Black Crag and Tarn Hows
Distance: 8.5 km | Ascent: 224m | Black Crag (245m)
Last August on a whim I decided to book a week in a cottage in Hawkshead. It was post-Lockdown 1.0 and in the midst of ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ and there was a positivity that we were emerging from COVID-19; little did we know that the second wave and Lockdown 2.0 and Lockdown 3.0 would happen and in Britain thousands more would die from coronavirus and thousands suffer.
Anyway, whilst on Latterbarrow (245m) a couple of days beforehand a socially distance chat with a Lake District resident led to a trip to Black Crag (323m). They recommended I could walk from Hawkshead and that the views from Black Crag rivalled those of Latterbarrow. This is the resulting video I made after filming part of the walk.
Still building up my fitness after far too long away from the Fells, I decided that a circular walk starting and finishing at Tarn Hows would be more within my capability.
Top Tip: the car park at Tarn Hows can become very full very quickly so if planning a trip there, arrive early!
It was a chilly day and the Tarns high and streams running quickly due to Storm Francis the previous day. But plenty of blue sky around. My Brasher Boots were still wet from the previous days walk around Derwentwater during Storm Francis so rather than use my trainers I bought a new pair of boots. Luckily my cottage was a two-minute walk from the Hawkshead shop in Hawkshead so popped along and bought a pair of Regatta Burrell II Boots. Vegan friendly, they are canvas with vibram soles and waterproof membrane. And they were a great pair of boots that luckily didn’t need any breaking in. But as a traditionalist I do prefer a heftier pair of boots.
As to be expected the walk up was a bit of a killer - I really was and remain so unfit. But it was worth it - the views were awesome.
Spent about four hours from start to finish, including a nice picnic just off the summit. And Tarn Hows was extremely busy when I returned to the car park, which was over full.
In total walked 8.5km over four hours and ascended a total of 224m with one named summit - Black Crag (232m).