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Another group of photos from the past week

but now the weather has turned and heavy rain and flood forecasts are the concern.

The rain doesn't stop the vintage cars though.  

Ian and Nicky are up too and a local walk would suit their requirements quite happily in this sort of weather.

Another few shots of the garden, not for the autumnal colours this time

but for the visitors we've had in this last few days.

After a long absence we seem to be having a more regular visit from a red squirrel.

We have also seen a grey in the garden so the trap is an attempt to catch the unwanted visitor.

It hasn't worked so far !

Still this fella is enjoying his breakfast.

By flipping up the lid with his nose he can get at the nuts inside

I've taken the trap down as the grey wouldn't be caught (we'll try other tactics) and the red was being deprived of his favourite hazel nuts.

They both looked in really good condition and they both stayed for a while in the garden.

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During the week it had rained heavily.  This is the first time I have seen the 'pipe bridge' at Maggie's Bridge car park

overwhelmed by water.   Still Harry didn't mind as he walked straight through.

The residents of Watergate said it had been higher.

[ The mobile is not as good on poor weather close-ups it seems ]

More red field mushrooms . . . but not suitable for collection I imagine.

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When Jo was up at the weekend we thought to walk up at Honister

but the weather was still unpleasant to say the least . . .

It didn't seem to bother the vintage car owners that had gathered in Cumbria this weekend

for their annual Vintage Sports-Car Club Lakeland Trial.

They have several 'special sections' of road locally where they pit their wits and their machines against the elements.

There were certainly plenty of those elements around today !

One competitor getting ready to start his hill climb trial.

Having completed their run, the driver and passengers were inside the shop,

probably buying some lunch or a hot soup to try to warm up again.

Due to the combined rain and wind we decided on a walk down in Buttermere Valley, a little more protected from the elements.

We passed these guys who had just completed a short off road section on the old track in the trees near Wood House.

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On Wednesday of the following week Ian and Nicky were over and fortunately for them the weather was kinder.

We enjoyed a low level walk from Cinderdale alongside Crummock water and back to the house.

Their dog Baz is just a little older than Dylan and the two dogs had a whale of a time playing with each other.

Harry, the elder statesman, was quietly doing his own thing . . . "Throw us a stick please".

Ian's wellies came to the fore today as the lake level was still up after the weekend

and the beach, which forms part of the lakeside path here, was partially underwater.

Just a few autumnal colours left . . . but in this rather grey light they didn't stand out particularly well.

The sunshine nicely illuminates the next approaching shower

blowing round the northern corner of Mellbreak and obscuring the Loweswater fells behind.

Fortunately it didn't obscure us

and by the time we reached the boathouse the worst of the shower had passed us by.

The recent high winds and high water has left an extremely large line of debris washed up on the beach.

A lot of the fallen leaves and sticks, even small tree trunks, had floated down the lake and ended up here.

The water has dropped a foot in the last few days.    During the heavy rains the water was flowing over the entire length of the weir behind Baz.

He couldn't have walked where he's walking now.

The bridge is still surrounded by water.

Even if you could jump over to it, the island path between here and the other bridge is completely under water.

With the slight protection of the other trees some of the leaves, especially on the beech trees, are clinging on and adding colour

to an otherwise damp and increasingly open forest walk.

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Recently we had a dinner appointment with friends Sophie and Chris, distant neighbours and friend of ours here in Loweswater.

We're all dressed up in posh gear (it can be done) for an evening at Quince and Medlar

They both qualified for hand-scripted, chocolate-written, dessert plates on this lovely evening out.

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