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About Holme Fell | About Cathedral Quarries
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From our parking space we headed South on the road, veering left when we came to the footpath. We followed this path along the edge of the Hodge Close quarry, then through a gate to the right instead of following the quarry path around.
We followed this path as it weaved up higher through the trees and soon arrived at a few pools. They had the benefit of having Holme fell’s many peaks as its backdrop, so a perfect place for some stunning photos. There are technically two pools which make up a disused reservoir. We walked between the two and took the trail that led round the left of the larger body of water.
Crossing an inlet, the ground became very boggy and we initially lost the way. We tried to correct using compass bearings until we realised, we were best off back tracking a little ways rather than trudging across some very waterlogged reedy ground. After getting back on the track, which was no more than a shoe wide piece of dry land marking the way, we started our ascent of Holme fell.
There are many little tracks up to Holme Fell, the most popular being via Uskdale Gap. But depending on ground conditions, some routes are more straightforward than others. Choose anyway you like. Our path took us straight up the steeper ridge, much preferable for us as we quickly ascended out of the waterlogged peat. Being a straightforward ‘up’ without skirting around and coming up from the side, we didn’t have a scramble at the end either.
On top of Holme fell, we were treated with great views of many surrounding fells such as Wetherlam, Birk Fell, Brim fell and The Old man of Coniston. You can even see Coniston Water; which Wainwright says is the best place for viewing its striking full length. Ivy Crag, just across the way, is clearly visible and an easy jaunt down and back up if you wish to travel to this one too.
Swinging over and west around the peak, we walked down a route with a more prolonged, gentler gradient. This way was very shaded from the wind and weather, as you are effectively walking between two rocky knolls for a good proportion of the way. We followed the path down to the roots of the fell and turned right on the path at the bottom. This led us on through the trees and back to meet the path we had taken before reaching the disused reservoirs. We followed down the same path until we reached the quarry.
We turned right, just before the road and followed a lovely trail along the side of Hodge Close Quarry. Here, there are some gorgeous, snatched views of the waterfalls and caves below. On some sections of this path, are ways that will lead you closer to the quarry edge, please don’t follow these tracks. They have been repeatedly fenced off for safety reasons.
This path will lead you to a wide gate onto a larger trail. Take a left here and follow it down to the little hamlet. Take the left again and follow the road around to the right, there is a path across the way which is reached by a gate. This gets you on a nice stony trail through some woods towards Cathedral Quarries and the main Cathedral Chamber.
The way is interestingly sign posted. When we walked here, there was a huge log with ‘Cathedral’ and an arrow pointing to the right path. There is a three-pronged fork, of sorts, in the road. Choose the sunken, middle one which leads you down hill from the slag heaps.
Walking through a lovely wood, you will eventually meet up with another path. Take the right turn here and carry in this path. You will get to a cute little holiday house on your left, this was still being renovated at time of walking. When you reach the River Brathay, don’t cross the bridge, but carry on left.
You will come to a stone stile over the wall which leads you over and up into the trees. Follow this route up and you will soon find yourself in the vicinity of the Great Cathedral Chamber. Here we explored the huge cavern and its surroundings, please take a torch and a few extra batteries.
There is a way to explore these caves through tunnels, but you will need to come prepared with helmets and other protective gear. Having a guide is strongly recommended if you’re doing this for the first time, especially as rock falls can and have happened. Cathedral Cave, and the other caverns and tunnels in the area, are manmade. It is situated in an old green slate quarry works. The blasts on the rocks, that were used to open these caverns, created fissures which will settle for years afterwards. As recently as July 2020, a rockfall happened which closed off part of the network of tunnels in these quarries. Please be careful. On this walk, we only explored the safer parts of the area, but it is entirely at your own risk.
As we entered through a wide bright tunnel. Shafts of light fall through from the gaping hole in the ceiling and light up the supporting stone pillar in the middle. Adding to its mighty glory, this pillar is 40 feet high and impressively jaunts at an angle. There are also pools here, we were amazed to see fish, sluggishly sweeping through its waters. Research suggests that some climbers were responsible for adding a goldfish to this pond, however we saw small green fish here also. For anyone tracking the goldfish, it was still there and alive October 2020!
Another tunnel at the back of the cave gets you out into a green, ferny ‘courtyard’. Here, the best views are straight up.
Emerging back out into the open, we walked around the outside of the caves. There is some stonework and relics of the slate mining. Here, we reached a place where we could view the caves from above from the west perspective. Here, Dan went down and explored the bottom as my vertigo and I were both quite content to view the bigger picture from the safety of the top.
“Heading down the steps, in the wet, was quite precarious. They are quite small, with a little scrambling at one point too! Once down, there are quite a few little holes to look through or caves to explore. On the opposite side of the steps, there is a large opening. Looking down, you realise the view is that of the cave which we were exploring a few minutes earlier!
Some of the tunnels in this area head through the caves and out the other side. But these are recommended only for experienced cavers, or at least those with head gear. I’m neither experienced, nor equipped for this, so soon headed back up to Rachel.”
From here, we made a loop of the caves and made our way up and over the loose slatey ground. We dropped down, through silver birch and larch trees, to our original path. Taking a right, we returned the way we came. Upon reaching the little hamlet, we turned right and walked along the road back to the car.
