Date & Time: 3rd / 4th January 2008.

Location of Start : The red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited : Scale Hill - Lanthwaite Hill, Whinlatter, Derwent Water Boat Landings and the Mosser Road above Loweswater Lake.

Walk details : Local walks, each of an hour or so.

Walked with : Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Cold, rather grey and naturally, snowy. It turned mild and damp later that second night.

Winter Holly - the birds seem to have missed this last red berry

A blast of cold air from the continent meeting some Atlantic weather brought a significant, if rather short lasting snowfall to parts of the the Uk.

It gave us a cold midday walk on the Friday.

The snow made Saturday's drive to work was even more interesting and picturesque than usual.

The hamlet of Loweswater from Scale Hill - a light dusting of snow covers the Loweswater Fells behind.

Mellbreak looking rather cold as Ann leaves the top.

The high fells look cold and uninviting in this rather gloomy weather.

Great Gable is just visible at the head of Buttermere Valley.

Imposing Grasmoor beyond Lanthwaite Green Farm.

The subsequent flash photo picked out the fact that it is snowing gently. Later that evening, under the cover of darkness it started to snow more heavily.   Next day was a working day !

The fields were not particularly covered but there was significant snow on Rannerdale Knotts.

Lorton Village roads were clear but the snow on Hopegill Head implied Whinlatter Pass would not necessarily be open.

So far so good . . . I met the snow as I topped the steep hill above Scawgill Bridge half way up the valley.

There was two or three inches of snow as I reached the top near the Whinlatter Visitor's Centre.

Slippery but not bad on the road, even for the front wheel drive Peugeot.

(Ann needed the 4wd for her Keswick trip later)

Picturesque - just needs a drop in temperature and some winter sun and it would be even better.

Mustn't linger - work is waiting and I've got to get down the other side !

The road is slushy by the time I reach the steep part of the hill and the tight bend.

A last shot from the viewpoint overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake.

- - - o o o - - -

Lunchtime I had the chance of a quick visit to the Boat Landings at Keswick.

A low level bird's eye view of Causey Pike.

Did someone say sandwiches ? . . . a Pink Footed Goose with it's Canadian escort fly in.

A close up of Causey Pike, the jetty and the seagulls.

Catbells and Maiden Moor.

Derwent Isle and a wider mountain panorama from the roadway.

Skiddaw - you couldn't see it from Fisher's webcam either !

- - - o o o - - -

Meanwhile back in Loweswater . . .

Ann walked the dogs along the Mosser Road track.

The Loweswater Fells are covered in a lot more snow this morning.

Mellbreak with Red Pike in the background	Holme Force in the woods across Loweswater

The snow was great but the forecast was poor . . . so the prospects of it lasting were not good.

By the following day it had virtually gone !

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with my Canon G7 and Ann's Ixus75 digital cameras.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . a drop of the white stuff.

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