Kentmere, Lake District, Summer
We seem to be going through a session of revisiting hikes we’ve not been on in years.
Straight after work one afternoon Lisabet and I had planned on a hike perhaps up to Hayeswater from Hartsop, or into Deepdale to gawp at Greenhow End. But not long after setting off we consulted SaferLakes.co.uk and found that most of the parking around Glenridding and Patterdale was labelled as Busy. We quickly changed plans. Why not jump off the A591 now, head through Staveley and arrive at Kentmere for a walk around this gorgeous and quiet valley?
The last time we hike up the Kentmere valley towards the reservoir and its famous ring of fells was back in June 2013. Back then, we chose a later time of day to do the hike in order to catch the light as the sun set. That’s also when all the midges come out and we certainly got eaten alive that evening.
It was a glorious day for a hike and Kentmere was looking particularly resplendent in its summer garb. I do forget though just how big the valley is. The hike took a lot longer than expected, even with our increased fitness.
All photos shot on a Fujifilm X-T2 with a Fujinon XF 18–55mm f/2.8–4.0 lens using a customised Classic Chrome film profile.
The scenes already look gorgeous straight out of the car park, with beautiful little cottages dotted about the valley.
The views begin to open up once we round Rook Howe; the slopes of Shipman Knotts (587 m/1,926 ft) looms in the distance.
Rook Howe and Greenhead are home to quite a few glacial erratics with a large example featured here. In the background is the craggy eastern face of an area known as Crag Quarter, with minor peaks having such wonderful names as Cowsty Knotts, Raven Crag, and Calfhowe Crag. This area was almost certainly extensively mined.
We crossed the juvenile River Kent to make our way towards the eastern side of the valley, trying to catch a glimpse of the Kentmere Horseshoe fells.
Crag Quarter and some lovely light.
Admiring the wonderful barns and cottages dotted around Hallow Bank, looking up towards Shipman Knotts and Wray Crag.
Our first glimpse at the Kentmere Horseshoe fells and their striking profile.
A Kendal Rough Fell ewe and her lamb pay little attention to us as we hone in on the Kentmere Horseshoe fells.
The fells in question, from left to right: Yoke (706 m/2,316 ft), Ill Bell (757 m/2,484 ft), and Froswick (720 m/2,360 ft).
Through the fields heading towards Tongue House and Tongue Scar. This particular path towards the Kentmere Reservoir was a rather wet and boggy one, which we didn’t expect.
We start to enter the horseshoe of fells that surround Kentmere Reservoir. This is Rainsborrow Crag, with evidence aplenty of historical mining.
A wet and undulating path at Whether Fold to navigate now as we near the reservoir. The peak on the left is Froswick, the “wall” in the middle is Gavel Crag (the southern face, ultimately, of High Street), and the rightmost peak is Lingmell End.
The falls pouring from the outlet at Kentmere Reservoir, and looking up at Rainsborrow Cove.
The wall at the head of Kentmere Reservoir known as Gavel Crag, the source of the River Kent. It is the Kent that gives its name to the reservoir and the valley (“Kent Mere”), as well as my hometown Kendal (“Kent Dale”). It is said that the River Kent is one of the fastest flowing rivers in England.
Soft light catches Lingmell End.
A simple composition straight along the dam towards Yoke and its subsidiary crags.
No crystal perfect reflections unfortunately, but still beautiful nevertheless.
Previously unable to find a footbridge to cross the reservoir, we decide to just walk across the reservoir’s outflow. I nabbed this composition on my way across.
The outflow we crossed, with Lingmell End catching some more golden light.