Molly's First Summit

 

 

After two days solid rain we get a touch of frost and a blue sky morning. Jay and I are heading out for a Molly sized walk this afternoon and it seems too good a day not to be going up. We pick Souther Fell.

 

The last two days rain is rushing off the fell. Breeze loves conditions like this

 

 

And we love conditions like this. We head up the steep northern end of Souther

Molly takes it all in her stride

So does Breeze

Heading for the summit



Amazing weather. It's hard to believe that two days could be so different. The Hang gliders are out in force today.

Heading across the top, that's Blencathra at the back

Breeze has a quick dip. Molly's got more sense.

Amazing views today



Then it's back down across the eastern slopes as the sun begins to dip behind the fell

Just over 3 miles and the first summit for Molly. The way she took it all in her stride today, I am sure there will be many more once she is old enough to increase the distance.

Emma and Rosie's visit

It's half term and Emma and Rosie have come up for a couple of days. We plan a trip on Ullswater Steamers, but when we arrive at Glenridding we find that they have cancelled sailings due to the weather. Welcome to Cumbria girls!

 

Never mind, we can do that tomorrow. Instead we head to Threlkeld to visit the mining museum. The tour starts with a trip on a small steam train - in the rain.

 

 

All aboard



Then we head into the mine (that's Mummy on the left with Rosie in the middle and Emma on the right)

There's not much room in here

Listening to the guide telling us all about life in the mines



 

Day Two - lets go on the steamers. To be on the safe side we decide to phone ahead and check that they are planning to sail. They are. That os they were, but by the time we arrived at Pooley bridge they had changed their minds!

 

The water levels everywhere are high, even the ducks are running out of dry ground

One place the torrential rain won't make any difference is Keswick Climbing Wall and luckily Mummy booked the girls in for a lesson this afternoon. So Harness on and off they go

Rosie was off first and up the wall like a true pro

Followed by Emma who was also up the wall in no time, and mastered abseiling down like a true pro as well

Onto the bigger wall

There's no stopping these two

Then into the bouldering area for a bit of free climbing

Such a shame the weather was so awful, but the girls seemed to have some fun and Breeze had lots of tickles and treats. By the time the girls were ready to go home, she was just getting used to having them around!

Autumn in Borrowdale

 Borrowdale is a very special place - very popular and busy in season, but also where I spent all of my childhood holidays. I don't need an excuse to walk here (when the tourist season is drawing to a close), but for a number of reasons we haven't brought Jay walking here yet so we've got one anyway!

 

 

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin................

We had parked in Stonethwaite and crossed Stonethwaite bridge, as we head towards the brilliantly named Willygrass Gill we passed a flock of Herdwick gimmers being gathered.

We climbed the steep stone staircase up to Lingy End, this is probably about half way - looking back down . Anyone who has ever gone up or down these stone steps will remember them forever. There are normally a few years between each of our visits here - any sooner and the memory of how steep and how long they last is too vivid to draw us back!

and up they go. Breeze helps to show how steep they are - not that it bothered her.

Out from the trees and onto more level ground we head across towards Dock Tarn. Not that way Breezey.

Looking back at Dock Tarn. Soon after this photo was taken we saw the first human (if you exclude the shepherd gathering sheep) of the walk. A real achievement up here we thought.

That's where we are heading next - Watendlath (the Tarn and the village)

Heading down to Watendlath

Then it's over Pudding Bank towards Rosthwaite - seen ahead in the valley

We cut behind Hazel Bank just above the intake wall to take us back to Stonethwaite rather than dropping down into Rosthwaite village. Autumn is just a tad further on than it is at home, the colours were stunning.

Just a mere 6 miles today, but those stone steps make it feel quite a bit more!!

The Howk

It's a tough life up here. We're heading off to get our hair cut and Breeze needs a walk, so we thought we'd pop her in the car and take her up to Caldbeck and have a quick walk up there before we get clipped. Caldbeck is a beautiful village and it always feels like a privilege to have our Doctors surgery and hairdressers in such a fabulous place. I guess not many folk walk somewhere like this from the hairdressers!

 

The Howk - or at least the start of it

The Fairy's Kettle. The only Limestone Gorge in the Lake District



The old Bobbin Mill on the banks of Whelpo Beck. Power for the mill came from a waterwheel said to be the largest in the country and second largest in the world, according to some reports,  at 3 feet wide, and a 42 feet diameter.

Breeze lets a bit of steam off as we walk back along Whelpo Beck

A Molly Walk

Molly's been over for a walk again. It's so good to see her enjoying her walks. Her confidence is steadily growing, and whilst we are careful to pick areas that we know are pretty level underfoot, she doesn't really seem too bothered what it's like!

Hayeswater again

Last week when we visited Haweswater to see the low water levels, it got us talking about another reservoir - Hayeswater. This is no longer used as a reservoir and since last May it has been gradually drained and the dam removed to allow it to rewild back to it's original tarn levels. Last time we were there was back in April. You can see what it looked like (in the rain) by clicking here

 

Today was a very different day. Wall to wall sunshine to start with, with the promise of a few showers later. We set off from the car park at Hartsop and followed Pasture beck

 

Looking back, you can just see the roof of a shed in the middle of the picture. That's roughly where the car is. I love this valley and especially it's name - but you've got to read it out loud. Pasture Bottom!

Heading into the sun. Breeze hasn't seen puddles for a while and she's making up for lost time

Looking back at the peacefull Pasture Bottom from Threshthwaite cove

and again from Threshthwaite Mouth

Looking across Grey Crag to the big lump of High Street behind. That's where we are heading, then over The Knott and down to Hayeswater

Hayeswater comes into view - with the level having dropped considerably

From The Straights of Riggindale (where we had lunch last week) we can see over to Haweswater (you need to pay attention here to follow which one I'm talking about - Haweswater or Hayeswater!). The level still looks pretty low despite about 3" of rain over the weekend

All through the walk we could hear Red Deer Stags roaring. It's rutting season. Suddenly Husband spots a few on the flanks of The Knott

The immediately infront of us - Two Stags are squaring up. If you look closely you can spot a few hinds sitting watching on

Then we head down to Hayeswater

What an achievement. The Dam has gone and there is not a sign that it was ever there

We follow Hayeswater Gill back to the car at Hartsop

Passing by the original 'Living Roof'

Just over 8 miles and it stayed dry all the way. A really interesting walk seeing the changes since we were last here - we must try and repeat it again next year and see how Hayeswater is looking by then.