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Mark and Gill are over in Loweswater again and have requested to walk these two fells

in order to complete two more of Mark's total of 214 fells. 

Gill's daughter and son in law come over in order to enjoy the walk too.

Roll Call . . . Alex, Mark, Ann, Gill and Christina . . . in the village of Thackthwaite.

No you're not seeing double . . . there is a Harry look-alike here . . . it's Mark and Gill's retriever Neeni.

Up the lane from Thackthwaite, passing the weather vane at the top of the one of the local gardens.

Mountain Ash . . . the orange variety we know as Joseph Rock.

Gill and Ann  walking up the first of the fields between the lane and the fell gate.

" Neighbours "

The summer skies are not entirely clear . . . with the wind blowing the clouds across the high fells.

Ann points out the local fells and landmarks.

" The field over there will be the site of  The Loweswater Show on Sept 6th."

Rather than take the steep direct climb of Fellbarrow

we decide to dive off to the right and climb the skyline from right to left.

The bracken is quite high and will prove a bit of a problem !

We continue on a little further, picking up the track towards Broadmoor Hill.

The views back are opening out as we climb higher up the fell, but be warned the going is rough at this time of year.

Looking across to Grisedale Pike, Ladyside and Hopegill Head.

Climbing up . . . leaving Broadmoor Hill below us.

To the north the track from the Whin Fell Road to the old Hatteringill Farm winds its way across the fields.

The farm has fallen into ruin many, many years ago . . . and just the ruins can be seen above the sheep and behind the left-most hawthorn tree.

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Christina had a slight problem and decided to turn back rather than risk the remainder of the climb to the summit.

Alex escorted her back down, so that left the four of us to complete the walk to Fellbarrow summit.

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Looking north from Fellbarrow Trig.

Celebrating another successful Wainwright top for Mark . . .

by breaking open the sandwich box and handing out the soft drinks . . . the bubbly can wait till the last one !

The ladies making their way down the other side towards the slightly rickety stile.

Still there was one bonus . . . it has a dog-gate on a swinging hinge so no need to pick them up and pass them over the railings.

There was a small herd of belted Galloway cattle on Smithy Fell but no problem as they were the other side of the fence.

What surprised us was the speed they literally ran down the hill behind . . . such large animals to be moving so fast on such steep terrain.

It's that 'view over the top' moment as we reach the eastern edge of Low Fell

and regain the view down to Crummock Water.

From another stile we look back at Watching Crag and the Lorton Valley far below.

This stile is difficult as all three dogs failed to get through.  The wire obstruction across the lower part of the dog gate

meant it was not large enough for them, even when the wooden board was fully raised. This really needs attention.

Low Fell and summit number two of the day for Mark.

With Christina safely down, Alex had climbed up Low Fell using the Thackthwaite track, and caught us up in time for a summit photo.

All five of us and three dogs . . . achieved without the use of mirrors, tripod or any other fellwalker in the area.

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How did I managed this photo ?           Answers on a postcard please.

Answers on the back of a ten pound note will qualify visitors to Loweswater or Keswick a free 2016 Loweswatercam Calendar !

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Low Fell is high enough to support several reasonable patches of heather as well as the moorland grass.

This year the colours of the heather are turning out to be particularly good.

Gill takes the lead . . . on the last section to the southern top of Low Fell.

Sitting at the distant cairn there's either someone in white or a really large sheep.

It turned out that the white "sheep" was in fact one of the two ponies that graze out here on the open fell.   We often see them low down and next to the Pine Tree when we are looking out from home.   We didn't expect to see them up here . . . but why not !   It's a reasonable living. Acres of free food, great views, a whole range of weather to chose from plenty of visitors to talk to and who knows . . . the odd dog biscuit if you are lucky.

South Top and the second pony.

They are remarkably sociable.

Sorry, no dog treats left and no left-overs from lunch either.

The view down to Loweswater as the sunbeam strikes the lake.

'Told you it would be nice to be a horse some days . . . I hope they have a mind to enjoy it too.

All this talking to the locals and talking pictures has delayed me somewhat.

The others have already walked down to the viewpoint cairn.

Zooming in on the lakes and the fells at the head of the Buttermere Valley.

Alex is dressed in red again as the wind is reasonably strong and cooling at this end of the fell.

Dylan checks out the truth about the lack of dog treats.

We have been followed . . .

" Eye to eye "

There's only one way back and that is down.

I tried for three dogs on the rock but Neeni didn't see the point of sitting still long enough.

It was hard enough getting our two to sit for a moment.

A colourful summer where it is allowed to thrive.

Round the base of Low Fell to visit the pine tree.

Grasmoor from the tree.

During the course of our discussions we remember that we had seen Alex before.

He remembers us and when we met back then on a Pillar Fell walk, he had said that his Dad regularly views our site.

It turns out that his Dad is Mark of course, whom we met up with through our website in the last year or so . . . it's a small world.

Back at the cottage at the end of another good local walk . . . pity about the heavy-going climbing Fellbarrow.

" Come Dine With Me "

Mark takes a night off from cooking for the TV and enjoys tonight's celebration at the Kirkstile.

He came second on his big night . . . He was robbed of victory by one point . . . the best man came second.

Cheers.

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