The Lake District is the most popular National Park in the UK with an estimated 18.1 million visitors in 2023 alone. With numbers like that, you might think cars and people are found at every turn. Sure there are pockets that are hot spots, but I’ve come to learn that it’s more than possible to escape civilization altogether and feel like you have the entire National Park to yourself. This was certainly the case during my hike and wild camp at Great Moss. I almost couldn’t believe such a stunning place was so quiet even on a Saturday evening in August. Sometimes heading to the remoter spots are worth the effort. This was certainly the case on this trip.
The Route In
The road you’ll need to park on is an interesting one to say the least. Most visitors to the national park stay to the west and so reaching this spot requires a drive over Wrynose and Hardknott Pass. Neither is for the faint-hearted with savage gradients and hairpin bends along the way.
For an easier route in, you will need to enter from the western side of the national park. This is the side of Cumbria most people don’t see. Some of the coastal towns can have a bit of a bad reputation, but I found my night’s stay in Whitehaven quite pleasant indeed. A run along the coast up to St Bees Lighthouse was particularly memorable.
The road you’ll need to take leaves the A595 at Gosforth. It heads into Eskale and there are facilities along the way like public toilets, a shop, cafe and pub. I easily found a little lay-by which I shared with a couple of lads from Yorkshire. They were slightly more ambitious than me, planning a camp on the summit of Scafell Pike. That’s one for the future for sure.
The Hike
The map above shows where the hike leaves the road just below the start of the extreme gradients of Hardknott Pass. The bridge and amazing road sign make it impossible to miss and provide a great photo opportunity too.
You will soon pass a farm and then it is a case of just following the clear track into upper Eskdale. The views are stunning right from the off, as you gaze in awe at the craggy mountains around you and the sound of the cascades in the River Esk to your left.
There is a good chance you will share this section of the walk with others, due to a very popular swimming spot not too far away. Tongue Pot has become very well known as being one of the best places to take a dip in all of the lakes. The water is deep and crystal clear. Click here to find out more about it.
Eventually you pass Tongue Pot and cross an old bridge across a smaller burn, which then heralds the start of some steeper climbing. It is also where you may well leave the people behind and find that you now have the trail to yourself. That was certainly the case with me.
The Scenery Ramps Up Again
As you fight gravity and continue heading skywards, the valley narrows and the tallest mountains in the area start revealing themselves around every new bend. It is stunning and right up there as offering some of the best mountain scenery in The Lakes.
Right beside you is the River Esk, which is now forced through a much tighter space and so flows with more dramatic waterfalls and cascades. Up ahead though your eyes are drawn to the taller mountains. The tops were shrouded in cloud on the day I visited, but in my opinion this makes them look all the more dramatic.
Soon enough though the path levels out and you reach a rather expansive flatter section. At first I thought I’d reached Great Moss, but a check of the map showed that was still a kilometre or so further on.
Another Wild Camper is Discovered
I was now several miles from the nearest road and in a remote spot, however I could hear music. What music it was too- The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and The News to be precise. I wasn’t expecting to feel like Marty McFly on this hike and wild camp at Great Moss that’s for sure!
The source was a lone camper, who had set up his tent at a brilliant spot right on a river bend. It was tailor made for wild camping. The views in all directions were incredible and the sound of the Esk in the background was just amazing too.
I had a brief chat with the camper. He was a very friendly chap called Dave, who was from Preston. It turns out Dave was an army man and was just out for some alone time in the beauty of nature. He’d certainly picked an ideal spot and his offer of a pitch next door was tempting. Dave’s warning of cracking on until the early hours put me off a little though. I was pretty bushed from all the cycling of the previous couple of days. I fancied an earlier night and a good sleep if I’m honest. With that I wished him well, pushed on and hiked the extra kilometre or so to Great Moss.
Arriving At Great Moss
You can look at photos of a place online and be impressed. Seeing it in person is a totally different ball game though. As I turned a bend, the scale of Great Moss revealed itself. What a place it was! The photos below sum up the scale of the area perfectly and it was the surrounding mountains that just added to its majesty.
The name Great Moss suggests what conditions are like underfoot and this ended up being the case. I guess all water running off the surrounding mountains into this area is kind of inevitable. Thankfully, conditions weren’t too boggy underfoot and so I headed off of the main path to search for an ideal camping spot.
There was a bit of procrastination, but I ended up fording the river and set up in an area very similar to the one Dave had selected. I had fine mountain views, flat ground and the river only a few metres from my porch. Perfect!
Settling In For The Evening
With the tent up in a few minutes, there was nothing left to do but casually prepare my tea, enjoy a couple of beers I’d carried up and and just soak up the beauty of where I was. A few midges buzzing around while I ate didn’t ruin things too much and I spent much of the time just gazing in awe at the scenery.
This was right up there as one of the most stunning spots I’d camped at. In front of me I could see The Sca Fell Massif, while Esk Pike, Bow Fell and Crinkle Crags could be seen to the west. These were some of the daddies of The Lake District and I was surrounded by them. Gazing up at Bow Fell reminded me of my bivvy camp and incredible sunrise I was blessed with the previous year. An incredible mountain in its own right. Click here to find out more about that adventure.
What surprised me more than anything though, was that I didn’t see a single other person during my entire stay at Great Moss. That isn’t something I was expected in the height of summer and on a Saturday night no less.
I settled down at just after ten PM and ended up enjoying the best sleep I’d had in months. My Garmin watch suggested nearly ten hours had been enjoyed by morning, which is a good 2.5 hours more than what I’m used to. Clearly it was needed and this setting provided the perfect place to achieve it. Sometimes I tend to find my sleep can be broken on wild camps, especially if the weather is severe. On this occasion though there was hardly a breath of wind and the gently flowing river helped me drift off in no time. Only getting up once for a wee was a bonus too. Not bad going for me trust me!
The Next Morning
With no hurry away, I too k my time and enjoyed a very leisurely breakfast by the river. The weather was still good too. The morning sun crept above the mountains to the east, casting, illuminating Great Moss with its warming rays.
By just after half past nine, I had packed away the tent and checked the area one last time. We all know about not leaving any trace when wild camping, so that is exactly what I did.
I decided to take a slightly different route back, just because I fancied some different trails and views to enjoy. Only four people were passed- a party of four youngsters, who were heading for Sca Fell Pike’s summit. The trainers on their feet and lack of equipment did concern me somewhat, but I decided not to say anything. What good would that do? Instead I just wished them well and said there were plenty of good places to collect drinking water not too far away. Good deed for the day done I thought.
