brekkie and rushed to get the next bus, with a return ticket, to Wythburn church, my starting point. The most famous route is from Glenridding, but it takes 3 hours to get there, and I couldn't afford to lose precious sunlight in a bus. Wythburn church was small, empty and calm. It also had an interesting handle-lock design on its door! I took it all in for a few minutes, reading the plaques and cards within, and left before filling my water bottle.
Unlike the previous day, there was a bit of frost everywhere, making the rocks icy & slippery, and since the ascent was quite steep at a few places, a bit dangerous, for even if not for loss of life, one might one might up disfiguring oneself on the rocks. But the views make it all worth it. I met Dave from Liverpool, who was here for Christmas holidays, taking permission from his wife to get up Helvellyn, promising to return right after. Dave was very friendly, and the conversations ranging from best hiking routes to arranged marriages in India, took some strain off the climb.
And he also showed some of the best spots for photographs. To top it all, Google Photos created a then-and-now from 6 years ago! *wipes tears*
It would have been quite tough from Glenridding, for it involved a bit of scrambling at the steep junction, and even tougher with snow. Maybe next time.
I was initially not sure if I'd be able to continue, for I was telling Dave that I'd return with him, since my knees were begging for rest. But once atop, and a few minutes of break, I was up on my feet again, and wanted to proceed further North, towards Keswick, where I could follow one of the descents and get a bus back to the hostel.
Now, I could get a descent from Little Man, or a little past Whiteside, but I didn't think I'd be able to get to as far as Raise, which was nearly 3 km away. I did it, nonetheless, with breathtaking views on the way, and not to mention a bit of steep descent and a slightly injurious fall on the rocks. But again, it was all worth it. I could go still further, but would have been be a long long boring walk on the roads to find a bus back. I rewarded myself with a date bar, and proceeded to find the descent.
It was at this junction, I met a fit old man named David, coming down from the other side, Watsons Dodd. When I mentioned that I was coming from Nottingham, he said he was there over 40 years ago, studying geology, and that he was a geologist. I was trying hard to not show my excitement, and prodded him with too many silly questions, but he was kind & patient enough to answer them all. He also showed me a few interesting rock formations, especially one that had a few marks on it, which indicated that it was close to the mouth of the volcano when it erupted. I also gathered a few beautiful & certified quartz stones home. And I actually tell him before we parted that he was the smartest person I had met in 2018.
Passing by a fresh stream, I filled up my water bottle again, and waited for a bus at the stop for 20 minutes, only for the bus to simply drive past me. Now, the next bus was in an hour, and not wanting to sit there, I started walking, requesting a lift to Keswick, which was still 5 km away. After no luck for over half an hour, finally, an old man stopped his car for me. I profusely thanked him for his gesture, and he said the buses do this almost all the time! I just couldn't imagine the plight of an elderly person having to wait in the cold. He said he was an ex-pastor, although he still helps in his church. He was on his way to meet his sister-in-law, as his brother died a few years ago, and he had been visiting her every Christmas since then. When I mentioned that I work in software, he said he'd technologically disabled, and didn't understand most things. I cheered him up saying I don't understand a lot, anyway. He said God bless every time I thanked him, and dropped me near the hostel. I rewarded myself for lunch with bread & soup followed by a steaming hot coffee, calling it a day.
Day 4: Cat Bells
Christmas. I wanted to go to Wastwater, the deepest lake in the Lake District, and take a dip in there, for I couldn't, last time. I had told myself that I'd be back some day just for a dip, but never imagined I'd get an opportunity to visit UK again. So, I wanted to fulfill my vow, but couldn't, this time, since transport was a problem, and more importantly, daylight, for I couldn't've come back with still some light around.
And the clouds were back again. The base to all the taller peaks are over an hour away, and I hence had to settle for an easier hike to Cat Bells. Someone at the hostel joked that grandmas do it all the time walking their dogs. It's only some 450m tall, but has stunning views, I was told. I walked to Portinscale, and then on Catbells, passing by a certain Lingholm Estate, where Beatrix Potter supposedly set one of her stories in. I haven't read any of hers, but there were some alpacas in their farm, and the door through this estate was interesting to me.
I met a family of 3 from Norfolk. The man said he had visited Goa a few times, and loved Indian food when working with Keralites in Qatar. We said near-unanimously, "Construction", and my mind went, "Mallus are everywhere!" His wife, probably in her mid-60s seemed more energetic than his daughter who must've been mid-30s. He said they'd come here 5-6 times a year, all seasons, and have done over the years pretty much every trail in the Lake District. We reached the peak, and the views were stunning indeed.
I parted ways with them, later joining a 60+ yr old man leading a group of elderly on their descent. He said he'd been to Goa many times, including Kerala & Kanyakumari, and would go there every summer. I later learned that he was volunteering for Holiday Fellowship, which focuses on walks for the elderly!
I was earlier told by Harry (YHA) of their Christmas Day tradition of swimming in the nearby Greta river, and I was so eager to join them. I can't swim, but very much wanted to take a dip in the cold water. But by the time I walked back to the hostel, they were done with it, but I requested Harry to step for a bit to direct me to the steps and take a video of the ordeal I'd put myself through. It was 8 or 9 °C outside, with the water even colder, but I had to do it, and I did it. I could take the cold, but had to get out sooner than I could, for I couldn't swim.
Day 5: No rusk
Somewhere along the way to Cat Bells, I think I sprained a muscle on my right thigh, and there was a twitch with every step on my way back. I couldn't risk worsening it, and hence decided to take the day off, with some good sleep & rest.
Day 6: Back to Nottingham.
The End. Back to the grudge.
A big thanks to this plugin, I could embed albums directly from Google Photos. Saved a ton of work!
And more importantly, if you're still reading, thanks to you too! Happy New Year!
I'm back only recently from a few days at the Lake District, and it was quite nice, if not lovely. I was there for the Christmas holidays last year as well, and it was lovely - especially the snow, and met quite a few interesting people, but sadly, there was no snow this time. Plus, there were cloudy days, but I still tried to make the most of it all.
Day 1: Penrith
The plan was to leave Nottingham by the 0540 train to Penrith (via Warrington Central), and I slept promptly early on the night of 21-Dec, and woke up fairly early per my standards. The cab I had booked was at my home at 0520, and it would take not more than 10 mins to the station. Only on boarding the cab, I realized that the train was at 0520, and it had departed already. Thanks to the Off-Peak return I had, I could get the next one by 0600, but I had to go Nottingham-Derby-Crewe-Preston(Lancs)-Penrith. With the day light robbery that's UK trains, I could get an Off-Peak return for £77.40, while the one-way ticket was £76! And so much for planning, I had to endure a few extra minutes of winter now.
I was also catching with a very good friend, and was on the phone with him for over an hour. I had delicious Cornish pastries at the Preston station - it's only when I went for the second, I was told that I could get any hot drink for an extra 4p!
When checked with the helpdesk at Preston that the train to Penrith, supposed to arrive on Platform 4 had not arrived, I got to know that it had already left from 3! When pointed out that the Trainline app had said 4, all I could get was a shrug. Again, thankfully, there was another in 15. And by English standards, the trains were quite crowded - somewhat close to a weekend evening crowd on a Chennai suburban. I could get a seat, and sometime later, into a conversation with an old couple from Keswick, and got a few suggestions on hikes.
We got off at Penrith by about 11, and once off the train, nobody seemed to help them with their suitcases, given that there were no lifts in the station. I lifted their suitcases down & up the subway - the old man said he was quite thankful, although I was only surprised that others didn't help. Well, with my accommodation booked at the Youth Hostel (YHA), Keswick, which was nearly an hour away, and I could check-in only after 1500, I decided to stroll the streets of Penrith, walk the same lanes as Wordsworth, followed by some light lunch at a cafe.
There was also a library in the same complex, and I indulged in some light reading of poetry & travelogues, before checking the beautiful St. Andrew's church nearby, which had among others, a 350-yr old font, a couple of centuries-old tombstones, and an elegantly curved staircase. I checked the town market and headed straight to Keswick.
The staff at YHA are one of the friendliest I've ever come across - Harry, Susan, Tom, and the one whose name which slips my mind right now, couldn't have been any more helpful. YHA is a place where one can meet loads of interesting people - traveling-backpackers to living-out-of-a-backpack-ers. Sadly, there wasn't much of a crowd this year. I had some light dinner there and was off to bed early. Given that I had been up earlier than usual and had already walked quite a bit, I dozed off in no time.
Day 2: Skiddaw
A good start - the English breakfast at YHA was really good, with veg. sausages, hash-browns and the best croissants I've ever had! The weather forecast was horrible, with rains predicted for the better part of the day, but the weather actually wasn't much so. With a couple of encouraging words from my Australian cyclist roommate, I geared up and started for Skiddaw, which, thankfully, was the hardest to get lost on.
Now, prior to all this, I had looked at various options for mountain maps, and had a good few options to choose from
- OS Maps - best of the lot, plenty of features, but expensive.
- Viewranger - quite decent, going by the reviews, but didn't try.
- Komoot - have been out on hikes with a friend using this. You can get worldwide maps, lifelong, for £30. And after signing up, I got an offer to get it for £20!
Just walked past a house (/cottage) named Lorem Ipsum!— Raghavan ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@vrraghy) December 23, 2018
As the adage goes, it's more about the journey than the destination. There werequite a few markers along the trail, and the views were brilliant, for a cloudy day. I could see Derentwater on one side, and a few on the distant other. I'm quite poor with words, so instead of me trying harder, here they are.
It's been a habit of mine to collect a few interesting rocks from every hike, and at Skiddaw, some of the rocks were just beautiful! My only sorrow is not coming across any hornfels. Admiring these, I reached the summit, but owing to the clouds, there wasn't much of a view, sadly. And I wanted to get down on the other side, but because I started late, and daylight was rapidly decreasing, I confined to returning the same route.
But a few minutes into my return, I wasn't sure if I was returning the same route, because, owing to the clouds, I had not seen most of there on my way up! It also started raining out of nowhere, and I skidded a couple of times. Well, it was Skiddaw, after all!
Having reached the hostel, I promptly washed the shoes & jacket and put them to dry, had a nice & hot jacket potato followed by cake & coffee. There was a cold day, so I couldn't keep the door / window open. It was a cold night too. If you got the reference, do let me know :)
Day 3: Helvellyn
The forecast was bright today - the only sunny day during my stay there. I tried to have an early start to the day, but the breakfast at the hostel starts only at 0730. So, I finished brekkie and rushed to get the next bus, with a return ticket, to Wythburn church, my starting point. The most famous route is from Glenridding, but it takes 3 hours to get there, and I couldn't afford to lose precious sunlight in a bus. Wythburn church was small, empty and calm. It also had an interesting handle-lock design on its door! I took it all in for a few minutes, reading the plaques and cards within, and left before filling my water bottle.
Unlike the previous day, there was a bit of frost everywhere, making the rocks icy & slippery, and since the ascent was quite steep at a few places, a bit dangerous, for even if not for loss of life, one might one might up disfiguring oneself on the rocks. But the views make it all worth it. I met Dave from Liverpool, who was here for Christmas holidays, taking permission from his wife to get up Helvellyn, promising to return right after. Dave was very friendly, and the conversations ranging from best hiking routes to arranged marriages in India, took some strain off the climb.
And he also showed some of the best spots for photographs. To top it all, Google Photos created a then-and-now from 6 years ago! *wipes tears*
It would have been quite tough from Glenridding, for it involved a bit of scrambling at the steep junction, and even tougher with snow. Maybe next time.
I was initially not sure if I'd be able to continue, for I was telling Dave that I'd return with him, since my knees were begging for rest. But once atop, and a few minutes of break, I was up on my feet again, and wanted to proceed further North, towards Keswick, where I could follow one of the descents and get a bus back to the hostel.
Now, I could get a descent from Little Man, or a little past Whiteside, but I didn't think I'd be able to get to as far as Raise, which was nearly 3 km away. I did it, nonetheless, with breathtaking views on the way, and not to mention a bit of steep descent and a slightly injurious fall on the rocks. But again, it was all worth it. I could go still further, but would have been be a long long boring walk on the roads to find a bus back. I rewarded myself with a date bar, and proceeded to find the descent.
It was at this junction, I met a fit old man named David, coming down from the other side, Watsons Dodd. When I mentioned that I was coming from Nottingham, he said he was there over 40 years ago, studying geology, and that he was a geologist. I was trying hard to not show my excitement, and prodded him with too many silly questions, but he was kind & patient enough to answer them all. He also showed me a few interesting rock formations, especially one that had a few marks on it, which indicated that it was close to the mouth of the volcano when it erupted. I also gathered a few beautiful & certified quartz stones home. And I actually tell him before we parted that he was the smartest person I had met in 2018.
Passing by a fresh stream, I filled up my water bottle again, and waited for a bus at the stop for 20 minutes, only for the bus to simply drive past me. Now, the next bus was in an hour, and not wanting to sit there, I started walking, requesting a lift to Keswick, which was still 5 km away. After no luck for over half an hour, finally, an old man stopped his car for me. I profusely thanked him for his gesture, and he said the buses do this almost all the time! I just couldn't imagine the plight of an elderly person having to wait in the cold. He said he was an ex-pastor, although he still helps in his church. He was on his way to meet his sister-in-law, as his brother died a few years ago, and he had been visiting her every Christmas since then. When I mentioned that I work in software, he said he'd technologically disabled, and didn't understand most things. I cheered him up saying I don't understand a lot, anyway. He said God bless every time I thanked him, and dropped me near the hostel. I rewarded myself for lunch with bread & soup followed by a steaming hot coffee, calling it a day.
Day 4: Cat Bells
Christmas. I wanted to go to Wastwater, the deepest lake in the Lake District, and take a dip in there, for I couldn't, last time. I had told myself that I'd be back some day just for a dip, but never imagined I'd get an opportunity to visit UK again. So, I wanted to fulfill my vow, but couldn't, this time, since transport was a problem, and more importantly, daylight, for I couldn't've come back with still some light around.
And the clouds were back again. The base to all the taller peaks are over an hour away, and I hence had to settle for an easier hike to Cat Bells. Someone at the hostel joked that grandmas do it all the time walking their dogs. It's only some 450m tall, but has stunning views, I was told. I walked to Portinscale, and then on Catbells, passing by a certain Lingholm Estate, where Beatrix Potter supposedly set one of her stories in. I haven't read any of hers, but there were some alpacas in their farm, and the door through this estate was interesting to me.
I met a family of 3 from Norfolk. The man said he had visited Goa a few times, and loved Indian food when working with Keralites in Qatar. We said near-unanimously, "Construction", and my mind went, "Mallus are everywhere!" His wife, probably in her mid-60s seemed more energetic than his daughter who must've been mid-30s. He said they'd come here 5-6 times a year, all seasons, and have done over the years pretty much every trail in the Lake District. We reached the peak, and the views were stunning indeed.
I parted ways with them, later joining a 60+ yr old man leading a group of elderly on their descent. He said he'd been to Goa many times, including Kerala & Kanyakumari, and would go there every summer. I later learned that he was volunteering for Holiday Fellowship, which focuses on walks for the elderly!
I was earlier told by Harry (YHA) of their Christmas Day tradition of swimming in the nearby Greta river, and I was so eager to join them. I can't swim, but very much wanted to take a dip in the cold water. But by the time I walked back to the hostel, they were done with it, but I requested Harry to step for a bit to direct me to the steps and take a video of the ordeal I'd put myself through. It was 8 or 9 °C outside, with the water even colder, but I had to do it, and I did it. I could take the cold, but had to get out sooner than I could, for I couldn't swim.
Day 5: No rusk
Somewhere along the way to Cat Bells, I think I sprained a muscle on my right thigh, and there was a twitch with every step on my way back. I couldn't risk worsening it, and hence decided to take the day off, with some good sleep & rest.
Day 6: Back to Nottingham.
The End. Back to the grudge.
Agree. 👌 pic.twitter.com/Do4ZB7qeVb— Raghavan ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@vrraghy) December 26, 2018
A big thanks to this plugin, I could embed albums directly from Google Photos. Saved a ton of work!
And more importantly, if you're still reading, thanks to you too! Happy New Year!
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