A tour of the western Lake District

The remoteness of the western Lake District, difficult to reach directly from the most popular centres, has protected it from the worst excesses of the tourist industry. Yet the mountain scenery is at its most magnificent here, as witness the cluster of noble fells crowding in at the head of Wasdale, and there is tremendous scope for a rewarding tourthough not a circular tour, since two of the dales have no through road, another factor in preserv:ing them in their present largely unspoilt state.

William Wordsworth Beatrix Potter and the Lake District

Among the most famous places to visit in the Lake District are the former homes of William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter, Dove Cottage at Grasmere and Hill Top Farm at Sawrey. The world-famous Beatrix Potter Attraction is situated at Bowness, and is a perfect day out for all the family.

While touring around the western lakes, the first dale to be explored is Ennerdale, probably the least known of all. The public road ends at Bowness Knott, and further progress up the dale has to be made on foot; few will go too far, however, because the extensive Forestry Commission plantations block out many of the views.

It is probably better to climb the little rocky knoll of Bowness Knott and enjoy the wide sweeping view across the lake, from Angler's Crag up to the extensive, grassy Skiddaw Slate fells of Grike and Caw Fell, then further left to Haycock a fine winter mountain and Pillar, with the awesome Pillar Rock jutting out of the fellside at three-quarter height.

Ennerdale Bridge and Ennerdale Forest

Then follow the pleasant, quiet lanes to the sleepy village of Ennerdale Bridge and take the fell road south, past the Kinniside stone circle and the rather haphazard plantations of Ennerdale Forest to Cold Fell Gate. Another excellent detour here lies along the track to the left, which descends steadily into the Calder valley. Cross the river on a modern footbridge next to a ford, then walk upstream for a couple of minutes to arrive at Matty Benn's Bridge, a packhorse bridge ascribed to the monks of Calder Abbey. The situation is delightful, with the clear river in a rocky gorge below the bridge, but the bridge itself is suffering from decades of neglect and the luxuriant vegetation is beginning to take over.

The Calder Valley walks

Strong walkers will perhaps continue over Tongue How to reach Stockdale Moor, thickly littered with prehistoric remains (including the long cairn known as Sampson's Bratful), but this is a considerable trek in remote and rather featureless country, and it may be more prudent to return to the car and continue south to a junction of roads near Calder Abbey. The monks at this minor outpost, originally a Savignac priory, were twice raided by the Scots, but twice returned and exerted some influence in the medieval colonisation of Copeland Forest; extensive remains of the abbey survive to enhance the scene in the quiet Calder valley.

Turn left onto the main road at Calder Bridge, uncomfortably close to Sellafield, then left again to follow the Wasdale road through the large village of Gosforth, notable for its tall, slender Viking cross and hogback tombstones, to Buckbarrow and, with stupendous views opening up in front, the Wasdale valley.

This is as near perfection as English mountain scenery can be: a ring of craggy mountains at the head of a long, brooding lake with the threatening Wastwater Screes apparently streaming down into the lake on the right. The ring of mountains includes Yew barrow , Kirk Fell, the glorious Great Gable, Lingmell and the two Scafells - Scafell Pike above Pikes Crag and, to the right of the declivity of Hollow Stones below Mickledore, the dramatic northern face ofScafell.

Wasdale Head and Wastwater

As the road nears Wasdale Head the interplay between these mountains and Wastwater continually changes, and at Wasdale Head itself still further mountains crowd into the scene, notably Red Pike and Pillar above the deep glacial bowl of Mosedale. The hamlet of Wasdale Head is equally full of interest, with a little dale chapel, the well-known Wasdale Head Inn, a classic packhorse bridge, and a series of easy walks among the intake fields, many of them with notably thick walls piled with the boulders which were painstakingly cleared by the Norse settlers.