Rydal, Lake District
Cumbria
LA22 9LX
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Found a nice walk up past Rydal Hall. Natural pools halfway up that the stream fills and flows through, had a cold swim. Continued on up, over fences, walking along the riverbed before climbing the West of the Valleyside and finding a level place to sleep overnight on the field. left everything as I found it, was one short night and gone at daybreak to continue on. Very lovely spot.
Where I swam, cold but refreshing after a long walk up. It was the middle of summer at about 5pm, even so I was not alone and saw a young couple doing the same as me further up. Sunbathing and cooling off. It was a very serendipitous find, I had no idea it was there, and that made it more special. The idea of a little discovery (even if I were not the first)
Morning view from where I slept in my bivvy bag. (I prefer it to tents as its quick, small and requires no pegs which can be a little destructive). therefore I slept outside more or less. The night before, bugs were getting to me late in the day so I zipped up and read a book. After an hour I unzipped my bag and sat up to look at the last light as it sank away from view, and got smacked in the face by what I thought was a large bug, like a moth. I immediately lay back, and realised I was not only attracting bugs, but also small bats as they fed off the bugs attracted to my body heat. I watched them for about 2 hours, fluttering over head and divebombing after the midges and the like. My personal clean-up crew. I could barely see them in the dark. Such a special experience, hard to put into words how it made me feel. Would never have happened if I decided not to wild camp.
View from the top of the west side of the valley, In the distance is Ambleside and the tip of Windermere, which I had rented a canoe and explored the day before. A wet morning that was, and so was the rest of the day, I think it was making up for my run of good luck.
