Last night I stepped out of the campervan at Aira Force and was greeted by a cloudless sky and the sight of the Milky Way above my head. I turned off the headtorch and could see a billion stars, all merged together, stretching out in that distinctive long milky band across the inky black clear night sky. As I stared up, transfixed by the sight and trying to remember the last time I saw this glorious spectacle a shooting star shot straight across the sky burning out over the northern horizon. Light pollution generally stops me seeing the Milky Way so this is a treat and I go to bed marveling at the sheer immensity and beauty of this universe that we all inhabit.
Parking the van at Cow bridge this morning I am still reflecting on last night and hoping that the day ahead can be as satisfying. Today I am walking up Hartsop above How and also visiting the Priest’s hole (or cave if you prefer) on Dove Crag. The forecast is good and looking to be accurate as the sun comes out whilst I am getting ready. I want to follow the ridge up so skip the direct path from the car park and walk back on myself for a while along a permissive footpath through the wood following close to the road.
At Bridgend the path drops down to the road and almost immediately there is a stone stile crossing the wall marked ‘permissive path Fairfield’. This crosses a field into Low Wood and after a short bit of uphill woodland walking opens out onto the ridge proper. Once on the ridge the path ahead is obvious and the wall on the left is essentially followed all the way to the summit. The gradient is good and as height is gained there are expanding views back down towards Patterdale and over to Kirkstone and the High Street range to enjoy.
As I am walking along minding my own business I hear a faint roar in the direction of Kirkstone. Within seconds the roar has become thunderous and it’s then I see a small group of jet aircraft, clearly the Red Arrows from their distinctive colouring flying past in in the valley below heading in the direction of Ullswater. By the time I get my ‘big’ camera out they are well down the valley but I manage to grab a shot of five of them, in good formation with Arnison Crag providing some good perspective in the foreground. Within moments they are gone and the valley returns to the sound of the sheep and the breeze.
Along the ridge, there are a couple of rocky scrambles to negotiate but nothing too taxing and in the main it is a steady plod uphill. Just before the summit ridge there is a quirky little feature. Somebody (Dick presumably) with a certain amount of effort and time on their hands has carved the words ‘Dicks Seat’ into an upright rock, the base of which could well serve as a little seat to admire the view. I did some Googling but am non the wiser as to who Dick was or how long those words have been there.
Soon afterwards I am standing on what I take as the highest point of the ridge. There are two little Rock mounds both higher than the surrounding ground before the path starts to descend. Neither seems higher than the other so I settle on the furthest one and claim that as my summit.
Straight ahead, the higher mountains of Dove Crag, Hart Crag and Fairfield dominate the view. The rocky crags of Dove Crag and Fairfield, dropping down into Dovedale and Deepdale respectively are a particularly impressive sight. The view behind is more pastoral, with the long valley of Deepdale becoming a patchwork of green fields and the rounded bulk of Place Fell prominent beyond.
Leaving the summit, the path to Hart Crag is followed for a short while but I am conscious that I am going to leave it so keep an eye on my mapping. When the path starts to rise up to Hart Crag I leave it and head off to the left, skirting around the head of Houndshope Cove to join the path coming down from Dove Crag. The OS map shows a little tarn here but after a relative dry spell there is nothing here today. The purpose for my detour is to visit the Priests hole, a cave high up on Dove Crag that I have long read about but never visited. Interestingly, Wainwright himself doesn’t mention it in ‘The Eastern Fells’. He was surely aware of its existence, but for his own reasons chose not to reveal its location.
The path to the cave starts at a large rock on the main path. Care is needed, particularly on the upper reaches as it is pretty worn with loose rocks and stones. There is some exposure but nothing too dramatic if you are used to a bit of scrambling. On arrival at the cave I meet a fellow walker who is enjoying his lunch. After a while my lunch guest departs and I have the place to myself. I’ve not been here before and to be honest I found the cave a little squalid. An old sleeping bag, air mattress and other rubbish littered the cave which was drab and dark, the ceiling black from the soot of many fires. A low wall has been built to provide some protection from the elements but the cave is North facing so must get little sun. There are certainly better places to enjoy lunch (and I suspect spend the night) and as I leave the cave, unlike the hills, I have no desire to ever return to the Priests Hole.
Rejoining the main path at the big rock I make my way down into Dovedale on a well made rock step path. The path is steep to start but eases off as the confines of the valley are entered. Ahead, Hartsop Dodd and the Far Eastern Fells are seen across Kirkstone and behind, Dove Crag forms an impressive sight towering up at the head of the valley.
I cross to the south side of Dovedale Beck at the first footbridge and not long afterwards arrive at the delightful Dove Falls. The day is nearly done so I take the pack off, sit down and relax. I want this journey, my journey, through the Wainwright’s to be something that enriches me so I am taking the opportunity to stop at places like this waterfall to allow that process to happen. I am learning the lesson that life is not a race and doesn’t have to be so fast, or so cluttered.
So much of our lives are spent thinking about what it is we have to do tomorrow or worrying about the things that we didn’t do yesterday, our heads are full of mind chatter and we have lost the art of putting everything to one side and just enjoying the present moment. And so I sit for a while and enjoy this present moment in time, sitting by Dove falls, listening to the sound of the water, seeing the sun glisten on it as it it pours over the lip and washes down and over the slate grey rocks. Enjoying the warmth of the sun, the stillness, the musty smell of the trees and lichen in the little hollow, wondering how long this beck and these falls have been here and how many people actually stop to witness this sight.
From the falls the path flattens and then opens out onto fields. I cross the second bridge back to the north side of Dovedale Beck and the path becomes a track leading to Hartsop Hall. Just beyond Hartsop Hall the little lake of Brothers Water is reached and I follow the flat and pleasant shoreline path through the trees and back to Cow bridge car park.
For a map, route details and picture gallery of this walk click ‘Learn more’ below
