Cawdale

A spur of the moment decision to make the best of a 'better than forecast' day. Not too much time to spare and it's half term, so we head out to do a short walk in a lonely valley........

Haiving parked at Moorahill Farm we head across the slab bridge

Nice and gentle today, we are heading up The Hause (to the left) and then back down Cawdale, the valley seen in the centre here

Most of the country is cold and miserable today, not us!

Hot Dog

Anyone seen Breeze?

Oh, there she is!!

We headed down to Cawdale Beck and made our own route following the Beck. Not something to do in wet conditions but no problem today

Lots of beautiful clear pools and mini waterfalls along the way

A bit of photo bombing 

The Old Quarry comes into view

There has been a fair landslip here (like so many other places last winter) and this old quarry area looks completely different from our last visit last August

Time for lunch, with a view

Family Portrait

Me and My Dad

After lunch it's just a case of heading down the valley back to the car

You can tell it's half term the roads are mayhem

We only walked just over 4.5 miles, but we didn't rush and lingered over lunch in the sun. All that time in the fells during half term and how many people did we see? Absolutely None. Just the way we like it!

Touristing

For a complete change, we've been touristing. it's a long story as to why, which I might share someday, but anyway - we found ourselves in Barrow in Furness. First we went to the Dock Museum which had been recommended by our mate Nick. If you are ever in Barrow in Furness, then this place is a must. Free entry and it is amazing!

Life size replicas of shipw built by Vickers Armstrong

The history of the Nuclear Submarines and much much more

After a good look round and lunch with a view, we headed across the bridge to Walney Island. Home to two Nature reserves, we were visiting the southern one, run by Cumbria Wildlife Trust

We saw hundreds of Eider Ducks (Male on the left, female on the right)

Oyster catchers were also in huge numbers

But the highlight of the day for me was an hour and a half watching seals. 

Thanks to the CWT ranger who came into the hide we were in to count Eider Ducks (some task), for pointing out these Sandwich Terns. They had been bombing us on our walk to the hide so presumably had nests nearby.

An Evening in the Foothills of High Pike!

We keep saying we should get and do some walks in the evening. The light is beautiful and the fells are quiet. Finally we decided to do it tonight and the ****** forecasters got it all wrong. We didn't get a clear enoguh evening to get the best of the light. But we went for a short walk anyway

Breeze couldn't care less what the light is like, she just wants to RUN

We had parked by The Splash on Carrock Beck and headed onto the slopes of High Pike. This is where Breeze did all her fell training and she seems happy enough to be back!

The sheep are all settling for the evening, Breeze is absolutely grand with sheep, but we kept her close around them so she didn't scatter them this late in the day

I know, I can't help myself, she's so photogenic!

Here I go again

Little Mell and the Ullswater Fells as we head back to the car.

We'd walked about 3.5 miles and not seen a soul. Not the light or weather we had expected, but a lovely way to spend an evening all the same

Seaside again, but no Fish and Chips

As promised, it's another trip to the seaside for one lucky spaniel. This time Dad's stopping at home, but Aunty Jay and Moll Doll are coming along too.

It took Molly about 5 minutes to get her bearings

And then she ran like a whippet!

Quick shake

and back into the water

Best friends

Having a ball

Too late for Fish and chips today, so we have to make do with Ice cream instead

Not exactly a hardship when they come from here though!