For centuries ferrymen have rowed passengers across Lake Windermere, between Ferry Nab and Sawrey. This 500m crossing saves miles on the journey from Windermere to Hawkshead and beyond.
The wooded heights on the west bank of the lake are known as Claife Heights and legend has it that in the 15th century this was home to the Claife Crier.
One dark and stormy evening a voice called out into the night, “Boat, boat!” A ferryman responded to the call and rowed off in the direction of Claife Heights to collect his passenger. However he returned with an empty boat. The terrified ferryman was struck dumb with fear and a few days later he died of fever.
What had happened? Who had he met? Was this the Claife Crier?
Reputedly the Claife Crier was the ghost of a monk from Furness Abbey who lived in the Middle Ages and was tormented because he loved a lady he could never marry due to his monastic vows. In turmoil he retreated to the Heights of Claife to die of grief.
Claife Crier
His dark and mysterious spirit lived on and the local people asked a neighbouring monk who lived on one of the small Windermere islands to exorcise the ghost. On Christmas Day he took a bell and a bible across the lake and confined the ghost to the quarry and woods “until men should walk dryshod across the lake”.
However, even today there are stories of walkers being followed at dusk by a hooded figure on Claife Heights. Among them is one involving a schoolmaster from Colthouse who, late at night, left home to pass by the quarry and was never seen again.
Tasting Notes
A rich smooth and creamy traditional stout at 5% Abv with a much more gentle roast barley edge than many Irish brews.