Last weekend I went wild camping with my dad. I thought it would never happen and I would put money on the fact that he probably felt the same. Other than one night last summer, where he kept my niece company in the back garden, the last time my dad was in a tent was 1999. We can agree then, that my dad very much falls into the ‘ I prefer solid walls as opposed to canvas ones.’ I persevered though and showed him enough photos of various stunning spots to make him change his mind. He who dares wins as Del Boy would say!
The Lake District- Here We Come
Being slightly devious, I knew I had to take my dad to the most spectacular area of England. If I wanted him to enjoy it, then stunning scenery would certainly help. With that in mind, I decided on The Lake District and in particular one of the small mountain tarns in the area. Which one was best though? I don’t know the area particularly well myself and so took to the internet for advice. My criteria was simple- a beautiful mountain lake with good parking facilities nearby and an easier walk in. My Dad is used to one or two mile walks in relatively flat northern Hertfordshire. I wanted him to enjoy it and not find the whole experience an ordeal.
There were many suggestions on the forum I use regularly, but the most popular seemed to be Sprinkling Tarn. I checked out images online and it did indeed look stunning. Other blog articles like this one suggested it was also idyllic. A final look on the OS map suggested in was only around three kilometres from the car to the lake. Perfect!
The drive up was straight forward apart from a bit of traffic on the A66 near Penrith and we were soon wowed by the scenery as we passed the northern Fells and headed out of Keswick. It was great to see Dad so upbeat using his go to line of ‘ look at that’ every time the road turned to reveal a new view. Hopefully this would last the evening.
Heading Skywards
We parked my dad’s van at the far end of a small lane in Borrowdale. Plenty of faffing ensued as we loaded our packs. I’d be carrying most of the gear, with my dad using my smaller day pack to carry his sleeping bag, mat and warm clothes for the night. He appeared to have brought half of Aldi with him and so we crammed every available space with nibbles for later. Dad’s face lit up when I revealed a box of Ritz crackers I had bought. I remember him sharing them with my sister Eleanor and me when we were kids, much to my mum’s disapproval!
We were soon starting to climb gradually and all was good for the first half an hour or so. We chatted about all sorts of things and basked in the sunshine. My dad of course wore no sun cream despite getting burned on just about every holiday he has been on. I’m not sure his Sunday best shirt was the best option for mountain exploring either, but I guess he just exudes class and wanted fellow hikers to see this. In complete contrast to dad, we even saw a poor sheep with the worst hair-do I’ve ever seen. Dad called him Keith Richards.
Things Get Tough
As that little video above mentioned, my dad regretted naming that sheep the way he did. The path steepened and he started to find it hard going. I kept trying my best to encourage him and we stopped regularly to take a rest. Being mid May, there was plenty of daylight left and so there was no rush.
An older couple descending from the lake, passed us and offered some words and advice, which couldn’t have come at a better time. They said how idyllic it was and how the worst of the climb was over. I’m not I would have enjoyed the wild camping with dad had it not been for their words. Thank you if you’re reading this!
Sprinkling Tarn Is Reached
It is always a great relief to reach your planned camping spot for the night and this was no different. That couple were right. What we were looking at was stunning, with incredible views in all directions. The sun was still sitting above Great Gable and so we found a flattish spot in the sunshine and got the tent up.
Once this was done, we got the Jet Boil on the go and Dad was treated to his first dehydrated meal. Passable was his overall judgement of the food. He was always going to be a tough man to please though, having enjoyed mum’s cooking for the past forty years.
With dinner finished, it was time to get some warmer layers on and start working our way through all the nibbles we had brought with us. We had a good old giggle too and it was just great to have some quality father and son time in such an amazing location. You can see what we got up to in the video below:
Dad certainly shouldn’t be used as an ambassador for wild camping, but I still knew deep down that he had enjoyed the evening. By just before eleven we called it a night. Being a gentleman, I gave dad the tent, while I slept outside in my bivvy bag. Conditions were perfect for it. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the mist quickly lifted to provide a beautiful night sky. It took dad a while to drift off, but apparently I was asleep within minutes. I guess some whisky, fresh air and a stunning night sky will have that effect!
It was also comforting to know that dad would be comfortable. He was using my winter sleeping bag and mat, so I knew he’d be plenty warm enough.
The Best View and Sunrise I’ve Seen
At just after 4am, I got up, had some food and then headed up a nearby mountain to catch the sunrise. It was incredibly quiet at this time and I ensured I made as little noise as possible, so I didn’t wake dad or the several other campers scattered around the lake.
As I fought gravity at such a silly hour, I did question my sanity, but this all evaporated away soon enough. The views from my vantage point were awe inspiring. I’ve been to some incredible places in the UK and enjoyed other sunrises like on Plynlimon in Mid Wales. What I was treated to this morning was one of the best I think I’ve ever seen though. The photos and video below hopefully show how beautiful it was. It really is true that some of the best things in life are free!
What A Stunning Morning
I arrived back at camp around half past six and decided to go back to inflatable bed for an hour or so. It appeared I needed the extra sleep. By eight, I was woken to the sounds of life coming from the tent and soon enough dad appeared looking rather hungry. We sat with the sun on our backs, as we tucked into our porridge. There was hardly a ripple on the lake, such were the conditions. The few fish in the tarn were soon joined by a camper going in for a dip. I decided to follow soon after. It was certainly fresh, but it was a great way to wake myself up. Dad had his mind firmly set on staying dry.
Heading down from Sprinkling Tarn proved much easier and quicker than in the opposite direction the previous night. Our spirits were high and we greeted and chatted to many people coming the opposite way. This time it was our turn to offer words of encouragement and I even spotted a fellow shirt wearer who gave dad a good run for his money.
A Final Word…
I’ve always had a good relationship with my dad, but this trip was still special. We got to spend some quality time together and just enjoyed each other’s company in a truly beautiful part of England. It was hard to believe that dad had never visited The Lake District up to this point. He was certainly pleased to have finally done it.
As for the wild camping, dad enjoyed it, but isn’t sure whether he’ll do another at this point. I don’t think that matters. He opened his mind and body to a new experience and pushed himself in many ways. That has always got to be a good thing and for this I am thankful.
I don’t want to sound too soppy if you’re reading this dad, but I had a terrific time and feel truly blessed to have such a kind-hearted and fun man as a father. The summer hasn’t yet started, so only time will tell whether you fancy heading out again with me soon. Watch this space!