A hike to Scale Force
It was Easter Sunday so I set off early for my walk, fully expecting to meet crowds of people. It’s now 10.30am, I’m sat under the shade of a hawthorn tree in complete silence and peace, surrounded by mountains. The only sounds I can hear are the sound of running water and a bird singing right above me in the tree. The peace of this particular spot has completely overtaken me. The tree has a calming influence and I find I could sit here all day, reading and writing.
The shade of the hawthorn tree
When I found this spot under the tree, I was actually already on my way back from Scale Force, a quite majestic waterfall. It was really beautiful and I’m glad I took the effort to see it. But I was also glad to be on my way back as I felt like I could slow down and relax a bit more. The way back is always quicker and easier.
At the start of my walk it was a bit grey and cloudy, quite cold and windy. I started at Lanthwaite wood which was really pretty with the wood anemones covering the forest floor. Once I got to the lake side there was a huge abundance of flowering gorse and I couldn’t resist picking some of the flowers to use later. I’d like to dry them and infuse them in oil for a body oil.
A view of the lake with some of the gorse bushes at the forefront
For a large part of this walk I was thinking of my gran. She often comes up when I’m hiking! I imagine she will have walked this very same path to Scale Force as she explored large parts of the Lake District in her VW van, camping. It feels quite special that I ended up living in the Lake District and I sometimes wonder if I was drawn here because of my gran. I love the idea of places having been here for thousands of years. I like to imagine the ancient people living here having a close connection to the land, perhaps foraging gorse, like I just did. What connects us and bridges time is the ancient landscape, and by hiking through it we are treading in each other’s footsteps.
The way back was very busy with tourists and hikers as the weather had also turned out bright and sunny. But as I entered the woodland again, I immediately felt I was in a cocoon. Under the shade of the trees, the atmosphere completely changed to one of stillness and peace. The birdsong had a slight echo, there was a slight smell of moss and pine and I felt very at home there. I love the mountainous landscape and wide open vistas, they make me feel energised and alive, and that’s where I feel most free. But I like to be able to come back to the woodland as that feels like coming home.
About to head into Lanthwaite wood at the start of my walk