High Sweden Bridge, Lake District, Summer
Lockdown restriction continue to relax in the UK.
From Monday June 15th non-essential businesses can reopen to the public once again, as long as they follow social distancing guidelines. Some of the bigger companies have already started opening up again.
Until then a lot of the country is still in lockdown, although in some of the busier parts it might not seem like it.
Lisabet and I decided recently to venture into the Lake District proper for a solid hike. Typically, during the summer, we would avoid a lot of the Lake District honey pots as they tend to be far too busy. But thanks to the Lake District National Park’s Safer Lakes initiative we were able to see—within half an hour—which car parks in the Lake District were busy and which weren’t, then plan accordingly.
On this occasion we noted that all Ambleside car parks were rated as “Not very busy” with an encouraging green light. Once we arrived we couldn’t believe our eyes. We have never seen this popular Lake District town look so empty, especially in June.
We walked the High Sweden Bridge route from Ambleside, before clambering onto Low Brock Crags and taking the ridge back down the other side of Scandale into Ambleside. The weather treated us very well and the clarity of the light was sensational.
A very dry Stock Ghyll trickling under North Road Bridge. You’ll find a few old watermills along this beck; there were once 12 of them.
We soon started gaining height once we hiked up Kirkstone Road and then onto Sweden Bridge Lane. Ambleside enjoys being surrounded on most sides by fells; in this particular scene, the fell in question is Loughrigg Fell (335 m/1,099 ft).
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) are out in full force now. Here they line the winding Sweden Bridge Lane up Scandale.
A gated field offers a view beyond to Nab Scar (455 m/1,493 ft), Heron Pike (612 m/2,008 ft), and Great Rigg (766 m/2,513 ft).
Zooming in from Sweden Bridge Lane to capture the unmissable shape of the Langdale Pikes, with Bowfell (902 m/2,959 ft) to the left. Below them, underneath Nab Scar, you can just make out Rydal Water.
A single foxglove growing out of the mossy boulders. A lovely composition that I’ve also sort of ruined by completely missing the focus on the flowers. Oh well.
High Sweden Bridge, a centuries old packhorse bridge that crosses Scandale Beck, before the beck drops down a series of falls. In the distance rises the flat-topped Dove Crag (792 m/2,598 ft). The bridge’s name might seem weird; it’s not named after the Scandinavian country. Rather, the word “Sweden” here comes from—that’s right—Old Norse once again: svi∂inn, meaning a burned clearing. Over time, svi∂inn became “swidden”, which in turn became “Sweden”.
Climbing back out of the valley from High Sweden Bridge gives you a better view of the rest of Scandale, and especially Scandale Head, catching the light here.
A wider and more expansive view of Scandale with the sun fully out, shot from underneath Low Brock Crags.
My lovely Lisabet leading the way back down Scandale’s western shoulder, with England’s largest lake Windermere in the distance. A glorious view.
Round here it’s basically impossible to take a “bad” photo.
Looking back up towards Scandale Head with some Highland cows grazing peacefully below.
Where we came from.
And where we were going to.
We gave way to some Highlands cows that were traipsing up the path we were heading down. Gotta give them plenty of room with those horns!
Look at those horns.
Gorgeous beasts.
The path back down to Ambleside, featuring the knuckly and knobbly profile of Loughrigg Fell and then rising even higher in the distance lies Wetherlam (763 m/2502 ft).
A lovely little scene from Low Sweden Bridge as Scandale Beck cascades down a variety of falls.