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 ;-)

Snow fall

We woke up to 3" of snow this morning and by mid morning, there were 4. The snow brought with it a new visitor. We've only once seen a Reed Bunting in the garden in the past, but all day today he has been making the most of a free lunch

Hopegill Head and Ladyside Pike

Finally we are on the fells again. Nothing too taxing, we are definitely not fell fit!

Someone wants to be off

Walking up Hope Gill, the forecast is for the low cloud to clear by about midday, let's hope it does!

Breeze is very happy to be here

We were in and out of the cloud a bit as we got higher, but basically it was gradually clearing ahead of us. When you're walking up a lovely gill like this, it doesn't actually matter if there is cloud about, the beck keeps your attention anyway

Speedy Breeze

Smiling Breeze

How many sheep can you see?

Looking back down towards Swinside where we are parked. The car is out of view 

Me and my Dad

It was very windy on top but just as promised the cloud was beginning to clear. We sat in the lea of a wall between Hopegill Head and Ladyside Pike and had our bite to eat.

Breeze has learnt how to take a selfie

Ladyside Pike ahead

Windy up here

But we walk back down to the Swinside road in lovely warm sunshine

A really lovely walk for three not very fit fell walkers! Just a bit over 5 miles and the Fell Forecasters had the weather spot on today.

Tree Creeper

One of our infrequent visitors, unusually it was still long enough for me to get the camera. A tree Creeper.

A very varied day!

We have a lovely life up here, but very few days show the extremes of it quite like today.

I was riding out first thing (nothing unusual about that) and to say the least it is a bit wet up the gallops. Not sure who got more mucky, me or Mary? we both needed hosing down when we got back to the yard!

Then this evening it was all change. A very rare occurrence, me in a frock and Husband in his Black Tie. Off to the Roundthorn for a night of fun and dancing with pals.

A Gowbarrow Wander

Time seems in short supply at the moment. This week it's a combination of frantic social life, coupled with lots of riding out, so no complaints there! A beautiful morning tempted us to spend just a couple of hours on nearby Gowbarrow.

We woudln't have walked more than about 2.5 miles, Breeze as usual will have done about 10 times that! It was good to be out on the fells, even if it is only a little one!

Having a blast on Coomb Heights

Breeze is in need of a dose of fells but we are short on time. Life seems to be getting in the way quite a bit just lately so fell walks are not really happening. We head to our most regular haunt - Mosedale. inspired by a friend who had done a proper walk down here recently, we decided to head up the font of Coomb Heights for a change.

Yippee

Breeze is full of her usual exuberance. She's glad to be home after a spell down in Lincolnshire

So are we (glad to be home, not full of exuberance!)

Part way up we reach the old chimney from The Wolfram mines below. A deep cut that stretches from the mine straight up the hillside and across the level section here

Breeze and her Dad from a little way down the chimney

"Does my bum look big in this?"

Once we reach Coomb Height we head south to pick up an unfrequented track we often use (does that make any sense?)

HAving a coffee stop on the way to Cocklakes

The infant River Caldew down in the bottom. The Cumbria way runs alongside it and that is the way we will head back to the car

It feels good to be out on the fells, albeit a little, low walk

We will have only walked about 3 miles, but as usual Breeze probably did about 10x that. It is noticeable how quickly our fitness drops off when we're not doing much fell walking. We will need to get ourselves back into it gently when we do find a bit more time to be out in the hill.