our first walk in the lake district thru coniston to levers water
"I don't want to go
climbing any mountains" said my wife Gilly.Well there was female
logic for you.We had booked a huge holiday home for two weeks in the
lake district.The cottage would have been way over
size for the two of us but against my better judgement and much to my
horror I had agreed that the family could come with us,the family consisting
of daughter - husband and their two boys,Thomas and Harvey,aged 8 and
7 years respectively.
I called my wife to come over to the panoramic window in the lounge
and asked what she saw.The view looked across a valley from Hawkshead
Hill and dropped to Lake Windermere in the middle distance and continued
to the hills and mountains beyond."How do you imagine we are going
to do any walks without encountering any hills in this area" I
asked "Besides which I thought the whole idea is that we were going
to do some walks while we are here"
"You know what I mean" said Gilly,more female logic.We had
purchased a number of books on walks in the lake district before this
holiday and had kitted ourselves with the necessary clothing and boots
as well as back packs and flasks.
For some reason it was decided,much against my protests, that I should
choose the walk.I had pointed out that I knew as much as the rest of
them about the area but still they insisted so I gathered up the books
we had ,plus a few more that were in the cottage and looked for a route,discounting
several immediately,eight mile's,too long,3000 feet,too high etc etc.So
eventually I chose one not too far from the cottage - Levers
Water.Oh dear what a mistake.The adults looked at the book
and agreed that it looked OK,it didnt take long for me to silently wonder
how much they had looked at the route.So the walk was planned for the
next day,weather permitting.
The day broke bright and sunny,just a question of carrying out ones
normal ablutions,getting dressed and off we go.Well that was my idea
but others had conflicting opinions.
The kids need breakfast,Mandy ( daughter ) needed to wash her hair,Gary
( son in law ) wasn't up yet,kids were playing hide and seek.Great.
In order to move things along Gilly did the breakfast's in which time
Gary finally surfaced.It was about this time I found that Gary was not
a very domesticated animal,his sole contribution to washing up was to
dump his breakfast things on the draining board.So Gilly and I washed
up,tidied round and surely now we must be ready to go.Well not quite.
"We will have to do some sandwiches" said Gilly
"Why"
"Because the kids will get hungry"
"But they have just had breakfast"
"Yes but we are going out"
"I know that but we are only going out for a few hours"
"Yes but it will make it nice for everyone"
I started to despair and pointed out that we were going for a four mile
walk,not climbing the Alps,but my protestations fell on deaf ears.And
so the next fiasco began.
"What do you want in your sandwiches?"
"Don't mind"
"Do want ham?"
"Don't mind"
"Would you prefer egg and cress?"
"Don't mind"
"There is some nice cold lamb,how about that?"
"Don't mind"
"Ill do some egg and cress and a few lamb if that's OK"
"Don't mind"
"Or would you prefer ham?"
I wandered out of the kitchen saying "Please just get on with it"
"Mum can I borrow some bread for the kids sandwiches",I doubt
Gilly saw my eyes roll towards the heavens.
"Mum have you got any mustard"
"Mum can I borrow some butter". It seemed never ending and
I considered asking if we should just stay in but knew it wouldn't be
received well.
"Gary do you want ham"
"Don't mind".Yes you can guess the next fifteen minutes and
that was before they asked the kids what they wanted.
But eventually some one has the audacity to ask me if I am nearly ready,I
didnt reply,mainly because the kids were there and my answer would probably
included words that I would hope they hadn't yet heard.
So we are all nearly ready,I should stress nearly.Have you ever wondered
how a kid can put both socks or shoes in one place at night and the
next day one or more items is missing.This time it was socks,one eventually
found under his bed,the other behind a chair in the lounge.
Then the kids start.
"Can we take a football?"
"No"
"Can we take a cricket bat?"
"Can we do this - can we do that?"
No No NO NO NO.End of questions.
So everyone is now out by the cars as Gilly calls and asks me to grab
the back pack with our food in it.I enter the kitchen,grad the back
pack that is sitting on the floor and almost dislocate my shoulder.
As I approach the car and out of the ear shot of kids I ask Gilly "What
the hell is in this pack"
"Just our stuff" she says nonchalantly
"And" I ask
Well just a few bits for the kids"
"Like what,a pool table"
Gilly sighs "Just a few treats,some biscuits,bananas,spare drinks,kit
kats,maybe a couple of extra sandwiches,you know the kids like what
we do"
I swear.It feels like I have a weeks family shopping to carry.
So at last we are off and head the few miles to Coniston
where we will park the cars and start the walk.The weather is great
with fluffy clouds in a clear blue sky.It is mid October and an autumninal
sun gives perfect walking conditions.Off we set from the car park.through
the village of Coniston and up a cul de sac between the "Black
Bull pub and the co-op store.Following a narrow road by Church Beck
we soon left the village heading along a track through open fields and
gaining a small amount of height on the route to long crag.The road
narrowed to a single track as we approached a small water fall and then
track opened much wider as we passed the wide flowing Levers
Water Beck to our left and headed along Coppermines
valley towards the youth hostel just below the quarry.So far
so good I thought,not much to this mountain climbing.Wrong.
The track veered left past the youth hostel and zig zagged through the
old mining area then swung left.Whoops I thought as I saw the track
rising in front of us.The track itself reminded me of a shingle beach
and I knew the accent was not going to as easy as the walk so far.As
we climbed the track it reminded me of my days during my late teens
in the army.
We were posted at Felixstowe,a more drab town I had never seen.On all
our postings we were never actually posted in the town,usually we occupied
some back water well out of the way,this posting was no different.The
camp itself being on the edge of the sea shore.We were often roused
at some ungodly hour,about 5.00am and having donned full kit,were made
to run along the shingle beach for miles.The platoon commander didnt
seem to join us much,preferring a sumptuous breakfast in the warmth
and comfort of the officers mess.
He did sometimes condescend to meet us as we staggered breathless off
the beach and it was on one such occasion that I suggested that rather
than run along the beach would it not be a better idea to dig in at
the top of the beach and let the enemy (whoever they might be) run up
the beach.That suggestion cost me three days pay and a week on cook
house duties.I decided then to keep my tactical thoughts to myself.
"We continued up the shingle track but it was no big deal as the
top was just ahead of us.Wrong.A lesson I have since learnt in the lake
district is never assume you are at the top of a hill until everything
around you is lower than yourself.So we get to the top and the track
levels out and climbs again.So we get to the top and the track levels
out and climb again.But as the old saying goes "No pain - No gain"
and as we ventured higher the views were stunning,Coniston water way
below us,and beyond that the Yorkshire dales and to the far right Morecambe
Bay.It really is quite extraordinary just what and how far you can see
on some of the walks in the Lake District,not that
I felt any other members of the party saw it that way.
By now legs were aching,everyone was puffing and panting and questions
were being asked about how much further the top was.I could feel discontent
in the ranks.But onwards and upwards we went until finally we reached
the waterfall that was the out flow of Levers Water.
Although the sky was still bright,dark clouds were rolling in from the
north west and the slight breeze we had enjoyed on the way up now turned
to a forcible wind.
Levers Water is around 1300 feet up,I wasnt aware of
that at the time but Isuppose that is why I could hear such comments
as "Didnt think we were coming this high" - "Dont want
to do this again" etc etc
Frankly I found it quite bracing but the others looked in desperation
for cover.To the right of the dam,whether by nature or man made I was
not sure,but there was a slight gully that suited perfectly as an area
for a break.Well protected from the wind and with large rocks just the
perfect size to be used as seats.
So out comes the food and the kids are told to leave us in peace,but
you know kids.What ever their parents had done for sandwiches ours,in
their eyes had to be better.It was Harvey the younger of the two who
started it.
"I don't like mustard"
"Well you liked it last week"
"Didnt"
"It was in your school sandwiches"
"Don't like it"
All the time his eyes flitted back and forth over our back pack.
So Gilly said "I have some jam sandwiches" which was all Harvey
needed to hear.Like a greyhound out of a trap he raced over to us.
Now here is a strange one for the reader to work out.His brother Thomas
hates jam and will not touch even a cake with jam in it.
But he will eat as many Jam doughnuts as he can get his hands on.You
work it out,its beyond me and as the old saying goes "Answers on
a postcard to...................."
So now Thomas is considering that we might have something more exciting
than ham,we haven't but in kids eyes whet ever we have must be better.So
leaving his own pack of sandwiches he casually strolls over and sits
near me."What have you got Homer." he asks. OK..OK the kids
call me Homer,not my name,I don't look or act like him and I am not
telling you the reason.
"Egg and cress" I reply.
"What are they like" he enquires.Well it transpires he has
never had an egg and cress sarnie so I ask if he wants to try one.That
was the last I saw of my lunch box until it was returned empty,guess
he liked them.
Both boys then rummaged around my back pack and lightened my load by
consuming all the Kit Kats,biscuits,bananas and anything else that took
their fancy.Well at least for a while two people in the party were happy.
"Are we going back now" asked Amanda
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