Day 12 - Hawkshead and Day 13 - A bit of the Coast to Coast

July 13:  Today's hike started in the small village of Hawkshead, where Wordsworth went to elementary school.  Hawkshead is a popular tourist destination, partly because it is very pretty but also because it lies within Beatrix Potter territory and has a museum or gallery showing her drawings.  We completed a 6 mile loop that went northwest out of town, first passing a neat looking 15th century parish church, and then climbing up to Hawkshead Hill through sheep pastures.  The path went through a small forest and we soon arrived at a viewpoint overlooking Tarn Hows.  This is a small, very picturesque, tarn that "adorns so many thousands of calendars and birthday cards."  The tarn has a few islands, is bordered on one side with trees, and in the background, one sees the Langdale Fells.  The resident ducks and geese expect handouts from the sightseers and walk right up to people to beg.

Hawkshead Grammar School

Founded in 1585; Attended by Wordsworth for 7 years

Hawkshead is known for its begonias, which graced every shop, hotel and most homes

15th Century Parish Church

A selfie at Tarn Hows

Tarn Hows

 We walked around one side of the tarn, then climbed up a rocky track that afforded views of Ambleside, Lake Windermere, and many of the central and western fells.  We arrived back in Hawkshead village in time for a beer and cider.  We caught the bus back to Ambleside, rested some, and went out for a pub dinner at the very busy White Lion Hotel and Pub.

Hawkshead Village with Esthwaite Water in background

July 14:  The weather forecast was improving today, so we decided for a hike into higher elevations.  We completed a loop from Grasmere, up to Helms Crag, followed the ridge to the west passing Bracken Hause, Gibson Knott, Pike of Carrs and Calf Crag, to the junction of the Coast to Coast Trail and then down the valley back to Grasmere.  The hike was 8 miles in length and about 2,000 feet in ascent.  It sounds easy, but the trails are not what one thinks of as a typical path through the woods.  There is steep steps, uneven and rocky terrain, water flowing on the trail necessitating hopping from stone to stone to reduce getting one's feet wet, and lots of bogs.  Sheep droppings are really the least thing to worry about.

A typical trail

More trail conditions - note the water, mud and boulders

Helm's Crag or also know as the "Howitzer" or the "Lion and the Lamb" from another direction

Who's the lion and who's the lamb? 

The Helms Crag Ridgeline with Grasmere in the low background almost at Calf Crag

On Calf Crag, the highest point of the hike

The weather was spectacular with scattered clouds, plenty of sunshine (we used sunblock for the first time here) and warm temperatures.  The views were stellar.

The first half of the hike today reprised a part of the Coast to Coast hike we did 3 years ago, in reverse direction.  Back then, we had walked up to a pass, known as Greenup Edge from Stonethwaite and then walked along the Helms Crag ridge, hitting the various crags mentioned above and down into Grasmere for our overnight stay.  Today, we saw our accommodations from 3 years ago - all of them are still in business.

View of Helms Crag from the valley

After finishing the hike, we stopped in Grasmere for drinks and a snack before catching the bus back to Ambleside.