Tarn Hows

If there is a theme to this post it has to be WATER – lots of it! MWIS, (planning) informed me that it would not be raining later in the morning but the stair-rods and low cloud surrounding my village, perched on the outer edges of the Lakes, did not fill me with a great deal of confidence. Still, the dog had to go for a walk somewhere and as I was going to get wet we may as well go somewhere there would be the possibility of some interesting photos. May be still some snow? I had seen a clear covering on the Yorkshire moors two days previous, but it had rained most of the night.

Tarn Hows is too busy for comfort on a clear summers day but I figured that it would be a bit quieter on a wet miserable December Sunday, and it has the advantage of being National Trust which made parking free (member’s perk). Everywhere was so very wet! In consistent rain the mountains don’t so much flood as leak! The peaty soil fills up on top of the granite and then overflows everywhere as if a sponge were being steadily and incessantly squeezed over everything. Hence the road up the west side of Lake Windermere was dotted with small floods and even the track down to Tarn Hows had such a deep puddle I wondered if my car would clear it. Something odd about a flood at the top of a hill? But then there are Tarns… forget that one.

The advantage of a wet weather walk round the Tarns is the multitude of tracks. There is the short walk round the Tarns, which is wheelchair friendly, but if you go beyond you can follow tracks and trails up the immediate fells then beyond over to the Langdales or Hawskhead, if you have more time. Cicerone have a few options or you can do as I did and follow the footpaths and bridle ways from OS7, most are also clearly signposted. Though I have to say that ‘Sunny Brow’ was on this day, somewhat of a misnomer! The low cloud base certainly obscured most chances of views and though it was hardly difficult walking the stony tracks mimicked streams very well! I even took a video on my blackberry!

So now that I have put you off walking in the rain – don’t be. After all, as they say, there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. The colours were wonderful; there was the odd stripe of snow on the fells and best of all – only two cars in the car park!

Tarn Hows VIEW SLIDE SHOW