Hard Tarn

When I threw into the wind that I wanted to do another wild camp somewhere near a tarn.
‘Hard Tarn’, flew back.
It’s not much more than a puddle on the map.
Nestled underneath Nethermost Pike. 

A perfect glacial bowl. 

Stand by it and you can almost see the ice folding over the hard rim and down into the valley below.
Search and ask and there are a few blogs about how wonderful it is.

Some reports say don’t go as far as the Climbers’ Hut, but head up to Eagle Crag from the foot bridge.

Some say go as far as the Climbers’ Hut and then strike upwards to the corrie above the waterfall.

I hiked up with a few friends, some of whom were heading up to Helvellyn the same day and back.  Others like myself, were dumping tents at Hard Tarn before Helvellyn, then returning there to camp.

From Patterdale we followed the tourist track to the Hut and then struck off towards the tarn up the south side of Ruthwaite Cove

There is no track.  It’s boggy, stoney, and steep, with random streams thrown in as minor distractions.

But we got there.  Effort well worth each calorie burned.

With views down the valley from a perspective I’d not had before.

Majority of Backpack contents deployed into tents the next challenge was Nethermost Pike.  There is no easy way.

Hands have to be used in a scramble up the side.  But how wonderful to appear on to  the edge of a spur I’d previously only looked down from.

Now light weight, bereft of tents and bags, a mere hop and skip up to Helvellyn from Nethermost. 

Dull grey cloud of early day dissipated.  Flat light changed to sharpness defining all the edges.

Hills rolling away to Highstreet and beyond.

But we had to get back to the tarn.  And without going a long way round to Grisedale Tarn and back up, that was not going to be a stroll in the park.

Contours between Nethermost and Hard Crag have a little more space between and a few less rocks.  Launching myself off the edge still felt akin to starting a double black diamond.  There was no time to stop and take photos.  Full focus on placing poles  required to get down in once piece.

Here still to tell the tale.  Another night on a hill is peaceful isolation can only be supposed by brunch at the Post Office in Patterdale on Sunday morning.

 

The Route

 

 

 

 

 

and breakfast…