The Lake District National Park — Glorious!

Cogna Moss Lake — Paradise!

We have spent a week in our caravan just 50 miles away in the Northwest Lake District. The walking has been easy to hard work (for a couple of oldies!). Ennerdale, Whinlatter, Buttermere, Crummock, St Bees and Maryport are some of the places we visited for good walking experiences.

St Bees is a town by the sea and has a splendid coastal walk amid sweet-smelling greenery and wild flowers. Maryport is the site of a Roman Fort with an interesting museum, a marina, and a pleasant walk along both cliff and prom’. I think it is possible to do a complete circular walk in Ennerdale but two hours of walking is about all we can manage.

View from Whinlatter

Whinlatter is spectacular in its mountain beauty with a number of walks and cycling paths — twitters gather there to see the ospreys. It also has an interesting centre with shop and great cafe. A drive along Crummock and Buttermere to navigate Honester Pass is a must (if only to see the energetic intrepid cyclists!) At the top are magnificent views not to be missed.

Of all the places where we walked my favourite is the lesser known jewel of a lake called Cogna Moss, Apart from authorised anglers, (who have keys to the gates and so can use a car) the only way to get there is to walk. We went in the golden light of a setting sun — magical! To get there from the caravan site first we walked across a field with friendly horses and dear little pigs munching on the grass, then on to gates and styles to follow a quiet lane until the lake is reached. The lake lies in a hollow overshadowed by high wooded hills rich in wildlife. We only met two people, partly because of the lake’s isolation and also because of the late hour. For me it is a golden treasure chest full and overflowing with such beautiful ‘jewels’ that tears came to my eyes. Ducks on the water, foxes barking, wind whispering in the trees and birds singing were in wonderful harmony. A single angler stood thigh height in the water, rod in hand. The sun appeared to sprinkle gold dust over the whole scene. As we left, we vowed that one day we would go back and spend a whole day there.

Tags: Cumbria, evening scene, Lake District, walks