Even though we drove home from Scotland in the rain and I also got slightly damp on the Farmer's Trip,

the Loweswater weather was not yet set to autumnal mode.  The sun came out, the skies cleared and the temperature rose.

Either side of my formal day out in the week there was plenty to do in the garden and plenty of dog walking as well.

Time to see how the greenhouse has managed with our fortnight off.

A kind neighbour, Joan, has popped in a few times so most things survived the heat.

Some of the tomato seeds had failed to take or had been eaten (I found two large snails in there this week)

so a few new plants from the garden centre made up the numbers and we're back on course.

The plants in the raised beds have grown in the fine weather.

Brassicas have done well, the beans less so . . . anyone need a lettuce !	The sunshine and lack of rain has slowed the new bedding plants.

After three days of gardening, starting at the top of the garden, I eventually reached the bottom of the paddock !

The most significant changes over the fortnight . . . the strong green colours and the length of the grass.

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Several fields around us have changed ownership recently and the first one on the walk has been hardly grazed.

Consequently the grass in this field has also grown longer than normal and the long  grass moves like waves in the gentle breeze.

The second field has sheep and their lambs are growing fast.

Wool from these Swaledales is not worth much so many are shedding their winter coat naturally rather than the farmer shear them.

Summer greens . . . not vegetables . . . but the overall colour of the valley.

The rather grand house is the Vicarage where our new lady vicar has settled in well after her first six months in post.

The familiar sight of the Lonesome Pine . . . always a good target for a short walk.

The dogs also seem to enjoy the view, albeit with their backs to Crummock and Mellbreak.

Dougal, the youngster, is full of beans and is soon ready to be off once again.

On some of the more grazed fields the summer flowers are more abundant than when we left on our holiday.

I 'Goggled' what frogs eat and it wasn't tomatoes . . . so he's fine to stay and eat the bugs and slugs !

Out in the garden we have been graced by a hedgehog again this year . . . we've seen him a few times since we've been back.

The dogs have seen him first on several occasions but he just rolls up and they leave him alone and he/she soon moves on.

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We also had two other visitors in the garden this week . . .

Chris and Linda Howarth popped in to see us and the dogs.

They were staying locally and are regular views of the site . . . thanks for thinking of us and for calling in.

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In the lovely weather we venture a little further for a walk later in the week.

Roadside parking beyond Wythop Mill . . .

. . . prior to the start of our walk up Ling Fell.

The view across to its near neighbour . . . Sale Fell.

We follow the 'coffin route' around the flanks of the fell, climbing slowly upwards.

The view back now includes Skiddaw . . . and Ullock Pike if you look closely.

Navigation decisions . . . we'll take the high road . . . we're looking west here over Cockermouth and the distant Solway coast.