Route: Brothers Water
Area: Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 27th April 2016
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 8.2 miles
Ascent: 600 feet
Weather: Bright spells alternating with hail and sleet
Brothers Water is one of the less well known lakes in the district, perhaps owing to its small size, but it is set in beautiful surroundings and 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
A circuit of the lake would take under an hour, and so I decided to extend the walk by starting in Patterdale. I parked near St Patrick’s Church and took the path to Side Farm on the east side of the valley. I then followed the valley path as far as Hartsop, where I had to retrace my steps for a short distance as the bridge over the beck had been damaged by the December floods and was out of bounds
As I reached the path beside Brothers Water a strong hail shower came in and visibility was limited, but by the time I reached the end of the lake it had blown over and was replaced with sunshine and good light. The walk along the west side of Brothers Water was a delight
When I reached the end of the lake I followed a path through the woods with the A592 on my right. After emerging from the wood there followed the least attractive part of the journey, thanks to two factors – the constant hail and sleet, and the noisy presence of the nearby road. There’s no way of avoiding the road section though there are footpaths and pavements much of the way, so it’s not a major issue and certainly didn’t spoil what had been a wonderful walk
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 in the garden this morning - and snow at the end of April
St Patrick’s Church Patterdale at the start of the walk
I cross the bridge over Goldrill Beck on the way to the other side of the valley
Side Farm, where I will turn right to follow the path along the east side of Patterdale
I pass through Side Farm
Looking back along the track I’d followed from Patterdale village
A view across the valley
A family of goats at Crookabeck
Old barn near Crookabeck
Further along the delightful valley path
Deepdale
Hartsop Dodd
Beckstones
I take the low road, although both lead to Hartsop eventually
Hartsop above How and St Sunday Crag
Winter conditions on the higher fells
Deepdale again
First glimpse of Brothers Water
Looking across to the eastern fells
Waterfall at Angletarn Beck
The footbridge over the beck has been relocated by the December floods, but fording it is an easy affair
Hartsop
The plan was to cross the footbridge in Hartsop…
…but the best laid plans of mice and men… I retraced my steps for a short distance and used an alternative route
I followed the path by the A592, a minor inconvenience as Brothers Water was close by
An incoming shower of hail and sleet caused me to put the camera away for a while as I walked along the eastern shore of the lake
Beyond the lake now, and heading for Sykeside
Dovedale
16th Century Hartsop Manor - I follow the path round the back of this historic building
I folllow the path towards the western shore of Brothers Water
Head of Brothers Water and Caudale Moor
The knobbly outline of Angletarn Pikes in the distance
Looking back to High Hartsop Dodd
The Kirkstone Pass
Zooming in on the pass
Further along the lakeshore path
Looking across the foot of the lake towards Hartsop
The path beside the road leading back to Patterdale - more hail and sleet prevented further photos until the end of the walk
Patterdale
Back to St Patrick’s Church
