Walking With Injuns - Part Two

We enjoyed our inaugural Walk with Indians back in October and after a chance meeting with Joan over a glass of Prosecco on Monday (Morning!), we decided to have another go today. The forecast was not good and it's Christmas week so time is fast running out - so under the circumstances we opted to meet at Brumston Bridge for a short walk ove Sale Fell

Not a day for many photos and certainly not a day for views. We are heading up into the cloud and we are still at a lower altitude than our house! That's Kelswick farm on our right

Proof that it wasn't just Breeze and I! Joan smiles as Husband has his usual cheery photo pose on!

We are on our way down now, but there didn't seem much point in showing a load of photos of a spaniel running around in fog!

Wythop Church beyond the seat (without a spaniel on it for a change)

A rare smile for the camera (smiles aren't that rare - just when there is a camera about!)

Wythop Sunday School.

A short walk back to the car from here to complete about 3.745 miles and then we headed over to Joan's for a cuppa and some lovely Teabread before heading out to Cockermouth to The Spice Club for a lovely meal. Looking forward to the next time Joan!

Walking with Carol

The boys have gone up to Newcastle this afternoon for one of their regular Falcons pilgrimages. John has gone too, so Carol has come up for the afternoon so that we can have a walk and then the six of us will all have supper together when the boys get back. Another lovely day, but as it's only an afternoon stroll we pick a nice easy path to walk and chat.

Parking at the Sanatorium we head along the Balcony path.

 Lonscale Crags are on our left - that's where we were last Thursday in the snow

Breeze reaches the corner at the same time as our shadows! You can just spot Molly making her way onto the edge of the picture. She's on the lead so unfortunately misses out on pretty much all of the photos.

We pause at Roughton Gill but Carol is a reluctant model, apparently she's not photogenic

I beg to differ - I think it's a lovely picture of you Carol!

Just past the Gill we sit and have a warm drink, soaking in the sunshine

Before turning back into the afternoon sun

And heading back the way we came. Derwentwater reflects the bright sunlight

Tired Mucky Spaniel, She's had lots of rushes to hunt through this afternoon - her favourite hunting ground. A very rare picture of her walking - she's getting low on energy. If we hadn't been nearly back to the car it would have been time to reach for the emergency Pemmican

Long shadows

And at last proof that Molly is with us

We walked about 3.5 miles. Saw lots of cyclists - there was an orienteering competition going on that had started and finished at St John's, involving running and cycling - and we'd talked the hind legs of a Donkey - and nearly a Spaniel too by the look of her!

Weasel!

We know we have a stoat living on our patch. I saw one in the front garden last week - very pale, turning Ermine. We had a lovely visit from it's cousin this afternoon - and this time the camera was handy. Not the best picture in the word, but a lovely little video to follow!

Lonscale Fell

We're in for a treat today! Clear blue skies and sunshine. Lots to get done as we're off Down South in the morning so something shortish and localish. We head up to the Cheats Car park on Latrigg and then walk in the opposite direction to everyone else!

As we set off the Western Fells are looking splendid in their winter coat. We had planned to head up Lonscale but the hordes were already heading to Skiddaw and as the path is the same initially, we had changed our minds and dropped down onto the balcony path.

Zooming in on Grisedale Pike, we are looking back here and the path we had dropped onto is visible across the green bank

Looking back again. At this point we were thinking of just sticking to the Balcony path and avoiding everyone else, but it seemed such a shame not to get a bit higher on such a fab day. 

So we headed up the fence line above Lonscale Crags

Above the snow line. Thirlmere catches the sun in the background

St John  in The Vale

Perfect conditions

A family portrait as we near the top

Lonscale crags summit, with a section of ice someone has removed from the fence and carried to the cairn

Heading over the fence to the proper top

Snowy Skiddaw

The drifts were pretty deep in places

We head down back towards the car on fresh, untrodden snow

As deep as the fence in places - making it easy for Breeze to cross - she is not quite so likely to sink up to her thighs as we are!

Proper family shot this time!

Until re joined the mains Skiddaw track we had hardly seen a soul. That quickly changed as we passed hoards of folk heading up there. Each to their own, but I know which route I'd rather be doing!

Just over 4.6 miles and back to the car for lunch!

Winter Wildlife visitor

For the first time this winter (to our knowledge) we have had a visiting Brambling at the feeders this morning. I hope he continues to visit, they are lovely little birds.

Proving a point on Bowscale, Bannerdale and Souther Fell

Sudden change of plan today. We were due to take the car for some minor bodywork (that's another story!) but the body parts folk rand to say the courtesy car hadn't been returned. So that's buggered this weeks plans up! Other jobs needed doing today, not least plucking and cleaning the goose I am planning to cook tomorrow night, but this morning looked too good to miss, especially with a crap forecast for the rest of the week, so we set off with just the intention of doing a short walk.

The Boys came to greet me as I fed the birds this morning

We set off from Mungrisedale with only half a plan of where we were going

This area is still showing many scars from Storm Desmond last December

The bridge has managed to stay precariously wedged so far

We are heading up the side of The Tongue

Family Portrait

When we reach the top we decide not to bother with the summit of Bowscale Fell - after all as I keep on saying, it is only the highest point and in that particular case not a particularly inspiring point either

We made our way around the top of Bannerdale Crags, once again without visiting the actual summit. That's Great Calva and Skiddaw on the left

Heading down the Glenderamacking we stop at the sheepfold for a bite to eat. 

Once we reached Mousethwaite bridge ( or more accurately plank as the bridge is still missing following Desmond) we decide to head up and over Souther Fell

Heading down from Souther (you guessed it, we didn't visit the summit) towards Mungrisedale

Nearly back to the village

 We have walked about 7 miles without visiting a single summit and without seeing a single person either. To us, that is the epitome of a good day on the fells!

Just to round the walk off nicely, we spotted this little chap on the verge as we drove into our own little village.