Ambling...with added children - February 2015

Well, it happened sooner rather than later: the boys accompanied* John, Usko and I on this walk. (* for accompanied read *wailed/complained about pains/hiccups/hunger/needed the toilet/asked the time literally every five minutes - and when I say literally, that's the proper meaning, not the wrong one bandied all over the media and in teenage speak these days).  You get the picture. I think in future children will be limited to one at a time on such walks, and then they are less likely to be throttled, and my pulse rate will stay at the serene level it should be in the Lake District.

Anyhow.  We did something a little different this time: we saw four lakes, three of which we walked alongside, at varying heights. I had planned to go all the way around Loughrigg Tarn, but with the youngest boy only just recovered from a wailfest entitled "I want my Saaaanndddwwiiiiiiiccchh" I decided we had perhaps best just walk along one side instead.

The walk was about 7 miles (11km) in its entirety, and started and finished in Ambleside, which is where we were staying (with my wonderfully kind and slightly bonkers in-laws).  We did the walk on Saturday 21st February, as the weather forecast was rain on Sunday... as it turned out to properly snow on Sunday (...honest, it settled and everything), I was glad we'd chosen to do the walk the day before. We had lovely crisp sunshine, and only a few tiny drops of sleet when we arrived at Costa for our drinks and cake (which, yes, had been used as a bribe most of the way around Loughrigg).

A couple of positives stick in the mind: a Hercules (of the aeroplane variety) flew about 150 feet overhead, momentarily breaking the peaceful babbling of the water over the stepping stones. It had a very low rumbling sound, and I must admit to being a bit excited when it came into view, although coupled with panic at the thought it was so low to the ground, it must be about to crash into the mountainside. (I blame Lost.)

The other positive was John, my wonderful man, who sequentially removed boys from my company when he could see I was ready to blow a gasket.  They all produced some wonderful behaviour and brilliant moments (at different times through the day!), and I put this down to the time and energy John invested in them, much of which I believe was talking about 'favourite Lord of the Rings/Hobbit' quotes, with which I wouldn't have been able to join in anyway... unless you include 'The End', which I think may have been frowned upon.

So, I'll talk you through the walk with pictures... those of you who were so complimentary about the photos last time need to be warned that this time I have worked some magic on the computer, and removed Usko's lead: there's no way we could let go of him when there were all those sheep around, bless him.

Our route: walk number 9 from my recently acquired book

Crossing the River Rothay (one time Usko *didn't* jump up to peep over the wall)

We were soon greeted with jaw-dropping scenery

Snow-capped mountains were all the rage this walk

And sheep were everywhere... to Usko's delight and torture

The afore-mentioned Stepping Stones.

Our first lake sighting: Rydal Water

First pit-stop of the day

Saw a tree stump, felt duty bound to get my dog to sit atop it

The Lakes are brilliant for not needing to take any water for your dog to drink!

Rydal has caves... a big hit

Pit stop number 2

Sunshine on the snow making the mountains glow

The last glimpses of Rydal water

Moving a bit further along the river we met Grasmere

And on to Loughrigg Tarn

Pit Stop number 3, or possibly 4, where we ate lunch

Did I mention sheep? Fortunately these were behind a wall, and Usko was oblivious

Pit Stop number 573

And our fourth lake viewing, this time of Windermere

(No children were actually harmed during the walk.  Though a couple of them may claim otherwise)

A surreal and sublime day at Derwent Water - February 2015

We did it! Managed our first walk: it was around Derwent Water; John, Usko and I went on Sunday 8th February.

We parked midway between Portinscale and Keswick, and walked clockwise around the lake.  The weather promised to contain sunny spells in the morning, and then would cloud over in the afternoon. But fortunately for us, we were only chased by a cloud for half an hour before it went away, and we finished the walk in gorgeous sunshine, the same as we had started.

View from the car, ready to start our walk

There was always some sort of mist or fog overlying part of the lake, and that made for a really ethereal atmosphere.

And it was cold. Really very cold.  The edges of the lake were frozen, and the glass-like appearance of the surface of the water was stunning.

In fact I felt like I was walking through a novel.  I saw tendrils of mist creeping their way across the lake.

I saw snow-capped mountains majestically rising out of the low-lying cloud.













I saw a sky so blue it defied words. And looking-glass reflections on a tranquil lake's surface which were truly breath-taking.

Along side these memories, I also carry some others to contrast the serenity of the story-book setting. 

 The church bells were ringing as we set off through Keswick.  Unfortunately, rather than adding to the joyously expectant Sunday morning mood, the sound was very atonal to my dodgy right-eared tinnitus. However my darling husband chose to talk over the pealing, by regaling me with everything he knew about campanology (which turned out to be quite a lot). *yawns*. Apparently he went bell-ringing with his girlfriend when he was 17. He must have really liked her, or really liked bell-ringing, because he learnt enough to talk at me about it for a good 10 minutes, 25 years after the event.

I will also remember that as we came past the Lodore falls, with their signs referencing the Psalms,

we then walked past the back of the hotel, and right next to the group of women quaffing their champagne in the hotel Spa's hot tub. When I say right next to, I mean I could have reached over and grabbed a swig of bubbly for myself. (Come to think of it, maybe next time....) Instead, I smiled sheepishly, hoping they didn't have too many other walkers spoiling the view.

Then there was the very surreal moment when we stopped for lunch.  There was a group of Jewish teenage boys, all wearing long black overcoats and in an array of hats of various heights.
 

They were a bit further up the lake edge, skimming stones across the ice to make a bizarre fizzing sound (almost light sabre-esque). Then the stones became progressively bigger and were being thrown in to break the ice, causing shock waves and more bizarre delayed cracking sounds.  I did wonder how far this phenomenon would go, as it got to the stage where two of the boys tried to lift a huge rock between them and lug it towards the shore, but it proved too heavy and the plan was abandoned.  It occurred to me that I might perhaps have viewed them with less interest and with more disdain if they had been dressed in hoodies and tracky bottoms.  Much to my shame.

When we were walking along, we crossed the same group of boys.  John and I both thought of saying "shalom", but then thought it might have come across a bit 'Friday Night Dinners' and so we just returned the "hello" they offered us.  Then we went our way, and they went theirs. As I heard them talking I realised it was the first time in my life I'd heard Yiddish used fully, and it was fascinating to listen to.  Even more fascinating when we realised we understood the topic of conversation! Luckily for us, the Yiddish for 'Nazi Zombies' appears to be 'Nazi Zombies'. Who knew?!

Mention must also be made of our stop at "The Chalet" in Portinscale for a cream tea.

  

People have said that my scone is the size of my head; which I think is a bit cruel.  It's all just the forced perspective, honest ;-)  It was delicious, and John and I were both more than a bit creaky when we stood up to finish our walk.  Usko rested very well that evening too.

I will leave the words there (well, most of them), and finish with more photos (in the order in which they were taken) - as they say "a picture paints a thousand words".  I'm sure you'll understand quite why John and I struggled to stop taking pictures... the scenery was truly ineffable. (Never thought I'd have the chance to use that word, but I have. Bonus!)

Top of the lake. Did I mention it was cold?!

First view of Derwent Water

View from Friar's Crag

which was obviously a significant place to Ruskin 

Spot the robin 

South end of the lake

Nichol End Marine