Luxury Fell Walking, Victorian style - Trekking up to Easedale tarn for tea!

Back in 1866, Robert Hayton, a Grasmere businessman, had a brilliant idea. He'd open a small tea shop, in a scenically beautiful position beside the water, and hire out rowing boats so that visitors would not only be able to partake of refreshments, but also enjoy a spot of trout fishing during their holiday. There was just one small snag. The teashop would not actually be in the village of Grasmere, or beside the lake of the same name. It would be at the end of a two mile pony track, 900 ft up on the fell-side, at Easedale Tarn, to the west of Grasmere.

Over 20 labourers carried the materials needed to build the hut up the fell side. How long it took them to construct the substantial stone building is not known, but it was open for the summer season, and soon became famous amongst early tourists for tea, sandwiches and cake. To add to the attraction, there was boat hire for those wishing to fish on the tarn.

The existence of the tea hut shows how popular the excursion up to Easedale Tarn was in mid Victorian times. In an age before walkers regularly tramped their way up the hillside, a constant stream of visitors made their way along the track that led up the fell-side from Easedale Road to the tarn. Rather than walk, many would hire a pony and guide for the trip. The ride offered not one, but two natural attractions: the cascades of Sour Milk Gill (see short video below), and the tarn itself, with its impressive backdrop of Tarn Crag.

The success of the tea hut offers an indication of the way in which the Lake District tourism industry developed during the Victorian period. The advent of the railways had led to an increase in visitors, but there were no attractions of the kind that modern tourists enjoy. Victorian Grasmere had few shops. There were no museums or art galleries. In addition, the summer holidays of wealthy tourists were considerably longer than nowadays. There were no weekend breaks. Visitors stayed for at least a fortnight, or more. Many would take up residence for the entire summer, accompanied by an entourage of servants to ensure all home comforts were provided.

For most, the purpose of their visit was to escape the hustle and bustle, and more importantly, the pollution, of the cities. Relaxing amidst stunning scenery, breathing the fresh, clear air and drinking natural water that was deemed to be amongst the purest it was possible to get, was seen as being invigorating for the mind, body and soul. Although few would have considered venturing out onto the fell-side on a regular basis, the opportunity to visit a unique beauty spot was not to be missed, especially if, on arrival, afternoon tea could be readily obtained for a modest charge. 

The Easedale Tarn tea hut, photographed in the late Victorian period. Although not large, the structure was substantially built in order to protect those inside from the elements. The site of the building can be accurately ascertained, as it was built adjoining a large rock, which formed part of the outside wall. Although the building no longer exists, the rock remains in place beside the path. (see picture below)

The lack of any form of heavy boots or weatherproof clothing was not seen as a problem. Most wealthy visitors would not be walking, but transported up the fell by pony, although it has to said that their servants were expected to tramp up the fell behind them. All the necessary arrangements required to protect them from inclement weather would be provided by their guide, who would personally guarantee not only their safety, but their absolute enjoyment of the excursion.

The Easedale tea hut is just one example of the ingenuity of the local population in exploiting the tourist market. Although rarely as busy as a modern day cafe, it opened each summer, serving both tourists and, in later years, fell walkers, until the start of the second world war. It enabled those early tourists to sample the delights of the Lake District fells in relative safety, whilst ensuring that their daily comforts were not disturbed by their trek onto the fell-side.

In the late Victorian era, and on until the First World War, the attitude of tourists became more adventurous. The two mile pony trek up to Easedale Tarn was no longer sufficient to satisfy their needs. Instead of being the final objective, the tea hut became a stop en-route to higher destinations. However, that was not the reason for it's demise. In an age before the thermos flask, it remained popular as a stopping off point. It was ideally situated for a welcome break before heading over to the Langdale Valley. 

Looking across the tarn towards Tarn Crag, from close to the site of the old Tea Hut.

 The number of walkers may have been drastically reduced following the outbreak of war in 1914, but the stone built tea hut continued in use for another 25 years. It closed for business at the end of August 1939, never to reopen. Over the years it fell into a state of disrepair, and by 1958, when Alfred Wainwright published his guide to the Central Fells, it was little more than a draughty ruin. Since then, much of the stone with which it was built has been utilised by local land owners for wall and footpath repairs, and now just a few stones scattered around are all that is left. A large rock, which once formed part of the main wall, and a patch of summer nettles, are all that mark the spot upon which it used to stand. 

All that remains of the tea hut. The large rock formed part of the outside wall. A bed of nettles inhabits a small area of ground that was once a small garden, featuring daffodils in spring, and a range of flowering plants during the summer months. The modern path follows the route of the old pony track.

The tea hut may be no more, but the pony track still exists, albeit as a modern footpath. As in Victorian times, many walkers see it as the destination of a summer afternoon stroll up the fell-side, whilst for others it is simply a place to stop for a short rest, and maybe a snack, before tackling the climb up over Blea Rigg to the mountains beyond. What's certain is that the setting is no less beautiful than it was on the day that Robert Hayton and his group of builders set to work on building the tea hut. As with much of the Lake District, society may have changed, but the beauty of the mountains, and their power to relax and revitalise, remains very much the same. 

The video below shows the route up to Easedale Tarn from the top of Easedale Road, in Grasmere. It features views of the valley, as well as Sour Milk Gill, and tells the story of the Greene family, who farmed on these hills at the started of the 19th C and whose lives were torn apart by tragedy. From there we move on to the Tarn itself, before heading back to Gramere via the path up Far Easedale. We hope you enjoy it.

A walk through the quarries on Coniston Old Man.

Pick a Day. Any Day will do, although a weekday from March through to November would be preferable. You need daylight to get the best views. Drive to the village of Coniston, turn up the hill, past the Sun Inn, where Donald Campbell enjoyed his last pint, and keep going. It is a narrow road, especially so after the last junction, the one that leads to the old station yard. (Yes, for those that don't know, there used to be a railway at Coniston, and it is linked to where we are heading).

A quarter of a mile up the hill you come to a gate, and beyond it the most informal car park in the Lake District. An old quarry, with a level surface, serves as the semi official car park, marked on OS maps and used for many years, but there are not many spaces and if you don't get there early then all will be taken, especially at weekends. If that happens you will have to do what the majority of people do and park beside the track that leads away from the gate and over the fellside. In fact, regular visitors sometimes ignore empty spaces in the car park and head up the track anyway, bagging their favourite spot before it is snatched.

The track has an official title; Walna Scar Road. It runs along the side of the Old Man of Coniston, over Walna Scar, and down into the Duddon Valley. Nowadays it is the start point for one of the most popular walks in the Lake District, but long before fell walkers came to the district the tracks hereabouts were used for very different purposes. Coniston, you see, was not a tourist village. In days past it's fortunes were very much linked to what was underneath the mountains as opposed to what was on the surface. 150 years ago, the boots marching up the fellside belonged not to fell walkers, but to the working men, women and children of Coniston.

Miners and quarry workers made their way up the fell on a daily basis. Not just men, but until the late Victorian period women and children as well. At one point over 600 people were employed on these fells on a daily basis. Copper ore and slate were their goal, and had been for the previous 300 years. Exactly when copper mining started in these hills is not known, however, it is fairly certain that by the 1560's German miners, brought to England by Elizabeth I, had uncovered rich veins of ore. By the mid 1800's the mines were thriving.

One problem had always been shipping the ore out of the area. Coniston has never been an easy place to get to by road, and moving the heavy loads out was fraught with difficulty. A wagon down to the lake shore, a barge to the southern end, then another wagon to get the ore to the coast. That is a lot of loading and unloading. Until the Railway came in 1858, that is. 4 years later, the line was extended to the copper mines, such was the amount of Ore that was being hewn from these hills.

However, the link between the railway and the mines did not last long. Shortly after the Coniston line was extended to the quarries, the price of Copper began to drop. Production declined, and some of the deepest shafts were allowed to flood as continually pumping the water out was a costly business. By the turn of the 20th century, the mines were all but finished. They continued until the start of the first world war in 1914, and then production ceased. Limited workings were re-commenced after the war, but there was little profit to be made, and mining ceased permanently in 1940. 

The railway, copper mines and quarries may be no more, but their remains throughout the whole of  this region are extensive, stretching from the workings on the side of Coniston Old Man to the slate quarries of Little Langdale. Key areas are Tilberthwaite and Hodge Close, Cathedral Cave, close to Slater's Bridge, workings on the Little Langdale side of Lingmoor, and Greenburn Mine, situated at the head of the Little Langdale Valley. For those with a keen interest in industrial archaeology it is a wonderful region to explore. However, if, like me, you are simply interested in the relics of a bygone era, there is still plenty to spark your interest on the climb to the summit of Coniston Old Man, which, with so much of interest on the ascent, is a wonderful walk at any time of year.

The well preserved remains of workman's huts and a latrine, almost 1,000 feet above the village of Coniston, on the wide track up to the summit of Coniston Old Man

A little further up from the first picture, and more well preserved buildings are passed. In the past few years a certain amount of work has been carried out here to ensure that the buildings remain as safe as possible, however, exploration is certainly at your own risk.

Within a short space of time, this third set of buildings is passed. As can be seen, there is much interest in them from passing walkers.

High walls and thick steel girders that are well over 100 years old are a key feature as we approach a fourth level of quarry buildings

With high numbers of walkers passing through this area, the path has been restored to how it may have looked 100 years ago.

This building may have gone, but the doorway remains.

A sign urging fellwalkers to respect the integrity of the site and not remove artifacts.

One of the iron artifacts that the sign in the above picture was attempting to protect, a set of railway points over 1,500ft up the side of the mountain. The trackway was an important part of the site, and existed well before the railway from Broughton to Coniston was built. This particular set of points probably dates from the middle part of the 19th century.

The remains of heavy lifting gear, situated close to the set of points in the previous picture. It was part of the winding gear for the railway. There were no locomotives, the trucks being moved by a mixture of winches and gravity.

Low Water, which is situated above the quarries and mines, some 1,000 feet below the summit of Coniston Old Man. It is a natural tarn, but at some point was dammed to raise the water level in order to provide power and a water supply for the quarries below. After the quarries closed the dam was removed. A little further north is Levers Water, a larger tarn which was also dammed to provide water for the quarries and also Coniston, some 1500 feet below. Unlike Low Water, Levers Water has retained its dam.

 

Looking down on Low Water from the well used track up to the summit of Coniston Old Man. We've left the quarry workings behind now, as we head for the summit another 500 feet above. However, it is the case that many people who start out from the Walna Scar Road never reach this far. Their interest is not in reaching the fell top, but in exploring the quarry and mine working remains, which are amongst the best preserved in the North of England. 

Steaming through the Valleys

A long awaited event happens this weekend. Well, I say long awaited, actually, it is 4 months, in the broad expanse of time not very long at all, but 4 months is long enough if, like me, you are a big fan.

This event happens every year. For those of us that live close by, it heralds the end of winter, and the start of the new season. It coincides with longer days, woodland flowers, and Easter.

If you happen to be in the vicinity not only will you be able to see it, but you'll also smell and hear it. For many it will be a joy to behold, for others it brings back memories of a simpler time, when phones were fixed to a socket on the wall and definitely not smart, and Internet was something a Yorkshire fisherman said to his mate upon landing a trout.

Yes folks, Steam is back on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. Like a trusty old friend returned from a long winter break, 'blood and custard' coloured carriages will carry folk three miles down the Leven Valley from Haverthwaite to Lakeside, behind a steam engine. The sight of that glorious train ambling along at little more than walking pace, it's steam drifting lazily into the Lakeland air, is one of the joys of this part of Lakeland.

Fairburn tank no 42073 hauls a train of 5 'blood and custard' coloured coaches towards Newby Bridge Halt. This photograph is copyright of the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway.

It joins it's illustrious neighbour up the coast, L'ile Ratty, or to give it a name befitting of Sunday Best, The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. Those wonderful little 15 inch gauge engines have been chugging sedately into Eskdale for the past month, and the line dates back to the 1870's. It was originally 3ft gauge,  but following closure was converted to 15inch gauge in 1915.

River Irt, the oldest working 15 inch gauge locomotive in the world, on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway

Tomorrow, April 1st 2017, (and this is no April Fools joke by the way) a third iconic steam passenger transport vehicle, one also built by the Furness Railway company and still in full service, also begins a season of operation. The Steam Yacht Gondola, which is reputed to be the oldest steam driven passenger vessel in the world, sails tomorrow, weather permitting, from the pier at Coniston. Another joyous site to behold.

Gondola's story begins in 1849. Having noted how successful the Kendal and Windermere Railway had been at bringing visitors to Windermere, the directors of the Furness Railway decided that the answer to Coniston's transport problems was to build a railway joining the main Barrow to Whitehaven line with Coniston, and at the same time launch a passenger cruise service on Coniston Water. 

The Railway opened in 1859, and steam yacht "Gondola" was launched in November of the same year, entering service for the following summer season. It became an immediate success, so much so that by the turn of the century a second boat was required. "The Lady of the Lake" entered service in 1907. She was sightly longer and carried more than twice the number of passengers than Gondola. She ran until the second world war, when she was taken out of service, never to return. She was scrapped in 1950.

Gondola had been taken out of service in 1936, and the cost of returning her to service in 1945 was considered prohibitive. She was sold and then converted to a houseboat. Little structural work was carried out on her, and by 1960 she had been abandoned and was little more than a derelict hulk, moored at the southern end of the lake. During a violent storm she broke free from her mooring, drifted into a reed bed, and sank. Luckily, the water was not deep, so she did not disappear from view.  

For the next ten years her half submerged remains were a curious landmark to those passing by. 

Salvaging and rebuilding her was no mean feat. Funds had to be raised in order to carry out a feasibility study, and it was found that although the hull and engine were not salvageable, much of the remainder of the vessel was. A second round of fund raising was undertaken in order to have a new hull built, an engine commissioned and the remainder of the boat restored back to it's former glory.

In March 1980, the fully restored "Gondola" was launched by Sheila Howell, granddaughter of Felix Hamill, her first master back in 1859. After final trials she finally entered service for the second time in the summer of 1980. And she's been steaming gracefully ever since.

For more information about the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, click here

For more information about the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, click here

For more information about Gondola, click here