Dovedale
Walk date – 24th February 2025
Distance – 4.5 miles
Weather – dull overcast start, gradually brightening, one brief shower then mostly dry, less windy than the past few days, mild
A less than inspiring forecast for today with overcast conditions and strong winds at height, so we opted for another low level walk, this time through Dovedale. Last Thursday and Friday we had torrential rain and strong winds all day, Saturday started off in the same manner but brightened up late morning, and then on Sunday we were back to rain and strong winds again. With all those downpours in mind we had our gaiters on from the start and packed the microspikes. The spikes weren’t packed because we were anticipating icy conditions but we did expect that the ground would be over-run by water so spikes might be helpful when walking over any grassy/muddy areas. They turned out to be just as useful when walking over slippery grass as they are in icy conditions.
Route
Cow Bridge – Brothers Water – Hartsop Hall – Quarry path to footbridge – Dovedale Beck – Hartsop Hall – Brothers Water – Cow Bridge
A dull and cloudy view of Hartsop Dodd from Cow Bridge, we could already see that Brothers Water had overflowed as its outflow was much wider than it usually is.
White water was visible everywhere you looked today. Here, right beside the path, a couple of rivulets were pouring down the slopes of Hartsop above How, across the path, flowing down the lower banking and adding yet more to Brothers Water’s flooded fields.
We walked the full length of Brothers Water before any shoreline came into view, usually it is possible to drop down from the path to the shingle beaches at the water’s edge at several points much closer to Cow Bridge, today that wasn’t possible. A patch of blue sky and a beam of sunlight on Brock Crags provide a little colour for a brief moment as we pass through the gate and leave Brothers Water behind.
More white water on view as Caudale Beck flows down past the old mine buildings on Caudale Moor. The sky is grey and cloudy but at least its higher than the tops so we do have views of them, even though they are somewhat subdued.
More flooded fields as we approached Hartsop Hall. Even down here the wind is rippling the water’s surface. Another solitary beam of sunlight penetrates the cloud and lands on Middle Dodd. In the distance the wet surface of the Kirkstone Pass can be seen.
A good view of Hartsop Hall today since there are no leaves on the garden shrubs to spoil the view. The top of High Hartsop Dodd is showing just behind the roof of the Hall.
High Hartsop Dodd and Middle Dodd come fully into view as we walk around Hartsop Hall where the path becomes even wetter than the track beside Brothers Water. The farm has a herd of cows which are often standing across the path closer to the barn. We can’t see them so we assumed they had been put in the barn today …..
….. Wrong! We came across them as we turned off the main path to follow the path going alongside the derelict quarry. As we could see that the grassy path ahead was running with water we had stopped just below this point to put on our spikes and the cows paid no attention to us as we did so. As we stopped and prepared to take this shot these two kept a beady eye on us as there was a calf nearby. The black calf is in a hollow on the right of the shot and can be identified by its yellow ear tag. We’ve had some hard stares in our time but this one takes first prize in the ‘don’t even think about it’ category.
The derelict mine buildings are just ahead and J holds the gate open to provide a better view. The path has also turned into a beck, just like all the others we walked over today.
A look back along the path as we took advantage of a higher one, the lower one was too full of water to be comfortable.
A view of Dove Crag and Stangs as we reach the more level path once we are out of the woodland. The rain and milder weather have put paid to the snow covering but there are occasional patches remaining here and there. The two patches on Dove Crag are typical of any snow remnants across the fells now.
Ominous grey clouds over Hart Crag as I take a look along Houndshope Cove. I think the large area of rock to the right of Hart Crag is Black Crag on the slopes of Hartsop above How.
J splashing along the watery path …..
….. and then meets another just a little further along. The water was tumbling over the path and the crags with some speed too.
Approaching the crossing with spits and spots of rain landing on us but sunshine over Houndshope Cove. Typical showery weather and neither of them lasted very long.
A view of Dovedale Beck from the high level path, the white water indicating its downward speed.
Our view of the bridge when we stopped here for a coffee break and …..
….. a better view of Dove Crag now that the sky has turned a little lighter. With a zoom in its possible to identify the Priest’s Hole.
Water pours down the grassy path and anywhere else it can find for an easy route down. The slopes below Black Crag are getting some sunshine and so are we as we enjoy our coffee break.
We get going again and just as we began to cross the footbridge the grey clouds began to drift away and blue skies and sunshine began appearing.
Looking up at the humps and bumps of Hartsop above How as we join the path on the far side of the bridge. A little further along we met two young men and exchanged greetings with them. They were both carrying huge backpacks so maybe they intended having a spot of wild camping when they reached their destination.
Dovedale beck tumbling down the rocks, no shortage of water today and the roar was thunderous.
A view of the double falls which is only available in winter when there are no leaves preventing a view.
A line of sheep appears from nowhere as I get ready to take a shot of another set of falls. Just as happened in Grisedale on our last walk we had been hearing human voices shouting but it was difficult to decide where they were coming from. The line of sheep may have been part of the round up or they may have just heard the shouts and decided to leg it just in case. Its most unusual to see the same thing happening on consecutive walks.
Dovedale beck roaring its way down the hillside. It had several unofficial tributaries joining it along the way too.
Just like the everywhere else today the ground by the bridge is waterlogged. Beyond the bridge the path continues around to Hartsop Hall and eventually the Brothers Water track. The path is just visible on the extreme right of the shot.
Dovedale beck is now to our right as we walk the valley path back to Hartsop Hall. Looks like we are in for another bout of splashy walking.
Hmm! The herd of cattle appears again and now they are gathered around bales of hay and have spread themselves fully across the path. There is a gap between the calf and the fence over on the right so we make for that. By hanging on to the wire fence and digging our spikes into the ground at the very bottom of it we managed to get across. Although it looks firm enough, walking anywhere else meant sinking up to one’s ankles in what I will politely describe as a mire which contained both natural and animal elements. Need I say more? The cattle were up to their hocks in it as they tucked into the hay. The fence eventually came to an end at a narrower but equally dodgy looking patch so there was nothing for it but to get across it as fast as we could and not sink into it. Every puddle and rivulet we came to after that we walked through deliberately in order to get the remainder of the mire swilled from our boots.
The cattle and the mire are left behind and we hit dry track again, now with clean (ish) boots and continue on to Hartsop Hall. Here’s a look back along the valley track to Dove Crag and Hart Crag …..
….. and across the fields is High Hartsop Dodd. The grey skies are heading in the opposite direction to us now and …..
….. by the time we are back at Hartsop Hall we are looking up at blue skies once again.
Just beyond Hartsop Hall the blue skies became more widespread, the sun came out and lit up Brock Crags brilliantly.
Still in sunshine and approaching the flooded fields around Brothers Water again where we had a sunny view of Angletarn Pikes as well as Brock Crags.
It seemed as though a magic wand had just been waved across us as the gloomy skies were replaced with bright blue ones, its hard to believe that its the same day that we started out in.
Islands in the sun below us. There is normally only one little island with just a small amount of water behind it which gives some idea of just how extensive the flooding is.
Brocks Crags still in the sunshine and more of the extensive flooding in the fields around Brothers Water.
To Let – fourteen self contained units with immediate vacant possession, first come first served, so hurry before they are all snapped up!
Back at Cow Bridge where the high water level rushes below it on its way to becoming Goldrill Beck. As there no flooding problems on the approach road to Cow Bridge the new diversion of Goldrill Beck seems to be working out quite well.
A final shot from the bridge looking across to Hartsop Dodd and Gray Crag before we walked back to the car. Apart from the two young men we met as we descended from the footbridge we have seen no-one else today, even the car park has plenty of spaces and that doesn’t happen very often either. Well that’s it for today folks, only a short walk but, as ever, something different or unusual generally happens even if its only wading through a deep mix of mud and cow muck! If the weather stays settled we’ll likely be out again before the end of the week although not on Thursday as its my birthday. I’m looking forward to having a lazy day on that occasion.