Rain and Shine on the Fjällräven Classic UK
It’s hard to remember how hot the weather was this time last year; after a dismal summer, a mini heatwave arrived at the start of September, just in time for our multi-day hike across the Lake District with Fjällräven. It was a blessing in many ways, the warm late summer sun allowing us to do away with waterproofs, affording lazy outdoor evenings, refreshing swims and time to linger in sunny spots along the trail. Yet, the heat made for punishing climbs and sweaty backs. We were exhausted by the end of the hike.
This year it was going to be different. The forecast was for a decidedly mixed bag, with heavy showers, thunder and strong winds predicted alongside brief periods of sunshine. Waiting for the official start in Great Langdale, along with 300 hundred other hikers from around the world, we wondered whether we had done enough to prepare. We’d practiced putting our tent up as quickly as possible, re-proofed all our gear, packed a few extra bits of clothing just in case. I guess that was as much as we could do. As well a different weather forecast, our nine year old son Benji would be accompanying us the whole way this time; 50kms over three days. We knew he could do it, but we wanted it to be fun and not an arduous battle against the elements for the duration.
Still, for now, it was dry and it looked likely to stay that way until we made it to our first campsite in Borrowdale later that day.
In case you’re not familiar, The Classics are a series of hikes organised by Swedish outdoor company, Fjällräven that take place in several destinations across the globe: Sweden, Denmark, Chile, Korea, Germany, U.S.A and now the UK. It was the Swedish Classic that set us on our path to make adventure and Nature central to our lives many years ago. You can read about that here, if you like.
Just like last year, Fjällräven had invited us to act as Nature guides on the trail - our task to make sure folks took the time to notice Nature along the way which is pretty much our dream job. Although there’s a lot to see in the Lake District, if you know what to look for, it’s hard to talk about the landscape without mentioning the dismal affect farming has had upon the wild inhabitants of the fells and valleys. I wondered what visiting hikers from Sweden, Finland and Germany thought as we spoke of a land bereft of its large carnivores and fells stripped of wildflowers. We did not dwell on the negative though, opting instead to inspire folks to look for hidden treasures and highlighting some easy to find species on the trail with interesting connections: carnivorous sundews; parasitic eyebrights; epiphytic polypody ferns and lichens that festoon the branches of oak trees in the Borrowdale rainforests.
Setting off with nothing but a loaded pack and your wits about you for several days is a liberating experience. It felt good to be finally heading out after what felt like weeks of getting ready. The fact that 300 hundred other hikers were heading out with us didn’t seem to detract from the sense of adventure; the collective sense of excitement a palpable force bristling through the crowd like static energy.
Through the Langdale Valley, passing the towering peaks of the Langdale Pikes, up Stake Pass and down into the Langstrath Valley towards Rosthwaite; Our first day passed easily enough under sunny skies, being warm enough even for a quick swim along the way.
In the night, the first shower came. This is what we were worried about. Not hiking in the rain; we are used to that. But packing up and pitching wet tents each morning and evening can be miserable, and we knew that it could be challenging with Benji. By the time morning came though, the rain had passed. Our tent just needed a little shake and it was pretty much dry when we packed it down.
A storm was due to arrive later in the day so we were up early with the aim of making it to our next campsite in Wasdale before the worst of the weather hit. Heading out of Rosthwaite and through the valley, passing ancient pollard ash trees and hillsides cloaked in Atlantic woodland a fine drizzle filled the air and paths ran like rivers from the previous night’s rain. Still, the weather was not as bad as predicted and we were soon stripping off layers on the steep incline up towards a blustery Styhead Tarn where a checkpoint stocked with tea and scones awaited us.
We reached the highest point of the pass and peered down into the other side of the valley; the weather loomed like a wall of solid grey and we wasted no time in making our way down towards the head of the deepest lake in the land and our campsite for the night. As soon as the tent was up, heavy raindrops pattered on the flysheet and we ducked inside in a hurry. Just in time.
I woke with a start. The soothing sound of rain and wind coupled with the cosy warmth of the tent had sent us all drifting off to sleep for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I never sleep in the day. I was annoyed at myself for succumbing to sleep, but I guess my mind and body must have needed it - besides, we were pretty much stuck in the tent until the morning so at least a snooze passed a little time.
Throughout the night heavy showers and strong winds pummelled the tent but we slept surprisingly well. This was the first time we had tested our new tent in bad weather and thankfully it held up.
By some stroke of good fortune, the rain abated near dawn. We were able to quickly take down the tent and pack our bags again before the next run of showers pushed through, not that it mattered that much now as we were on the last leg of our journey and warm beds and hot showers awaited at the end of the day.
Up high on the moor we watched bands of rain approaching in tattered sheets of white against the dark mountain backdrop. Each band arrived with wet fury and left in a blaze of bright sun, with fat raindrops shining like diamonds as showers faded.
It was actually pretty fun getting blustered about and battered by the rain, watching the showers come and go and hopping from rock to rock to avoid sinking into the bog. We pondered which weather was better, last year’s heatwave or this year’s unsettled mix and honestly I’m not sure which I’d rather have. It was a shame to have to move so fast through the landscape this time; I missed the lazing by rivers and seeking out little moments of connection to the flora and fauna. But on the other hand, wild weather adds dynamism to the landscape and allows us to connect to Nature in a different way. I guess it’s all good if you have the right attitude…
Down in the valley and on the home stretch in Eskdale, the showers faded as we neared the finish line. The last section was tough going; there’s something about knowing how close you are to the end that seems to make it harder. Our packs suddenly felt heavier and our muscles ached as we pushed up the final short but punishingly steep hill. One thing we noted however, was that our feet felt surprisingly good and our legs lighter than normal. This was our first properly long multi-day hike wearing Vivobarefoot shoes; I was a little worried how we’d fare and whether the boots would stand up to the rugged, varied and wet terrain but now I can’t see myself going back to regular heavy hikers anytime soon. Normally at the end of a long hike we look forward to ditching our heavy boots in favour of something softer and lighter, but we were in no rush to take our Vivo boots off, which despite the rain stayed dry throughout. Thank you to Vivo for sending us each a pair of Tracker AT boots to test on this hike!
As the finish line approached, folks who had already completed the trek shouted, cheered and high-fived Benji as we went, giving a welcome burst of energy to our final kilometre or so. This is perhaps our biggest take-away from the whole event: the kindness of strangers and the magical sense of camaraderie of hiking with like-minded people from all over the world. So often on our journey, people stopped to offer words of encouragement to Benji and we met many new faces and made many new friends as we hiked. In a society which we’re led to believe is so divided, it’s comforting to find togetherness and a shared sense of adventure out on the trail.
Finally, three days and 50kms later we crossed the finish line to cheers, hugs and good vibes from friends new and old. It was a proud moment for Benji. And for us too. We have come a long way together, the three of us, choosing to make life an adventure whenever we can, treading not the typical path but one in pursuit of joy and beauty over riches and comfort. Crossing the finish line together as family is marker of how far we have come - this is us, and this is what we do.
We are super grateful for the opportunity to be involved in this event, for all the support from our friends at Fjällräven and the encouragement, kind words and friendship found along the way…