Get out while the sun is shining

Only time for a short walk, our plumber is coming after lunch. This morning is the last chance for some sunshine for a while so we pop over the hill to Mungrisedale and head up one of our everyday dog walking tracks

We are walking up past the reservoir building you can just make out on the right

Smile

It's very hazy but incredibly warm

we carry on up the gill and then we will climb up onto the skyline and Bowscale Fell

Posing at the sheepfold

Cooling down in a plunge pool

And then bounding off again

Furtive look

Climbing up the steep bit means a few pauses to admire the view

Striding towards our way down

We have an extended lunchbreak

In fact it's so warm and peaceful we all have a lie down

Breeze has a cuddle

And then a look across Bannerdale before we head down the side of the Tongue back to Mungrisdale

Just over 5 miles and the haze all but cleared as we reached the top

Sam's Wainwrights

Sam's work have challenged their employees to walk the Wainwrights between them, raising money for the air ambulance as they go. Sam isn't a fell walker (We ride racehorses together - that's how we know each other) but she fancies doing her bit and Breeze and I offer our services as guides.

I suggest Sheffield Pike as a good Fell to break yourself in on, and as no-one else from British Gypsum has claimed it yet, we can add Hart Side in as well, meaning that Sam will be able to put her name on two Wainwrights.

We meet at Glencoyne.

Don't think I've ever been on the fells with anyone in white trousers before! Trust Sam to be different!!

Originally we were going to do this walk on Tuesday, but the forecast of gales and lightening made us postpone it to today. Not my favourite day to be on the fells (Saturday), but I was very happy that we'd had made that decision. Today was looking awesome and we've only just set out.

There are a lot of photos on this walk - this way Sam can easily take copies of any she wants.

Heading into Glencoyne. Sam has brought two of her dogs along, Rum (this one) and Turkey 

And of course Mummies Little Princess is with us

It's getting really warm as we climb steadily up Glencoyne

By now the path was really icy. Little did I know before now, that Sam is terrified of ice. But she gritted her teeth and faced her fears and steadily worked her way up

Sam's fiance Mark was with us too - well in theory - although at this point he was waiting ahead in the sun

With Turkey

Breeze meanwhile was having a ball. I think she had been up Sheffield Pike about 5 times by the time we got through the icy section. But she did come and see if we were OK from time to time

Spaniel coming through

The sun shines out of Breeze's arse you know

As we approached Nick Head, the snow was knee deep and that would remain the theme for the majority of the walk

It doesn't slow Breeze down though

Sheffield Pike Summit

Sam's First Wainwright

Sam proving that white trousers are good camouflage

Rum had never seen deep snow before. From 

Looking back at Sheffield Pike when we stop for some lunch

Lunchtime panarama

Mark spots a group of Red Deer Stags on the slopes of Birkett Fell

Walking over Glencoyne Head. It was hard going, Knee deep often thigh deep. But what amazing conditions

Sam, Turkey, Rum and Breeze on Hart Side, second Wainwright of the day

And again on Birkett Fell, not a Wainwright, but one thrown in for good measure

We followed the wall down to the balcony path

Then made our own way down to the dam (Just seen in the bottom of the valley), That's Sheffield Pike where we were earlier

Mark finds a stone which has been carved into a made to measure seat

From here we retraced our steps back past Seldom Seen cottages to the van.

We had walked roughly 7.5 miles. As an introduction to the Lakeland Fells, I really don't think you could get better.

Knott Rigg and Ard Crags and a Birthday

It's Husband's Birthday today. I doubt he's had many on such a glorious day.

Off we head to Newlands for a shortish walk. We really are not fell fit at the moment so we are picking our walks with that in mind!

We start out up Rigg Beck. It is immediately obvious this is our kind of valley

Quiet and isolated. The only sound is the beck tumbling down alongside us. That's Ard Crags ahead. We will be up there later and although at this point this wasn't the plan, we will walk back along the tree line you can see on the ridge

Gradually it gets steeper so we pause to admire the view, The Eastern fells are showing signs of the snowfall we had yesterday

It's warm and Breeze finds a nice watering hole

It starts to get quite a bit steeper as we approach the watershed between Ard Crags and Sail

Looking back at The Dodds

When we reach the water shed we find a nice sunny spot for lunch! The High Stile Ridge on the far side of Buttermere is the predominant view to the west

Our original plan was to head straight up onto Ard crags and then walk along to Knot Rigg before dropping down to Keskadale and following the road back to the car at Birkrigg. Somewhere round here we decided to change that a bit.

We made our way up the steep slope but instead of going straight to Ard Crags, we went off piste and cut over onto Knott Rigg first

Some of us go up and down hill easier than others!

Once we arrive on Knott Rigg, we do something we normally never do - Turn around! 

Now we head over Ard Crags

And then over Aiken Knott

Time to put the lead on as we get down to the road

And return to the car at the Purple House

A really stunning day. The route up was idyllic. we saw just one fell runner until we reached the ridge between Ard Craggs and Knott Rigg, and then only saw another two couples.
We had only walked a little over 5 miles but that left plenty of time to get ready for this evenings Birthday celebrations - meeting up with a crowd of pals for an Indian. We know how to live you know ;-)