Hiley Website

The forecasts have been threatening snow for some time

but when it arrived again last night it was more like frozen, heavy sleet which covered the houses and fields.

However it has coated the high fells in a white, winter blanket.

Dawn on Friday morning as the sun came up over Rannerdale Knotts.

It's eight am and there's a covering of snow on the fells and even some down here in the valley.

By lunchtime the daylight had improved, albeit with more cloud and without that nice, pre-dawn orange glow.

The summits of Green Gable and Great Gable seen above Gillerthwaite.

There's a good covering of snow up there and if the temperature down here is anything to go by, it will be very cold !

After lunch we take the dogs and ourselves out for a local stroll.

The fields are returning to more normal colours but behind the walls and in the hollows the snow cover still holds on.



Where the sheep were penned, the snow has caught on the mud.	Now the sheep have been treated and wormed, they are back out in the field.

From the higher ground just before the Foulsyke, the big white house, the panorama opens out.

They have definitely got the best view in the valley . . . which is probably why the house was built there in the first place.



Grasmoor above the Coach House, on the way to the woods.	Our power supply line passes close to the line of trees.

It was one of these big Scots Pines that was blown down in 2005 and cut our power for a week.

Grasmoor again over Wood End . . . and there's a welcome return of some sunshine.

The sun hasn't quite set behind the hills . . . the clouds have big enough gaps between to allow it to brighten the afternoon.

Ann and the dogs with Carling Knott in the background.

Looking over the Vicarage and down the length of Crummock Water.

The main woods are called Whinney Ridding

but these sheep are grazing between the oak trees in the adjacent field.

Late Extra :

On Cold walk for a Friday, 8th December there's a ghostly face

in the Whinny Ridding Woods, on a tree trunk on the left. I thought you put it in as a joke.

Kind regards, Lee.

p.s. been loving loweswatercam for years.

No Lee . . . that's for real at this time of year . . . the shortest day, the darkest night . . . know what I mean ! RmH

Sunshine on Great Gable over the top of the lower wood.

Zooming in a bit later over the upper canopy of the top trees.

I take a direct path up in order to photograph Ann against the backdrop of Whiteside.

She and the dogs take the direct path to the Pine Tree on this side of Low Fell.



With a little shelter it is warm enough . . .	. . . to stop and enjoy the view.

In the first photo are the houses of Oak Bank farm . . . and in the second the wildfowl lake and houses of Godferhead.

To our right the clouds have closed in again over Hen Comb, Great Bourne and the Loweswater Fells.

Down below the ponies are quietly grazing for food.

They stroll over to see if there are any treats today.

They reject my dog biscuits, despite a choice of flavours . . .

but seem to go wild over mint flavoured Polos, cracking them between their teeth and then asking for more.

High Nook valley and the zig-zag path up onto Blake.

The sun is setting over on the west coast and it is casting the last of the colour on the underside of the clouds.

A faint glow covers the western, Ennerdale face of Great Gable.

Then as the sun sets the colour is gone and we're back to an early evening blue.

Time to be heading down in time to welcome our guest for the weekend. He's due within the hour.

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" From our own correspondent . . . "

The view from our kitchen window last Thursday morning ( whilst in the Lakes ) when I was cooking Cumberland sausages for breakfast.

That evening there was a dramatic drop in temperature after a very mild and sunny spell of weather, and like you, Friday was FREEZING!

"Thursday 7th Dec" very early morning was taken on my iPad

and the other picture below was taken by Brian on his camera, on the same day a few hours later.

It was taken on the valley floor pathways along the Langdale Valley heading towards the Langdale Pikes, Bowfell, crinkle crags and The band

Soon be Christmas .......... Lots of love Barbara H.

[ Thanks Barbara and Brian for the photos . . . you can't kid us it was very early . . . sunrise is about 8 am ! Many thanks for the photos, RmH. ]

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