History Trip to Gummers How - September 2015

In 1961 my Mum went up Gummers How and took a couple of snaps, and put them in an album. One of them (scrumpled, I know) is above.

On a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon (27th to be precise), I decided not to waste the weather; which is how John and boys 2-fur came to be bundled in to the car and rushed up to the Lakes. Boy 1 had departed for a history trip very early that morning, and was somewhere in Krakow, so he wasn't available for babysitting duties, or a quick stroll up a hill.  So I thought I would go somewhere near (it's only an hour away as it is the southern end of the Lakes) and with not far to walk (half a mile) and somewhere to eat (it's near a National Trust property:... in the back of the net!)

We decided to do the feeding first, and let the boys run off some steam at Fell Foot Park.

The lunch was delicious, but remains un-photographed on account of it being magnetic to wasps.

We had a short walk along the lakeside, and back through the gardens to the car.  It was stunning, but with it being a balmy Sunday afternoon, lots of people were around messing up the view enjoying the scenery too.

View north up Windermere

and south, towards the River Leven

lots of folks on boats today

The steam train went past!

We then set off for Gummers How, which is just up a road called 'Fell Foot Brow', so you get an idea of how close it is.  Following the instructions in my very wonderful 'how to photograph the lake district' book, we parked up and started our climb.  

Spelt with an 'e' here, as in my Mum's photo album, but nowhere else I could find.

Gate photo: it's been a while since I published one of these

we saw quite a few of these, which are a breed specifically introduced on to this land

This one had a ring on the end of its nose, so I didn't stop long to capture a photo

Rock scrambling was involved, which is not my forte, but the boys loved it. Boy 3 galloped off in true mountain goat style, so that we couldn't see or hear him.  I aged a few years in that 5 minutes.  But the views were stunning (what else?) in the evening sun.

A little pit-stop for the benefit of Yours Truly, I am sorry to say

John's stitched photo of Windermere

I tried to replicate Mum's photos as best as I could, but it was more than a little tricky, seeing as the sun was in a different place, and it was so bright and glinting off the water too,  and I couldn't see my phone properly to compare the actual view with snaps of the old photos. 

There I am, peering into my phone and viewfinder, both screens equally obscured by the sun

boys with sticks

view over Windermere to Esthwaite Water

beautiful lichen and heather illuminated in the evening sun

Dog on a rock, with peeping boy.  John's done an amazing job of photo-shopping himself out of this one, but boy3 was too cute to erase.
No I won't show you the original!

So here is how the photos compare: I am very blessed by having a graphic designer husband who can 'un-scrumple' for me; ;-)

It's amazing to see how little has changed in 54 years... mostly only trees being bigger it seems.  It's also wonderful to feel I've seen the same view as my Mum experienced.  It makes me wonder if she enjoyed the balm of the Lakes as much as I do.

Success at Tarn Hows! - August 2015

We decided to try and squeeze in a Lake on Bank Holiday Monday morning, before the forecast rains came.  As it turned out, the rains were replaced with a bit more sunshine, so it was a glorious day throughout.

So Monday 31st August saw John, boy2 and I took Usko to revisit the scene of the crime against him.  However we parked in a different place to last time, and went in a clockwise loop around the tarn (as opposed to anti-clockwise on 'attack day'), and then took a higher path so's we missed out the chunk of path where it happened.  (over cautious, moi?!)

All went really well. Apart from one encounter. Beware, blog-reader, I am about to rant.

3 goldies approached us: two fully grown and one puppy.  All three were off lead.  All three ran up to Usko and the usual sniffing commenced.  Usko coped admirably for a few seconds before snapping.  He lunged at the pup, who yelped and ran away. Usko was on a short lead the whole time, at my side. He then proceeded to bark and bark and bark. As you would expect with a dog on edge because he can't cope with being sniffed at by one dog for very long, let alone 3.  A lady approached (eventually) and looked (a little scornfully) at me and my barking dog. I apologised "I'm sorry, he was attacked by a similar dog last month and he's..." "Oh, they're not mine" she replied, and went on her way, followed by another two people with her.  Eventually another couple got up to where we were. They called the goldies to them, and were roundly ignored, with the puppy jumping up on John who was trying to pour himself a brew.  My main priority at this stage was just letting them get past so that Usko would stop barking. So on they went and eventually peace was restored.

All nasty dogs gone now, we can enjoy our brew

So I wish to make the following plea to dog-owners of the internet: please, never let your dog off lead if they will not return to you, or do your bidding when you tell them to. Especially if your dog is going to go out of your vision and start sniffing another dog without you knowing about it in order to call them off.
If you have a number of dogs who ignore you, then please please do not let them all off lead simultaneously.
If you have a buggy to put your puppy in, then I SUGGEST YOU USE IT.

Right. I shall now calm down. Or try to.  The only other mention I shall give these people is due to the fact that at one picturesque spot they stopped to let the dogs play in the lake.  We waited for a long time for them to move on, but the goldies matched their previous form and went in the opposite direction of where they were told.  So we had to walk past as calmly as possible, and I'm proud to say Usko was amazing. I used lots of distraction and lots of treats, and he went past them without a sound or a lunge. Well done my fluffy boy.

He's so handsome

I was just sad, and more than a little cross that our walk which was supposed to be a positive experience of Tarn Hows for us, was soured by this.  And Usko takes a long time to calm down, so was quite twitchy for the rest of the walk.

However.

There was beautiful weather and beautiful scenery to behold. And I shall let the photos speak for me while I pour myself a glass of something and gain my repose ;-)

We parked alongside the serene Yew Tree Tarn again

close up of duck

Boy Gill at Tom Gill Waterfalls

Dog Gill looking like he owns Tom Gill Waterfalls

...and now a little more friendly in face

the sunlight bounced off the spray in the air in quite a magical fashion

Then we arrived at Tarn Hows. I much prefer it in the sunshine, but then I'm shallow like that.

The heather was such a warm vivid purple but was tricky to capture on 'film'

coins rammed into a tree. Why this has become de rigueur is beyond me

trying out my zoom on a creature going zoom

Boy finds tree to pose in...

...then finds bigger one.

Dog on a rock ;-)

I hope he realises how amazing all this scenery is, and isn't just looking out for small things to chase

The stone upon which he was sat

close up of inscription

view from the high path we took

close up of mountain... I'm rubbish and can't remember which one. 

Can't take the credit for this, all John's work

You can tell I have run out of superlatives to describe the views.  Hope you enjoyed them too. xx

 PS If it helps, we got stuck in traffic on the way home from John's folks (with whom we'd lunched), such is the wisdom of travelling on a Bank Holiday Monday late afternoon. Ooops.