Bewitching Bradford

Saturday 8 October - It's that time of year again, when we usually visit Bradford-on-Avon. This year it was grey and cloudy all day (despite weather forecasts to the contrary) but we made the best of it. We had a lovely ramble around the village visiting some favorite shops and some new ones. Then we had a hearty lunch of welsh rarebit and then some tea and cake. After our massive lunch we took a nice stretch of the legs up to the weavers cottages to admire the varied front gardens and the view of the village. Then it was back on the train and back to Bristol. A very satisfactory autumn outing.

A last walk along Loughrigg tarn

After our walk at Ulswater we drove to Grasmere, where we stocked up on the infamous grasmere gingerbread, a favourite treat which is quite different from American gingerbread. We visited a number of shops including the garden centre. Before leaving the Lake District we wanted to take a final walk and we made a valiant effort to find the start of a walk but were scuppered when we did not have enough change for the car park. We drove part of the walk route and managed to find a free car park and complete the walk in a fragmented form. We walked around Loughrigg tarn, and This may be my favourite water. Despite the grey sky the tarn was beautiful and so well situated in the surrounding fields. The walk also took us through some woods, along a river, past a quarry and a small waterfall. An excellent way to end a wonderful trip.

Along Ulswater

Monday 28 September-Our last day in the Lakes District, we had our last big breakfast and checked out of the B&B then made our way to Ullswater. Although it was a grey day with low clouds and we passed through some rain we had a very nice walk, relatively dry along the edge of Ullswater, rising above the lake to have a nice view and then meandering back to the car park along the lake's shore.

Hawkeshead Ramble

After our Catbells adventure we made an attempt to have lunch at a little cafe in Whinlatter forest only to find it not open on Mondays then we raced to Coniston to try and catch the steam yacht gondola and failed again. There was a bit of an emotional breakdown after this but we pushed on and went to Hawkeshead, home of Beatrix potter where we had a very nice, but unusual walk around the fells outside the town. We parked in Hawkeshead village then made our way through some quaint little villages and up into the fells. This walk took us through some fields, some forest and some storm damaged forests. We saw lots of interesting mushrooms and toadstools on this walk. At the highest point of the walk we were at a top of
latterbarrow fell was a large cairn and a stunning panoramic view of the fells. There was also a view of Windermere lake. We meandered back to Hawkeshead and poked in a few of the shops before heading back to Keswick to get back to Braithwaite in time for our special anniversary dinner at Middle Ruddings, a pub we visited last year on our visit and have been lusting after ever since. We had some Champagne at the B&B and opened presents and then had an excellent meal.

Love in Lakeland

Monday 27 September- Our anniversary, the day started of rather overcast but we did not let that dampen our spirits as we tucked into our full English breakfast. It was even a bit misty by the time we parked the car in Portinscale and started climbing the Catbells. These fells were deceptively steep, and although a tiny bit shorter than the Barrow it was a much more difficult climb. We manged to make it to the Northern summit then pushed on along a ridge of the southern summit. We had a fantastic view of Derwent water and the surrounding Fells. We enjoyed our accomplishment then meandered down to a trail halfway up the slope and followed along the fells and the lake line back to our starting point. As we were getting into the car and heading back to Keswick we saw a number of pheasant, at least 30 frolicking in the fields and along the road.

A Twilight Stroll around Rydal

On our way to Keswick from Coniston we decided to make the most of the short hours left of daylight. We parked in a lot in Rydal and went without a planned walk to Rydal water. We managed to follow a very nice trail which took us partly up a fell side to look down on the lake. It also took us past an interesting cave before looping back down to the waters edge and following the shore to the start of the path.

Nether Wasdale and Wast Water

From Buttermere we took the longer than expected drive to Nether Wasdale near Wast Water. This is a part of the lakes district that we had not visited before, being further west than we had gone last year, we even got glimpses of the sea on our drive. We were welcomed into the village of Nether Wasdale by a herd of sheep, making their way on the main road in the opposite direction. We had to just sit in the car until they swarmed around and past us, a humorous event. We parked the car at the Screes in and started on another walk. It wasn't long until we again encountered sheep and helped a local farmer by opening a gate as his border call and he (on a quad) herded them into a pasture. A little father down the lane the farmer passed us again with another herd of sheep heading to yet another pasture (we saw a lot of sheep on this trip and particularly on this walk). We made our way though more fields, full of sheep, to a small river. We followed the river through woods to Wast Water. This view of Wast Water has been voted the most beautiful view in England. It was certainly quite lovely but it was the variety of views on this walk that made it a favourite: views of the lakes, of pastures of fells and fields, tree lined tractor paths and grassy stone bridge all made up part of the scenery. It was a very satisfying walk. We made our way back to the car and headed back through Hardknott and Wrynose passes (one of the most terrifying experiences in my life as we had to climb a 30% grade comprised of mostly hairpin turns on a road one lane wide with two way traffic). Somehow we survived the passes and made our way to Coniston where we stopped for some postcards before heading North again.

The Beauty of Buttermere

Sunday 26 September- Day two of our lakeland adventure and the morning started a bit overcast. We did have a wonderful, hearty breakfast and we even saw some red squirrells from the breakfast room (at least our hosts claim they were proper red squirrels, they looked a lot like grey ones only a bit orange). After breakfast we made our way to Buttermere. This is a village we merely stopped in on our last trip but I was really struck by its beauty and wanted to spend some more time here. We followed yet another walk from my useful guide book. We saw the impressive Scale Force (waterfall) and then did a circuit around Buttermere lake, We were lucky enough to get some lvoely sunny spells and at one point the water was perfectly smooth creating a mirror like reflection of the surrounding fells. The walk was a gentle one, mostly flat around the lake but had lovely views of the lake and adjoining fields.

Oh Those Lovely Lakes

Saturday 25 September - After a slightly late start leaving Bristol and a gruelling 5 hour drive North Ian and I made it to the wonderful Lakes District. We headed to our lovely B&B, Thwait Howe (where we stayed last year). Unloaded the car then made for the nearest Fell walk we could find. We parked near the neighboring village of Braithwaite in a viewing area with a stunning view of Bassenthwaite Lake. We then followed a walk in the book of short walks that I had bought for the occasion, through the village of Braithwaite and up to Barrow Fell. We had lovely sunny skies for our walk and we were soon quite warm from a steady upward climb. But we were rewarded with amazing views of both Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwent water as well as the surrounding fells. The colour were amazing as the fells were still quite green in places but also swathed in dark orange ferns which was beautiful combined with the blues of the sky and lakes and the remaining purple sprays of heather. As we ended our walk we had a drink in a pub in Braithwaite before heading back to the B&B before driving to Keswick for dinner.