Posted by Robert Dilley on December 10, 1996 at 02:36:18:
In Reply to: Finding Swallowdale posted by Harry Miller on October 30, 1996 at 17:21:26:
Using directions provided by Roger Wardale I checked out his Swallowdale in 1988 and was most disappointed. The approach is right (a scramble up a waterfall) but the valley itself is much too shallow on all sides. After talking with Christina Hardyment I checked upper Miterdale. That lacks the approach, but the valley itself is my image of Swallowdale. It is virtually invisible until you are on the edge, the sides are hard to climb, the beck comes over a waterfall and the floor of the valley is flat, grassy and ideal for camping (no cave that I could find).
Miterdale is best accessed from Boot in Eskdale: climb past Burnmoor Tarn and try not to fall over the waterfall.
Given Ransome's delight in manipulating the landscape, it seems not unreasonable to suppose that he took the approach he knew well by Coniston Water, and added Miterdale. I know when I took my children there in 1994, they clamoured to be allowed to camp there! Maybe on our next visit to the UK.