We had originally hoped to have climbed Scafell but the floods and low visibility meant that we had to resort to our lower level option - a walk from Pooley Bridge around Ullswater
Pooley Bridge is a village in the Eden District of Cumbria, within the traditional borders of Westmorland. It takes its name from the 16th-century bridge over the River Eamont at the northern end of Ullswater. It was formerly known as Pooley or Pool How meaning the hill by the pool or stream. The name Pool How was derived from the Old English word pollr plus the Old Norse haugr meaning hill or mound
Ullswater is the second largest lake in the English Lake District, being approximately nine miles (14.5 kilometres) long and 0.75 miles (1,200 m) wide with a maximum depth of slightly more than 60 metres (197 ft)
Ullswater is a typical Lake District narrow "ribbon lake" formed after the last ice age when a glacier scooped out the valley floor and when the glacier retreated, the deepened section filled with meltwater which became a lake.
A total of three separate glaciers formed the lake. The surrounding mountains give Ullswater the shape of a stretched 'Z' with three distinct segments (or 'reaches') that wend their way through the surrounding hills
For much of its length Ullswater forms the border between the ancient counties of Cumberland and Westmorland.
The
origin of the name 'Ullswater' is uncertain. Some say it comes from the name of
a Nordic chief 'Ulf' who ruled over the area; there was also a Saxon Lord of
Greystoke called 'Ulphus' whose land bordered the lake. The lake may have been
named Ulf's Water in honour of either of these, or it may be named after the
Norse god Ullr
Donald Campbell set the world water speed record on Ullswater on July 23, 1955, when he piloted the jet-propelled hydroplane "Bluebird K7" to a speed of 202.32 mph
Just south of Pooley Bridge on the lake's eastern shore is Eusemere, where anti-slavery campaigner Thomas Clarkson (1760–1846) lived; the house gives one of the best views of the lower reach of Ullswater. William and Dorothy Wordsworth were friends of Clarkson and visited on many occasions. After visiting Clarkson in April 1802, Wordsworth was inspired to write the poem "Daffodils" after seeing daffodils growing on the shores of Ullswater on his journey back to Grasmere. Wordsworth once wrote of Ullswater: "it is the happiest combination of beauty and grandeur, which any of the lakes affords".
We had planned to return to Pooley Bridge by one of the Ullswater 'Steamers' which offer trips around the lake calling at Pooley Bridge, Glenridding and Howtown. Although the 'Steamers' operate all year round, today's weather conditions meant that the service was closed. The 'Steamers' were originally working boats which from the 1850s moved mail, workers and goods to and from the Greenside lead mine at Glenridding, which closed in 1962.
So we returned - very wet - to our starting point, courtesy of the local bus
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