Our adventure operations specialist, Frances Daw, headed up to one of her most beloved parts of the UK to explore the Lake District. Taking on five days of solo walking, between Pooley Bridge and Coniston, she shares her thoughts on exploring in solitary refinement.
Back in April I had the chance to head ‘up north’ to check out some of our routes in the Lake District. Growing up on the doorstep of England’s Peak District National Park, I don’t need to be asked twice about spending time out and about in the hills. Over the course of five days, I solo hiked the connecting routes for our Pooley Bridge to Coniston tour and made the most of the local hospitality along the way*.
This was my first multi-day solo hike, although prior to this I have travelled and hiked solo in Europe for selected day trips, my first being up to Naranco in Oviedo, Northern Spain, a stop on the Camino Primitivo, one of our Camino de Santiago tours.
The challenges and benefits of solo hiking as a woman
Heading out for a hike as a solo female walker has its challenges, but these are by far outweighed by the benefits. Some people have their reservations about heading out solo, but I highly recommend giving it a go. There are a few things to consider on top of the usual trip preparations, such as making sure you’re stocked up with water, snacks, and of course the trusty stove and kettle for a mid-walk brew. This is easy for me to do because I live in the UK, and it’s part of my walking ritual. But it’s also easy to fill up a flask at your accommodation in the mornings before you set off, and I highly recommend bringing one.
I always make sure that I send someone a message to say that I’m off for the day and then again when I reach my destination. It’s also a good idea to make sure someone (other than you) knows your route, just in case. Being someone that has a pretty bad sense of direction, the initial navigation can be a bit daunting, and I often find myself over-checking the route and my location before making any big decisions. This time I used the Guibo app which works offline, and it’s a fantastic bit of kit. For more details, see our blog, Getting your head around GPS and GPX files.
A meditation on the move
Once you’ve found the route and your rhythm, the feeling of solo hiking is indescribable. I often describe it as being good for the soul. It gives you the time to contemplate life, listen to your favourite tunes and move at your own pace. A meditation on the move I suppose.
Arrival in Pooley Bridge is easy with a regular train connection to nearby Penrith, which connects well to major train stations in the north and south of England. And then I hopped on a bus which was just in front of the station to Pooley Bridge which is just 30mins away. Whilst in Penrith I took the opportunity to stock up on last minute essentials and a pair of walking poles, a game changer if you haven’t used them before. They certainly came in handy for stability on some of the rockier routes and to avoid a Vicar of Dibley moment in puddles.
Walking from Pooley Bridge to Patterdale
Day one started with clear skies and a hearty breakfast at the Pooley Bridge Inn before heading out towards Ullswater to begin the walk for the day. The first part of the route hugs the shore of Ullswater, and treats you to fantastic views out across the water. Along the way it was tempting but I did resist a cake stop at The Gathering Cafe. After gaining some height the path dropped back down as it passed the pier at Howton where you can hop on a boat to Glenridding. Or, in my case, opt for making the first of my brew-with-a-view stops and having a rest.
The rest of the route heading towards Patterdale skirted Hallin Fell before going up and over Silver Point, where the heavens opened, and I got a free shower. I arrived at the Ullswater Inn soggy and relished a warm shower before spending the evening relaxing with a local ale and a meal in the friendly hotel bar. Eating alone can be daunting for some, but being surrounded by and chatting to other walkers and their canine friends in a welcoming establishment, by a log fire, you can’t go wrong.
Walking from Patterdale to Elterwater
The Patterdale to Elterwater stage was one of the tougher ones and, for me, by far the biggest challenge of the trip. The route climbed up and over St. Sunday Crag before descending to Grisedale Tarn and later onto Grasmere. Today’s walk again started bright, however on the ascent the clouds came in and the wind picked up. This was one of the times as a solo walker that you are thankful for the extra preparation with supplies etc. As the walk went on, I managed to keep other walkers in my sights and experienced the community of walkers when I was helped over a stream, later repaying the favour with navigation help for others. I’m definitely glad that I upgraded from the traditional paper map to GPS, much better for windy and rainy conditions.
Walking from Elterwater to Coniston
My final walking day was a shorter stretch taking in some of the Lake District’s gorgeous forests and National Trust protected areas. Winding away from the village, the footpaths led through woods and plantations under maintenance by the local Forestry Commission, a reminder of the hard work that goes into maintaining the natural area. The route from Elterwater to Coniston also included Tarn Hows, another top spot to crack out the stove and brew up. This is also a National Trust area so there’s a visitor information centre with handy loos and parking enabling the area to be more accessible to visitors. Descending to Coniston there are numerous places to stop for a local ale, or scone and a cuppa to end the day.
The Lake District has so much to offer for walkers and explorers, and it is definitely an area where solo walkers can feel comfortable heading out alone. The pubs and accommodation along the way were welcoming to solo travellers, and don’t be surprised if staff and local people strike up a conversation with you! It’s a very friendly part of the world and they’re used to welcoming walkers from all around the world. So in fact, I didn’t end up talking to myself too much at all!
The walks along the route are the right distance that you can set your own pace, which is definitely one of the benefits of walking alone, and not worry about making it to your accommodation before nightfall. I do always carry a head torch, as you never know when you might want to explore something you encounter. So, onwards and upwards to my next solo adventure, with my eyes firmly fixed on Scotland, or maybe even exploring the levada trails of Madeira.
Whether you’re an epic-seeking empty nester or a solo parent with a baby on your front and a pack on your back, we have plenty more information in our blog, Our top holidays for solo travel and Overcoming the fear of solo travel. Do please also take the time to read our blog on Hiking safety tips for mountain landscapes.
*Although this is a nine day, self-guided holiday, Frances opted to do it in five days, by not taking on the two extra days of circular walks that we include as part of this Lake District walking holiday. We can tweak this and many of our tours to suit your time availability.
