There was only one place I wanted to go to on Saturday and that was Thirlmere. With the horrendous Zip Wire planning application now registered with the LDNP I had to come to see Thirlmere. We got the bus to Swirls and headed for the shore path. It was a bit cloudy, very cold but not a bad day really.
Someone was selling these in the car park opposite Swirls
Fisher Crag and where the proposed 8 zip wires will cross the lake. No thanks. Not needed or wanted
We headed toward the dam end of the lake. Watsons Dodd and Stybarrow Dodd with a bit of snow on them
What we noticed was how peaceful it was and we wondered what the noise would be like with people screaming down a zip wire.
Brown Cove Crags and the route up to Helvellyn from Swirls
We got near Great How and we thought we would go up it. I've never been on the top, neither has beefy and it looked like some trees had been felled on the summit so we thought it would be a good viewpoint.
Helvellyn and Thirlmere from Great How
Beefy on the summit of Great How
We dropped down a little to a bench which had an even better viewpoint and was out of most of the bitingly cold wind so we could get some lunch.
It was a super view, no need to have any zip wires across it!
We descended from the top of Great How, difficult for me, my neck was hurting and I am struggling to look down for any length of time and this was needed on the descent. Perhaps not the best hill to do at the moment, it is rough and steep in places, the path had snow in places and was wet, tree roots ready to trip you up, hard work and I was pleased to reach the forest track. We walked toward the A591 at Little How then walked in the direction of Fisher Place. We’d seen a sign on the way from the bus and we wanted to get a shot of it.
99% of the people who live in the local parish have a message for Tree Top Trek
They don't want the zip wire and neither do people who love the Lake District for its natural (or man made!) beauty. Lakeland doesn't need this sort of adornment to attract people, especially not Thirlmere. Its asset is that it is tranquil, non commercialised and although the reservoir is man made it is very beautiful, so please leave it as it is.
Our walk was Swirls - Dalehead Hall - Great How - A591 near Little How - Fisher Place bus stop. 6.4km with about 200m ascent.
Here is the link to the planning application for the Zip Wires
http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=7/2017/2298Friends of the Lake District have good advice on how to put your thoughts forward about the proposal to LDNP - send an email to
[email protected]Referencing application (7/2017/2298) and include your name, full postal address and the date.
Friends of the Lake District website link
https://www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/Pages/Site/thirlmere/Category/thirlmere-zip-wiresZip Off petition here
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/say-no-to-zip-wires-across-thirlmere?source=facebook-share-button&time=1511534681