If you’ve ever driven the A66 into Keswick from the M6, then I’m sure you’ve admired the view to your right. The hulking masses of Blencathra and Skiddaw are impossible to ignore as they loom like impenetrable guardians to the northern fells of the Lake District. I’ve always wondered what is hidden behind these giants and so took several days during a teacher half term to finally find out. Even better was the fact that I could satisfy my love of staying at remote mountain bothies. On this trip I’d be staying at Lingy Hut Bothy, a comfortable shelter which offered a true sense of isolation. What a wonderful experience it was!
Where is Lingy Hut Located?
Mountain bothies are meant to offer a sense of remoteness and staying at Lingy Hut Bothy certainly achieves this. Located high on a moor at around six hundred metres above sea level, its location is wild, windswept and little visited compared to more well known parts of The Lake District National Park. This is a large part of its appeal.
The great Alfred Wainwright in his guide of the northern fells described them as follows:
Serene and restful, a perfect sanctuary for birds and animals and fell-walkers who prefer to be away from the crowds.
As beautiful as the rest of the Lake District is, some areas can become very busy during certain periods of the year. I don’t think this is ever likely to be an issue in the northern reaches of the national park. Solitude and a true sense of space are all but guaranteed.
How To Get There
There are many ways to access the bothy, as you can approach it from different directions. Arriving late after yet another queue on the motorway, I decided to take the quickest route in.
Route Statistics
Distance: 6.55 km
Climbing: 387. 51 metres
Estimated Time: 2 hours and 17 minutes according to the OS Map App. This is a great App by the way and one which I’ve found invaluable many times. Click here to read a detailed review from another keen explorer if you wish to find out more.
The Journey In
I left my car in the hamlet of Bowscale. Parking was free and it was reassuring leaving the car where there were still signs of people. Perhaps it’s just me, but I’m often rather more nervous when there are no houses around for some considerable distance. Will all four wheels still be attached and inflated? Will the car even still be there? As of yet I have been fine, but I guess driving a sluggish Dacia Sandero helps in that regard. It’s hardly a getaway car! Anyway on with the route…..
After a short stroll over the bridge into Mosedale, you turn left into a gorgeous dale, which has the River Caldew meandering its way along the valley floor.
You may have noticed in the above pictures that I followed a tarmac road into the valley. This wasn’t apparent to me on the map, but it does indeed run until it reaches the Cumbria Way. There is a small car park at the end, which involves a short rough section. I did see two vans parked there on my trip, so it doesn’t need a 4 x 4 to tackle it. If you decide to take advantage of this option, it could reduce the route distance by a further couple of kilometres or so. One to note if you are short of time or the weather is diabolical.
The Hard Work Begins
The contour lines bunch closer together in the map once the car park has been reached, which heralds the arrival of the tougher work you must now face. It is never overly steep, but it was boggy and slippery in places. Several small burns must also be forded, although they weren’t tricky to cross. A period of heavy rain could alter that experience though. Good quality waterproof boots are your friend on this hike.
As the terrain flattened off, so I found my OS map app very useful due to very poor visibility. The path was less distinguishable and it was hard to know which way was what. The GPS facility on the app allowed me to find my bearings and soon enough the hut revealed itself in the fog.
Inside Lingy Hut Bothy
There is no fireplace to enjoy when staying at Lingy Hut Bothy. I just thought I’d get that one out of the way to start with. For many bothy goers, a fire or ‘ bothy TV’ as it is affectionately referred to is one of the highlights of the experience. It is a shame that this is lacking at Lingy Hut and I can certainly imagine it is damn cold in the depths of winter, especially considering its altitude. For my stay during late October, it wasn’t too bad, but a warm sleeping bag was still required.
Despite the absent stove, staying at Lingy Hut Bothy is still a comfortable enough experience and it provides an excellent shelter to take refuge in. The video clip below shows what you can expect to find upon arrival.
My Experience Of Staying At Lingy Hut Bothy
Darkness enveloped the bothy soon after I arrived and so I lit some candles to make the place feel a bit more homely and comfortable in the darkness. It really was incredible how dark it was outside. Living in a large town close to London, it is always remarkable to see what the environment should look like without light pollution.
Once in my warmer clothes, it was time to enjoy some hearty food, which on this occasion was to be chilli con carne with rice. A rather strong ale accompanied the meal and went down very easily indeed. I again soon learned that I hadn’t been drinking enough water as the booze went straight to my head. There wasn’t any need to drive up here though, so I didn’t mind one bit.
After tea it was time to kick back in my sleeping bag and enjoy a good book. I was lucky to have the bothy to myself, which was hardly a surprise on a Monday night in late October, and so it was great to just sit and relax.
My book of choice for the evening was fittingly called ‘ Bothy Tales.’ It made for light-hearted and easy reading under my head torch and candle light, as I enjoyed the many amusing stories the author John Burns recalls. The topics of resident mice, river crossings and soakings on the way in all feature.
It is certainly a book you can relate to if you’re a bothy enthusiast yourself. Even if you’re not, you’re likely to find it funny and inspiring in perhaps tempting you into visiting one yourself. Ah go on…..
How Well Did I Sleep?
I thought I’d address this point separately, as you might well wonder how easy it is to relax and sleep in such a remote spot.
I have stayed in some bothies, where it has taken longer to settle down such as Claerddu Bothy in mid-Wales. On that occasion I hardly slept a wink, due to feeling like I just wasn’t welcome. A weird feeling and one I don’t wish to repeat.
On other occasions I’ve felt very at ease and slept soundly like on the two occasions I’ve stayed at amazing The Shepherd’s Hut Bothy in the North Pennines.
On this trip I felt at ease in the darkness and drifted off in no time. There were no fears of anything going bump in the night and I suspect that had a lot to do with the booze and wind howling around the shelter. It proved to be very relaxing indeed. On some occasions it has been so silent bothies I’ve stayed at that I can hear my heart beat. Does that make any sense? Hopefully it does.
I also believe the small size of the bothy helps in making it feel safer in some way. Another bothy in the eastern fells called Mosedale Cottage is a multi-room affair and I can imagine that place would feel a lot spookier if there alone. I reckon my imagination would run riot there. Click here to read a great piece about what it might be like to stay there.
The End Of My Stay At Lingy Hut Bothy
After a hearty breakfast, I signed the bothy book, which in my opinion must be done if you’ve visited. I lingered a while afterwards due to the weather being foul outside and the long day’s hike I had planned. It ended up being an incredible day and just confirmed what a wonderful part of the national park the norther fells are. Tales of that hike can wait for the next article though.
