Author Topic: Wild Camp Hayeswater  (Read 2163 times)

richardh1905

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Wild Camp Hayeswater
« on: 22:13:02, 21/07/20 »
Wild Camp Hayeswater  20-21 June 2020

Dusted down my 30 year old Wild Country Trisar tent and went for a micro-adventure with my youngest son, a wild camp at the head of lonely Hayeswater.




The view up to Threshthwaite Cove, Grey Crag to the left, Raven Crag to the right


I found this vegetated barn very appealing - any excuse to stop and have a rest whilst climbing the steep track above the south bank of Hayeswater Beck!


The elderly Trisar at the head of Hayeswater - note the interesting moraines

It was quite a slog up to Hayeswater - I was carrying significantly more weight than usual, and I had stupidly left my walking pole in the boot of the car. We continued along a faint path that skirted the steep western shore, and found an excellent pitch on the flat ground at the head of the lake. But upon opening the tent, I was dismayed to find some nasty mould stains on the groundsheet - and I'm usually so good about drying off tents when I get home  :(  (a scrub with diluted Nikwak Tech Wash once back home did a good job of removing the worst of the stains).

We cooked and ate our dinner outside, and then settled in for the night; a few rounds of Knockout Whist whilst the light faded. I like the Trisar, despite it's weight - it is nice and roomy for two people, and is reassuringly stable. We were up briefly in the middle of the night - the stars were stunning (but my phone camera was certainly not capable of capturing them).


Morning view from the head of Hayeswater. After packing up, we crossed the boggy ground and stream at the head of the lake, then returned along an indistinct path that skirted the eastern shore.


View from where the stream enters the southern end of Hayeswater - gorgeous reflections


The eastern flank of Grey Crag reflected in the still waters - I was up there a week ago.


Looking back southwards towards the head of the enclosed valley - High Street to the left, Thornthwaite Crag to the right


Heading back down the valley. We had joined the well used High Street path. Catstycam is the pointed hill in the centre, Helvellyn to the left, then broad St Sunday Crag far left.


We took a steep path that dropped down to a footbridge before passing an old water board building. Hayeswater Beck drops in a succession of fine cascades and waterslides.


Hart Crag, Fairfield and St Sunday Crag from near the Water Board building. From here on the way down was easy, following an old access road which descended at a reasonable gradient back to Hartsop.

Just a short trip - 2 miles there, and 2 miles back again! But Hayeswater is really quiet - there is no path climbing out of the head of the valley, so it is a dead end, not visited by many walkers, judging by the indistinct paths along the shore - most people head on up to High Street before reaching the lake.


Disclaimer for the benefit of LDNPA - Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental  :D
« Last Edit: 22:35:48, 21/07/20 by richardh1905 »
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April

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #1 on: 22:35:24, 21/07/20 »
 ;D Love your disclaimer  ;D

Great pics and report Richard, never been to yon side of Hayeswater before  O0 Lovely reflections on Hayeswater  O0

The vegetated barn as you call it - it is obligatory to take a photo of that barn every time you pass by it even if you have hundreds of photos of it. Just in case you didn't know  ;)


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karl h

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #2 on: 23:02:23, 21/07/20 »
Cracking Pics Richard. O0
Always great when you can drag the kids out camping :)
The water authority have done a great job "rewilding" Hayeswater back to a more natural tarn.

Ridge

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #3 on: 08:46:57, 22/07/20 »
Looks a great lad and dad adventure  O0

richardh1905

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #4 on: 09:48:25, 22/07/20 »
;D Love your disclaimer  ;D

Great pics and report Richard, never been to yon side of Hayeswater before  O0 Lovely reflections on Hayeswater  O0

The vegetated barn as you call it - it is obligatory to take a photo of that barn every time you pass by it even if you have hundreds of photos of it. Just in case you didn't know  ;)


Thanks April  :)  We found a really nice pitch at the end of the lake - a flat dry bit of soft grass partially sheltered by a mound of earth. It was a lovely quiet spot, our only company were a few sheep on the flanks of High Street and a few small birds that were flitting around at dawn - sadly I'm no ornithologist and I failed to identify them. And the stars were amazing - the best skies that I have seen since leaving Orkney.


That barn is just in the right spot to provide an excuse for a photo stop just as the track steepens - especially appreciated as I must have been lugging around 13kg - a lot for me!  :buck2:
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richardh1905

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #5 on: 10:17:37, 22/07/20 »
Cracking Pics Richard. O0
Always great when you can drag the kids out camping :)
The water authority have done a great job "rewilding" Hayeswater back to a more natural tarn.

Thanks Karl; yes it is. :)

And indeed they have, other than for the erosion scar around the shores of the lake, you wouldn't know that a dam had been there. Even the erosion scar is 'greening up' nicely in places.
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ninthace

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #6 on: 13:11:50, 22/07/20 »
I hope you had permission from United Utilities?  As far as I can tell they are the landowner and they do not normally allow wild camping on their land    ;)  
 https://www.lets.fish/fisheries/united-utilities
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richardh1905

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #7 on: 14:45:48, 22/07/20 »
Looks a great lad and dad adventure  O0
It was indeed!

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richardh1905

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #8 on: 15:00:38, 22/07/20 »
I hope you had permission from United Utilities?  As far as I can tell they are the landowner and they do not normally allow wild camping on their land   ;) 
 https://www.lets.fish/fisheries/united-utilities

No need, as I camped upon land owned by the National Trust.  :P

https://map.whoownsengland.org/


PS - we did meet a fisherman who coming down from the lake in the evening.
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April

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #9 on: 18:28:01, 22/07/20 »
Thanks for the link Richard  :) We now know who we won't bother asking for permission from to wild camp on the fells ;)
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richardh1905

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #10 on: 22:21:14, 22/07/20 »
Thanks for the link Richard  :) We now know who we won't bother asking for permission from to wild camp on the fells ;)


A pleasure, April. Pleasing to see that so much of the high land is owned by the NT.  :)
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richardh1905

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #11 on: 10:49:46, 23/07/20 »
I have been reminiscing about an earlier walk around Hayeswater that I completed with a good friend, whose walking days are sadly now over, way back in the late 1970's. It was February, and it was one of my first outings into the wilder fells, snow everywhere.
« Last Edit: 11:06:02, 23/07/20 by richardh1905 »
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Ridge

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #12 on: 20:11:34, 23/07/20 »
I have been reminiscing about an earlier walk around Hayeswater that I completed with a good friend,
Who wouldn't want someone to see Hayeswater and think of them.


I had a friend who I first walked the Fairfield Horseshoe with, it was his last big walk before a very long illness.
I remember us huddling in the summit shelter in horrible conditions eating sandwiches that were getting progressively soggier while he and 2 strangers discussed the sorrows of supporting Aston Villa. We didn't always have an easy relationship but I always think of him with fondness any time I am on Fairfield.

richardh1905

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Re: Wild Camp Hayeswater
« Reply #13 on: 21:41:43, 23/07/20 »
Happy memories, tinged slightly with sadness. But mostly happy.  :)
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