10.5 miles
459 metres ascent
6 hours
Although in the heart of the mountains we decided on this lower walk after seeing the forecast of fifty mile per hour winds on the tops.
From near the bottom (south-western) end of mitredale near the end of the walk.
We started from our B+B and wandered round the various paths back to Eskdale Green then started to figure out a way around Fell End and along the shallow ridge to Boat How. The terrain is full of rocky knolls and succulent bogs and there are no clear paths. Navigation along here needs to be aware but not precise as you can wander around where you like as long as you go vaguely in the right direction. The two tiny tarns of Siney Tarn and Blind Tarn help as way-markers. Following the compass and the terrain we eventually found the stone circles on Brats Moss then carried on, again using compass and terrain as a guide, until we could see Burnmoor Tarn.
The big hills were hiding in the clouds, brooding on our right. We carried on hoping for views down into Wasdale but we kept hitting false horizons and gave up, wanting some lunch. We chose a spot by an ugly ruined house on the south end of the tarn, hiding from the wind.
The next stretch was a surprise. The head of Miterdale is a box-shaped ring of small crags and waterfalls that narrows into a fairly shallow valley with a small stream in the bottom that eventually becomes the river Mite. You can walk right next to the water course until the valley widens out and you get to the farm. The whole valley seems secret, certainly I’d never been there before and didn’t know about it.
On reaching the woods, which are forestry commission so mostly evergreens, we decided to be rash and walk through them. Every time I’ve been lost on a walk it’s been in forestry commission woods. The tracks and paths change constantly and never match the map. I’ve always lived to tell the tale though. This time the track led fairly safely out to where I expected then back along the road to Eskdale Green.
Mostly fairly easy going but you need to do a lot of navigating on the outward stretch. It would have been nice, in June, to be able to take a few layers of clothes off but that was not to be.