Our first full day at Hawse End and the obvious walk to do was the one from the front door. The route up Cat Bells is one of the best and most popular walks in the Lake District, boasting panoramic views over Derwent Water, Borrowdale, Newlands Valley and the surrounding fells. To quote Wainwright, “Its popularity is well deserved; its shapely topknott attracts the eye offering a steep but obviously simple scramble.”
On an Easter trip ten years earlier, we started out on the same walk, so I thought it might be fun to compare timelines.
In 2024 we were engaging in “British Plummertime”, which meant BST arrived a few days early for CYHA and breakfast was at 7am. In 2014 it was a more traditional 8am. On both occasions there was a group photo outside Hawse End: 2024 08:10; 2014 09:22, so 2024 us had a 1:02 hour head start - and then we were off. The route starts climbing just above the hostel with a short scramble to take us to the shoulder summit of Cat Bells. In 2014 the weather was dry, but although the weather started OK in 2024 it has been raining for weeks. All the paths are muddy and the scrambles kind of slimy. At the shoulder summit the times are 2024 08:54; 2014 10:12, so both times it took about 45-50 mins to climb the first nobble.
From the first shoulder there’s still a reasonable distance to the summit of Cat Bells, and another little scramble. It’s starting to get a bit chillier now, so everyone was pulling on jumpers while we wait for the stragglers. In 2024 we were at the summit at 09:53, in 2014 it was 10:47 – so our 2014 selves are starting to gain on us, getting to the top about 20 mins quicker. There was a parting of the ways at this point, as Cressida led a group down into Borrowdale and the beckoning teashop at Grange.
For those continuing, the next summit was Maiden Moor and we got there for roughly 10:00, compared to about 11:00 in 2014. In 2014 we were delayed by an enterprising scout group selling snacks – no such luck 10 years later, but it means when they left they were only 15 minutes ahead of 2024 us.
The weather, although chilly, had stayed dry up to this point, but now we had our first showers of rain. It was starting to look like Cressida’s group had the right idea. We took advantage of a short break in the weather for a lunch break on High Spy. It was probably because we were sitting around, but it was at this point that our 2014 selves overtook us, carrying on to Dale Head, Hindscarth and Robinson, returning to the hostel probably about 8pm. By comparison we are now 10 years older, it’s raining, and we want our dinner, so it’s down into Borrowdale winding through the old mine workings, before skirting Derwent Water on the way back to Hawse End.
So, in summary, 10 years ago we were about 20% faster and clearly prepared to undertake a much more ambitious route. I wonder what the next 10 years will hold?
Ali
Lakeland Challenge: A Wild Walk from Buttermere
Easter Monday and our hike through the heart of the Lake District was an experience like no other. We started by taking the bus to Buttermere, a postcard-perfect village nestled beneath dramatic fells. It was a great start, but not such a great weather forecast – strong winds, mist, and rain were all on the menu.
Undeterred, we set off. The initial ascent was manageable, but as we got to the top of High Snockrigg fell the wind was so bracing we had to shelter lying down while we waited for John M. After High Snockrigg we headed for Knott Rigg, and finally, Ard Crags. The ascents were challenging, with swirling mist both masking the view and enhancing the drama.
The descent was equally challenging. The combination of steep slopes, mud, and persistent rain made for a slippery, slithery path, with a bridgeless river crossing at the bottom. Somehow we all managed to survive and made it back to Hawse End in time for dinner, damp but exhilarated from our adventure.
Dave P & Google Gemini