Bampton, Haweswater, and hospitality on the way

Sunday 8th June 2025

I have come through another period of medical appointments, missed weather window opportunities and also changing my car , and at last a chance for a decent walk, not for the want of trying.

I swapped the lumbering manual Kia Sportage for a nippy little automatic Kia Picanto Sport. The contrast in handling is revelational.

So off I went up the M6 to explore more of the Haweswater hinterland albeit partly on previously walked ground. Parking south west of Bampton Grange had been researched on Google Earth. In that network of narrow lanes parking is problematical. The first half of my six mile walk was uphill, first on tarmac then across pleasant undulating pastures and stoutly built through stone stiles. My breathlessness does spoil things to some extent but tiny uphill steps and frequent rests had me arrive at the Standing Stones marked on the OS map affording a splendid surprise view down to Haweswater. It was now downmhill all the way to arrive at the well made wooden footbridge over the  lively Measand Back. Many walks fade in the memory but my previous visit here is ingrained and worth repeating, I think. From my blog post, 18th May 2021:

https://conradwalks.blogspot.com/2021/05/an-important-forty-minutes.html#comment-form

"I crossed the bridge as it started to spit with rain. I stopped to don my waterproof. The rain came heavier as I raced to get the waterproof from my rucksack before getting soaked. Mission accomplished, but there was resistance to picking up my rucksack The plastic buckle had lodged between the wooden sleepers of the bridge and because, now suspended, it opened out at one hundred and eighty degrees to the strap like one of those fixings for plasterboard. The rain was coming heavier. I fiddled to no avail. I found a stick to poke but it broke - the rain was heavier. I would need to search again for a better tool. To work properly, because I can't kneel, I would need to lie flat on the wet planking. There was no easy way it was coming out. The top pocket of my rucksack - Swiss Army Knife - strap cut, and off I went up my steep ascent now relieved to be moving again. "

I crossed that bridge and continued alongside the beck and its steep descent  to Haweswater, The beck is present to your left running through a gorge only a few yards wide and fifty feet or more in depth, the water more heard than seen as it rushes over rocks and waterfalls. There are a few places where you can look with some apprhension down into the torrenting depths.

Walking back along the side of Haweswater two Coast to Coast walkers caught me up and after a brief chat they carried on. As I was entering the village of Burbanks I came across these two again. They had stopped opposite a house and the lady there had made them a sandwich. I told them of the bench I knew of on the village green a couple of hundred yards further on. We walked there and we all had our sandwiches together, a pleasant interlude. I wish them well on the rest of their Coast to Coast and harbour some envy for long distance walking. They continued on their way to Shap and I on the road for a couple of kilometres back to my car.

The village of Bromby consists of houses that were built to accommodate workers during the construction of Haweswater between 1929 and 1935. Water now feeds the Greater Manchester area by a gravity pipeline, another marvel of construction.

A recent post by my friend Bowland Climber where he was offered a drink at a pub by a friendly family, and the offer of sustenance here for my two acquaintances prompted me to comment on BC's post:

" I was amused to see you getting a drink. As you know I have had a reputation for cups of tea and home invites. I think those instances occur when you are on an extended project rather than just a day walk. Your acquaintances are attracted by the concept of a long distance haul. Maybe they have not previously been aware of such exploits and either want to know more, or at worst just take pity on you?:

At the start, my new (s/hand) car in proud red awaiting my return

Steady uphill for the first half of this six miler

Beehives. At least something else other than landscape to photograph

There were several of these well made stiles, but lacking the desired extended pole at the top

Littlewater

Note the long line of the Pennines on the horizon. Even more of that in view in real life. Quite impressive - click to enlarge

The Standing Stones and Haweswater. All downhill from here

Where I got the buckle on my rucksack stuck between the planks of the bridge on a previous visit.
My route crossed over and followed the stream and steep descent down to Haweswater

Lunch break here with the two coast to coasters I had met. A pleasant interlude. They went off down through the gate to Shap, and I up the road to the left

Looking back the way we had come

Anti-clockwise from top right

Ignore red route from a previous visit