Small Water with Little ‘Uns

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Saunterings: Walking in North-West England

Saunterings is a set of reflections based upon walks around the counties of Cumbria, Lancashire and North Yorkshire in North-West England (as defined in the Preamble). Here is a list of all Saunterings so far.
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221. Small Water with Little ‘Uns

When they all returned from Easter Sunday morning church I assumed that we’d have a gentle picnic outing. But no, it was decided that we would drive to the Mardale Head car park even though I knew that it would be full on a sunny Bank Holiday day. Sure enough, cars were parked all along the road well before we neared the car park. But, lo and behold, there was a space for us at the car park. Someone had presumably just left. So, what do I know?

We duly set off on the path that leads eventually to the Nan Bield Pass into Kentmere. While I puffed and panted up the slope the three youngest of us (12, 10 and 6 (minus 2 days)) ran and scrambled about with unseemly energy. We thankfully paused halfway up to Small Water for the promised picnic, with a view back to Haweswater, which had much less water than normal.

Looking back to Haweswater from the picnic spot

Easter eggs consumed, we continued to Small Water. I forged ahead determined to show the youngsters that there was some energy left in the old legs. It was easy to keep ahead because they detoured far more than was necessary to scramble over every beck and rock on and off the way. They’ll learn.

I sat quietly by the lake waiting for the youngsters, their parents and Ruth to join me. Small Water lies at about 450 metres and is not so small, being about 360 by 180 metres. A few walkers passed us on this popular route and the children frolicked by and in the tarn. While they were very much in the here-and-now my mind wandered. A long time ago (in fact, 1988, according to my records) I had a memorable run from Kentmere Church (at 160 metres), over the Nan Bield Pass (640 metres), down to the Mardale Head car park (250 metres), over the Gatescarth Pass (567 metres), down to Sadgill in Longsleddale (180 metres) and over the old track (350 metres) back to Kentmere. Earlier, as we had driven along the length of Haweswater Reservoir, I had remarked that I had run around it (in 1989, in fact) but I remember nothing of that run, probably because running along the road on the eastern side is best forgotten.

Small Water, with the Nan Bield Pass ahead

Son Martin also recalled a family Boxing Day (1996, in fact) walk up Harter Fell (779 metres) in the snow, using the Gatescarth and Nan Bield Passes – and was tempted to tackle it again. But he conceded that even the energetic youngsters (not to mention the oldies) might find that a challenge. Instead we decided to walk across to Blea Water, described as “the king of the Lakeland tarns” by Drews (1995).

It is always a little risky leaving the established paths in the Lake District because even if the map suggests benign terrain you are liable to come across rocky outcrops and boggy areas that have to be negotiated. It was quite a scramble but at least the area marked on the map as Mardale Waters was much drier than it must normally be. We paused to reflect that even though we were only a mile or two from all the parked cars in Mardale we could see nobody else at all. The ridge of Rough Crag ran in front of us, with Blea Water tucked, unseen, above and to the left.

The others crossed Blea Water Beck but I continued up, enjoying the struggle now, on the left of it, believing that it was possible to cross the tarn’s dam. Wrong again. So I crossed the beck here, which is probably less easy to do when there’s a normal flow. Blea Water, at 482 metres, was largely in shadow, with the sun being just above the precipitous Blea Water Crag, and it was difficult to really appreciate the setting in a rocky combe below High Street and Riggindale Crag.

Left: Looking back to Harter Fell from Mardale Waters; Right: Blea Water

On the previous visit here in 2018 [12] we had met a United Utilities team who were considering removing the dam. Have they lowered the middle part or was there always a gap there? (I don't remember from the previous visit.) The tarn's banks don't look like they were once underwater, so I think it's the latter. Anyway, United Utilities have more important problems to deal with than this dam, which is small and hardly noticeable. The mystery really is why it was ever built.

We walked slowly down past the Mardale Waters waterfalls to the car park, with the children still having energy to spare while I floundered on the slippery path. It’s not just that we lose energy as we age. We also lose reactiveness and flexibility, so that the natural instinctive response to changes underfoot fades. While we slow it is a joy to see the next (actually, next-after-next) generation’s uninhibited exuberance in these wild surroundings. Their own joy is never explicit – they don’t pause to express awe or pleasure within the natural environment – but it is implicit in their reaction to being here.

The contrast between my labours and their youthful energy naturally prompts reflections on one’s own past and, especially, future outings. I must accept, for example, that I will never walk along Helvellyn's Striding Edge again. I feel that I could be (or become) fit enough to do so but my careful doddery traverse of the ridge would get in the way of younger folk nipping along, for whom this is their rightful domain.

harrop fell

I must also accept that Saunterings has taken on the feel of a valedictory tour. I remember reaching the top of a hill (in fact, this hill to the right) and finding a couple already sat there. We chatted about our different routes up and they said that next time they'd try my route. It would have been polite to reciprocate the thought but instead my immediate reaction was that I wouldn't be walking up this hill again. Not because it wasn't worth walking up again but because I had such a long list of places where I wanted to walk that I doubted that I had enough years left for another visit. It's a sad thought but it has to be acknowledged.

We paused in Shap for fish-and-chips (and variations). The children still had energy to dash around the playground. It’s exhausting.

    Date: April 20th 2025
    Start: NY469107, Mardale Head car park  (Map: OL5)
    Route: SW – Small Water – NW – Blea Water – E – Mardale Head car park
    Distance: 3 miles (rather more for the children);   Ascent: 250 metres

The two following items:
     223.   A Grand Bowland Circuit, plus Easington Fell
     222.   What’s Great about Great Knoutberry Hill
The two preceding items:
     220.   Pottering about Near Sawrey
     219.   Sedbergh, Brigflatts, the Waterside Viaduct and an Elephant
Two nearby items:
       12.   Blea Water, High Street and Kidsty Pike
     159.   Up Dove Crag in Homage to Wainwright
A list of all items so far:
               Saunterings

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Top photo: Rainbow over Kisdon in Swaledale; Bottom photo: Ullswater