Harbottle Lake Wild Camp

Two day trek with overnight solo camp next to the lake

I did a recce hike to this place prior to this over-nighter just to get a feel for the place, people movement etc. as it is a popular visitor attraction. Not just the lake but also the ‘Drake Stone’ which is adjacent to the lake to the Northeast. I had a cunning plan……….

Plan A the lake itself for the camp, if not then about 1.5Km South I had seen a Sike, so if that had water, then plan B. If not the back towards the way I planned to start was a valley with a river – plan C.

Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

Leaving the truck at a layby near Alwinton I kitted up and headed South down the country road and headed across the bridge. Two peddle bikes parked at the side of the bridge, with bags attached and believe it or not two scantily clad if at all, attractive women in the river below swimming. What a start to the day 😊, after a brief exchange of pleasantries I bid good day and carried on.

Through the gate on the boundary of the MOD land I headed up the hill. I had planned that this should be the hardest part of the hike, with the rest flat or down hill. This was the hottest day we had had in weeks and was like a last chance of a summer hike. (Summer, did we actually have one?) After losing a stone in sweat I got to the next gate/cattle grid, a fantastic view all around from this point. Whilst admiring the view I’m thinking ‘should I have left an Avalon card for those women…………..hmmmm - too bloody late now cos I’m not going back down now’.

To the left there’s an entrance to the woods with a track leading up the remainder of the hill. Very nice track although steep and slippery in places. It is worth noting by the way that folklore has it that the woods and the lake are enchanted. With Faeries and other folk occupying the area. Now that in mind be nice to them and don’t damage their beautiful home. Oh, and stay away from Faerie Circles! A circle of mushrooms, sometimes around a tree stump or similar.

Met a few people heading back down the hill in the opposite direction from me, all good. This is a lovely wood by the way especially with the bright sunlight breaking through the canopy creating a mystical haze in deeper locations. Trekked up the top and got to the tree line. Where the lake came into view.

This lake was a fair bit bigger years gone by but has been receding over the years leaving a boggy marsh to the East and West edges. There was quite a bit of activity in and around the lake with people enjoying this unusual weather break and quite rightly so, with four people in the lake swimming – lot of that going on lately lol, enjoy. Anyway, with plan A out of the window, head for plan B.

Plan B, yeah! After an hour of hiking through thick heather and scrub, around the lake, the bog and up the crag – over the hill and far away the sike was a damp ditch! Back over the hill, down the crag around the lake and the bog, through the scrub and the heather (see where I’m going with this), I headed back to the tree line to see if there was a spot I could see there and then loiter with intent until everyone had gone. Nope! Back through the tree line, down the woodland track to the cattle grid aiming now for plan C.

Plan C, how hard could that be – eh? A little stroll down the valley wall to the waiting cool river below, where I too could indulge in ever popular act of stripping off and getting wet. Note: at this point in time if you thought plan B was bad, carrying 15Kg in 27 deg heat, wait till I get to this bit!

About 50m down the hill, which was quite steep, the terrain below foot started to resemble something akin to one of those communal school dinner puddings they used to put in the middle of the table after all the kids had stuck their fingers into the portions they wanted. Younger generations reading this won’t have a scooby what I’m on about here, suffice to say it wasn’t exactly even. It was to get worse with shoulder height ferns (no I’m not that short) and potholes eagerly awaiting a human foot to snap off!

I wonder if I can revert back to plan A? Back through the ferns, across the potholes, up the hill, (getting familiar this aint it). Now knackered I used the military vehicle track to get to the West side of the lake and to my amazement everyone had gone. It was about 8 at night by now. Two women were discussing personal issues sitting on a boulder next to the Drake stone, blissfully un-aware that I was there but that I also could hear them. No, I won’t repeat the conversation 😊Ladies, if you know who you are then please write in I am open to bribery lol.

Found a nice flattish spot right next to the lake, I mean right next to the lake with about 18” between the edge of my tent and the water. Need to be careful there tonight! Set the tent up, I was using the Big Agnes Copper Spur 2, I love this tent, loads of room and light weight, well thought out design – back to the story. Got my kit sorted out and collected some water to filter for tea. About 10 O’clock I got a phone call from Northumbria Police? A vigilant resident had noticed my car had been left all day and was concerned there was something wrong, I explained to the officer I was on the hills hiking and camping and the policeman involve politely wished me luck and goodnight, nice I thought. I did ask him to thank the person making that call for their concerns.

I must point out that this was the first wild camp I had done in a long time, I had taken a few days off several weeks earlier to get some in but got poorly with man flue.

Schoolboy error coming up soon, actually two of them. As the sun went down the stars came out and the fascination mode starts to drift in, a gin and tonic later and I’m laying in the tent with the doors open just gazing upwards and thinking how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things.

Schoolboy error one – a snack for supper with no real food intake! I got my head down and drifted off after a couple of hours stargazing.

You never get a proper sleep wild camping, well I don’t anyway. I’m always being ‘subconsciously’ made aware of any noises around me, awake again! Pee time. I got out of the tent for a leak, and to my surprise an entire cloud had descended onto the lake and the surrounding moor land, all below shoulder height. The odd MOD signpost and tree extending above it clearly lit in the bright moonlight, that was shedding an earie silver grey shine across the top of the cloud. Please note - results of schoolboy error one coming now……. Leg cramp, upper thighs!!!!! Not being funny but as a bloke trying to take a leak with leg cramps is a virtual impossibility without getting it all over you. I am now doing an impressive native American Indian rain dance in the cloud, in the heather and bracken whilst nipping my particulars trying to stop the inevitable happening! I had to brave it, no pain no gain just wet legs – I took the pain and did my bit for recycling. Phew! Got the cramp under control after about 10 mins, and now fully awake took in the awe of the scene around me.

Schoolboy error number 2 – I hadn’t shut the tent door, in my defense - well I couldn’t, could I? with the mandatory rain dance and the nipping of particulars how was I supposed to shut the door! Result – cloud in tent, damp wet cloud in tent – bollocks! Damp wet quilt in tent……….

A few hours of broken sleep and dawn was here, not a woman but the other one. Fantastic! Grabbed the camera, got set up and started to eagerly snap away.

Got a brew on whilst I let things dry out a bit before anyone started visiting the area then started to pack away. Pack away a damp quilt and a soaking tent, inside and out. Now I estimate I’m carrying about 17Kg! but at least it was down hill back to the truck.

De-kitted, loaded the car and drove through the West Cheviots, back through the MOD areas and onto the A68 home. Fantastic couple of days and despite the issues with the plans and the cloud, loved it all. That’s what it’s all about -right?