9:10am Sunday 2nd August 2009
By Mary Welsh
LOWESWATER is the smallest of three lovely lakes often grouped together, the others being Buttermere and Crummock Water. The first part of this walk takes you for a short way high above the lake on a good graded track. It then descends through Holme Wood, soon to visit delightful Holme Force, before dropping down through more woodland to the lakeshore. After strolling beside the lake, another easy path returns you to Maggie’s Bridge.
The area through which this walk passes was not always so quiet or so remote. Once an old road ran above High Nook Farm and on across the face of Carling Knott. Before the 17th Century, coffins carried on horsebeck were taken along it for burial at St Bees Abbey, the church at Loweswater then being a chapel of the Abbey.
Park in the small parking area by Maggie’s Bridge, Loweswater, grid ref 135211. This is tucked away close to the eastern end of Loweswater and is approached down a narrow lane that turns off south from the main road that runs along the north shore of the lake. There is room for about six cars.
1 Turn left out of the parking area for a couple of steps and then right to cross Dubb’s Beck by Maggie’s Bridge. Stroll on ahead over the flat valley on Maggie Lonnin, with fine views of the fells ahead and the large bulk of Mellbreak to your left. Follow the track as climbs gently to High Nook Farm, built in the 16th Century.
2 A quarter-of-a-mile beyond the farm, at a junction of tracks, take the right branch. At the next Y-junction drop right on an indistinct path. Step across two little streams, negotiate small patches of bog and then follow a grassy swathe that leads down to a footbridge over Highnook Beck, which remains hidden almost to the last step.
3 Beyond, wind a little left and then take, right, the delightful grassy bridleway that ascends, easily, the southern slopes of Carling Knott to the top corner of Holme Wood. The track continues beside a walled plantation of Scots pine with the dour northern slopes of Carling Knott to your left. After nearly half-a-mile the track comes closer to the wall. Here take the stile over the wall into the trees and descend the path to reach the first forest ride, where you turn left.
4 Continue until you reach Holme Force. The beck, which has tumbled over a tiny precipice high in the plantation, drops in several long white falls, before sliding down a rocky slipway. It then hits a low wall of rock across its pathway so fiercely that the water spouts out into the air and falls in a long arc, leaving trails of glistening drops as it goes. It then races around huge boulders and passes under a footbridge from where you have a good view of its exuberance.
5 Carry on along the forest track following it as it descends steadily and eventually reaches a wide track. Turn right here and cross another footbridge over Holme Beck once again. Dawdle on along the track through scattered oaks and look through the trees for glimpses of the lake where you might spot pochard, coot and goldeneye. Go on to emerge from the trees by a gate. Follow the bridleway round, left, to pass Watergate Farm and then carry on to curve right along the delightful way, with Mellbreak now immediately ahead. Through the hedge on the left you might see greylag geese, and one white goose, feeding on the grass and idling on the water at the end of the tarn. A short way along, on the left, you reach the car park.
Information Distance: 4 miles Time: 2-3 hours Terrain: Some good track and paths. The way through the wood will be muddy after heavy rain Map: OS Explorer OL4 start at grid ref 135211 Refreshments: Kirkstyle Inn, Loweswater NB: Restrictions on space mean that this article provides a general summary of the route. It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.
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