The Lake District: Mickleden Valley

One of the best things about hiking and camping in the winter is the relative solitude you get compared to the warmer months. Areas usually buzzing with activity are often quiet to the point that you’ll frequently feel like the only person alive.

The Greater Langdale part of the Lake District is one such place. Teeming with hordes in summer, it feels positively post apocalyptic on dreary winter days, but I love that.

I set out on one such day in January, arriving mid morning and spending the day just strolling through the wonderfully expansive Mickleden valley, catching the occasional glimpse of the snowcapped fells above, filming (or is that too grand a word? Perhaps I should use the word “videoing”) as I went along and immersing myself in the gentle sounds of the river and the breeze coming off the mountains. As the afternoon passed and sunset approached, I headed up the side of the valley to find a discreet spot to spend the night.

With no phone signal anywhere in the entire valley, it’s a great place to come to entirely disconnect, and by doing so, you reconnect with yourself, being fully present in the moment and enjoying the gentle rhythms of nature around you.