What are Sunday Rituals? Do people still have routines these days that are the same, week in, week out? We discovered what a few of them may be on our recent walk amongst the hills of Troutbeck in the Lake District.
A campervan already sits by the river in the carpark and I am sure this is how many people will wake up on a Sunday this year with the increasing demand for Van Life, as the hashtag goes, even if it is only for an overnight stay.
The varieties of damp moss covering the dry stone walls tell us it is still winter, as do the dried berries on the brambles that have never been plucked by the birds. The hedgerows on the path towards the fells are full of birdsong and as we leave these behind and head in to more open fields, the sound is replaced with the peel of the church bells, as the community is called to their Sunday morning ritual in the little village.
Fell runners come leaping down the uneven track, knowing they have already completed their chosen activity. Their joyous chatting is very different to the laboured breathing we hear from the many other runners who steadily pass in the opposite direction on their way up to the bumpy mountain ridge lines in the distance. Another weekend activity for so many residents of Cumbria.
Our shadows appear in front of us and I instinctively turn to search for the light behind us, hoping this means the winter grey sky will be clearing for our view of the lake further on in our morning walk. A woolly hat sits proudly on the fence in the hope the owner will return for it
The stone path turns in to a wilder terrain as we turn off through a gate to head upwards and soon we are rewarded with a view of Lake Windermere. The largest lake in the district that technically is not actually a lake, because a river flows into and out of it, but nonetheless it is a glorious hive of activity from swimming to boating and I myself have actually paddle boarded the 10 mile length of it. It is stunning and to view it from up high is absolutely worth any of the many walks you can take to do this.
The light changes again and I see a view in the distance that reminds me of pictures that used to depict the gateway to heaven through the clouds, or maybe the church at the start of our walk has influenced my imagination here.
We continue up to Wansfell and around the tops which means we have ticked off a Wainwright. Something that Damian finds interest in, but for me I always find the pile of stones to mark the top of a fell as the point to reach, a funny aspect of walking. There will be many people ‘Wainwright Bagging’ on their Sundays, but for me it is more about the journey, not the destination, as the quote goes. We reach the top of Wansfell Pike and then on to Baystones, which is higher and debatable as to if the true Wainwright.
Within a short time walking along the top, the mist comes over and already the huge expanse of Lake Windermere is nowhere to be seen, highlighting how important it is to be aware of your routes in the Lake District and always have a map incase your phone battery dies and you are without any means of navigation.
On our descent down the fells, little signs appear indicating that we are closer to the lower ground and the village. The sheep fleece fragments blow along the fence wire looking like nature’s bunting and a slate sign is propped against the wall giving hope to those that are in need of a cup of tea.
A quick 2 – 3 hour walk which means you can fit it in to your day and still have time to do something else.
January 29th : Lake District, Troutbeck
As always if you would like advice on this walk, please do feel free to get in touch.