1st August – Styhead Tarn – Richard writes:
An overcast day – we drive to Seathwaite and park – take path up valley and then off to side up wooded ravine – eventually to Styhead Tarn through intermittent showers. Dither about looking for spot to enter the water – the glowering clouds, sombre rock faces surrounding us, and darkness of the water inducing a state of confusion/panic? – finally cross swollen stream with difficulty – get to the northwest side of tarn – find a place to start – feverish haste to change from already wet things into momentarily dry swimming gear – then into the water off a steep rocky shore – the wonderful experience of being received and protected by the water from the threatening day – it could rain heavy now and it would make no difference – swimming across together to a river entry on the far side of the tarn – the familiar motion of water and wind – thoughts come – ‘swimming home’ is the name of the project but where is ‘home’? – not Kendal – have felt no actual house has been a home for ages now – always passing through – ‘in exile’ searching for a way ‘home’ –but suddenly I am ‘at home’ here, now – is ‘home’ being in water then or a state of mind induced by the swim? – if so for me it is an ‘altered state of mind’?! – as we get close to the far edge there is weed and it tangles a little – sprawl on the beach – the clouds lower and the water surface shudders – return to the water and swim back – thought of hot drink, dryish clothes and warming up – on tarn side there is a mad scramble to get clothes on and move – to head down again – all thought of going ‘home’ or going on to Sprinkling Tarn abandoned – just the need to move on and warm up.
