‘Tommy’ Lake District Location

Jim Mills confirmed with locals that the location where Tommy climbed to reach the spot where he was conceived, was certainly Haystacks. Charlotte Rose subsequently climbed to the very location so it seemed appropriate to seek from her more detail as to the spot and perhaps her route there. This she has kindly done for us with the aid Ordnance Survey Map extracts for which we acknowledge their © Crown Copyright with thanks.

OS Map extract showing Buttermere as the nearest water to the film location marked.
OS Map extract showing Buttermere as the nearest water to the film location marked.
Screen capture showing Tommy between two sheer rock faces and Buttermere beyond.
Screen capture showing Tommy between two sheer rock faces and Buttermere beyond.

This is the gully at the west side of Green Crag, (with Black Beck running down gully from Blackbeck Tarn).  My shot was taken just a bit further up from where he is standing here.

A detail of the location just by Green Crag on the east end of Haystacks.
A detail of the location just by Green Crag on the east end of Haystacks.  

I must tell you, we were pondering how Roger and crew got to this particular spot on our way up, it was turning into quite a serious hike around halfway!  We’d started on a very good path from Gatesgarth, running up by Warnscale Beck, then (having studied the film shots), realised we would have to leave the path to get to the right place. I never stick to paths all of the time anyway, so was unfazed. That soon changed!  What started as a gentle scramble soon evolved into more of a climb –  up steep rock and heather, next reaching a huge drop so having to climb around 10ft into a gully, finally ascending a very steep chimney!  The lengths you go to!!!  Needless to say, I can be pretty certain the film crew would have approached from the top;  turns out the location was much closer to the summit than we originally thought!  (Possibly from Honister Slate Mine on Honister Pass – there’s dismantled rail tracks and good tracks in this area;  so 50 odd years ago there was likely vehicular access to almost the spot, I reckon – that would have made it less of a trek!)
Probably worth noting Haystacks is now one of the most popular and walked fells, not only due to the beauty of the Buttermere Valley and views of the much larger fells surrounding, but also because it was Alfred Wainwright’s favourite fell;  his ashes are scattered on the shores of Inominate Tarn.  It is a lovely spot!

We are indeed grateful to Charlotte for undertaking such a tortuous treck for the benefit of Reelstreets.