26/08/2026
A Lakeland Guided Hike began… Tamsin was wanting to hike around the SE fells - from Kentmere to Patterdale. Not wanting to go alone, she thought a guided day a better option and Nic had the great pleasure of being her guide for the day.
Excitement began as we headed deep into the Kentmere valley from Staveley - the mountains afore us. A great stride out up Garburn Pass took us up onto the tops, heading north we ticked off Yoke, Ill Bell and onto Froswick. Chatting about the routes of the Romans as we went, noting the route as it joined up from the Troubeck Valley. Tamsin was truely blown away by the views over to Coniston and Langdale Fells, but the best was yet to come! Sadly we literally had to rock these 3 tops and run off the summits, the flying ants just around the tops were extraordinary, we think they were hiding in the huge summit cairns on this Western side of the Kentmere Horseshoe! Tamsin had asked me to bring poles to try, she used them from the summit of Yoke to descend the loose ground, but found she loved them, a quick lesson on the semi-flat col between Ill Bell and Froswick and she was hooked! Tamsin now in full 'Nordic 4 wheel drive', we ascended onto Thornthwaite Crags.
Views north were unfolding. Onto the High Street summit, but with a little deviation to follow the Patterdale Parish Boundary for fun, and up the ‘wrong side’ of ‘the wall’…. It’s more interesting and less trodden this way. Lunch at the Trig! And a tour of 360’ panoramic views to name all the fells and i think about 30+ Wainwrights…The world below in the valleys seemed a different place - there’s a joyous sense that nothing can touch us up here.
We poured over maps, and looked at our ‘journey’ so far. As the Kentmere fells were disappearing the Eastern Fells were next on our journey… The Knott was ticked next (Wainwright number 6). BUT the best excitement of the whole day, another little deviation down a secret little wall, to tuck in and be unseen by the red deer of Martindale, from my favourite little spying spot. Many folk on this Coast-to-coast section of our route just walk on by, not knowing the herd lies beneath. We watched about 35 of England’s oldest red deer herd, just resting, grazing, and soaking up the sun. Lying in the reed beds and keeping cool all the way down a long shallow Ghyll on the side of Rest Dodd and down beneath us. They saw us eventually, watched us for a bit and a few trotted off. This was such a magical moment for Tamsin. Angle Tarn for a well earned paddle before the descent back to reality & the valley floor. Wow! What a tremendous day of chat, knowledge, new skills! WELL DONE TAMSIN.
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