Route: Brothers Water
Area: North Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 23rd January 2018
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.1 miles
Weather: Cloudy, increasingly frequent and heavy showers of rain and hail
Brothers Water is one of the less well known lakes in the district, but is well worth a visit. The lake was once known as Broad Water but was renamed in the 19th century after two brothers drowned in it
We parked at Cow Bridge car park and followed the beck for a short distance before reaching the shore of Brothers Water. This may be regarded as one of the district’s smallest lakes or one of its largest tarns, according to your preference. However you define it, it’s beautiful
We walked as far as Hartsop Hall before heading over to the other side of the valley and walking into the picture postcard village of Hartsop. The path to Hartsop is alongside a dry stone wall just below the road leading to the Kirkstone Pass
After leaving Hartsop the path climbed up the fellside giving us great views back to Brothers Water and the surrounding fells. This was a delightful part of the walk, although spoilt by bad weather, and we endured heavy rain and hail for the remainder of the walk. We shortened the return leg back to the start by using a farm track and walking along the roadside as we were drenched by this stage. The route map shows the preferred route rather than the one we took today
Although the weather hadn’t been on our side it had been an enjoyable walk all the same
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel this morning
The start of the walk as we leave the car park at Cow Bridge and cross Goldrill Beck
We follow the path beside the beck...
The foot of Brothers Water, the level is high following heavy rain and snow melt
Looking across the lake to Beetham Cottage
We follow the lakeshore path, with Low Wood on our right
Looking back to the foot of the lake
Head of Brothers Water
We continue along the valley beyond the lake...
Looking towards the Kirkstone Pass
Approaching Hartsop Hall
The hall is a 16th century Grade 1 listed building owned by the National Trust
Dovedale
We cross to the far side of the valley to walk back along the other shore of the lake
Middle Dodd
Approaching the head of Brothers Water
The foot of the lake is ahead
Looking back to High Hartsop Dodd
The circuit of the lake could be completed, and the length of the route halved, by following the road but we fork off to Hartsop village
A glimpse of sunshine looking towards Place Fell
Hartsop and its Dodd
We cross Hayeswater Gill
Walking through Hartsop
We follow a path above the village and enjoy good views back to Brothers Water
Further along the elevated path...
We pass above the car park, just visible between the pine trees
Looking back over Hartsop and Brothers Water
Hartsop and Hartsop Dodd
One of the green iron benches which adorn much of the Patterdale area...
Further along the path ...
Waterfall in Angletarn Beck
It was raining heavily by now
We pass by a ruined barn at Dubhow
We descend to the track below and double back to cross the bridge over Goldrill Beck
Looking along the track - By now the rain was torrential, so the camera was packed away and we hastened back to the start via the road, ignoring the adjacent path
