© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number PU 100034184.

 

An early start this morning as we opened the curtains to a blanket of snow.

Mid-morning I sneaked that extra walk up to the pine tree and this afternoon Ann was free for a walk too.

Consequently we headed out by car to Lanthwaite Green and parked in the layby where you get the first high level view of Crummock

for a second walk of the day down by Crummock Water.

Before we leave I did actually go down and check that Postman Pat and Jess were okay . . . why wooden they be ?

The paddock was fine too but there's an awful lot of standing water where I've just scattered wild flower seed.

Still, my garden expert who sold me the seed mentioned that it should be scattered pre-Christmas to give it chance to "winterise" the seeds.

It will certainly have done that this week !

- - - o o o - - -

On with the walk . . . parking in the layby beyond Lanthwaite Green gave us quick access to the desired path.

With the temperatures above freezing now, everything is just starting to go a bit slushy.

A lovely backdrop of Whiteside and Grasmoor as we start our walk.

The gate to the field owned by the National Trust . . . the way in is via the smaller gate to the left.

Crummock Water looking across to the High Stile Ridge.

The National Trust bench that the painter Turner may have sat on to gain inspiration for his famous rainbow painting

had the bench been there in the 1790's.

(There's a second painting that more aligns with this view but sorry, I can't find the specific link at this time)

After a brief artistic moment of reminiscence and a few moments to put on our micro-spikes, we headed on.

The slope is a steep one and the soft, wet snow was balling under our feet, so  progress was slow.

Kicking the snow off as much as possible and keeping to the bracken helped a lot.

Successfully down and we join the lakeside path.

A panorama of Mellbreak from what we call Shark Bay.

The old, sunken tree trunk that represents the shark is below the high water mark today.

The view up Crummock Water to a murky High Stile and Red Pike.

An ugly piece of plastic flotsam gets re-cycled into a comfortable wayside seat.

On towards the boathouse and the beach . . . Dylan appears to be testing the water, I didn't !

The view of Low Fell from the Boathouse.

The Loweswater fells across the water, the principal one here being Carling Knott.

After a short pause we turned around and headed back through High Wood.

A delightfully winding track that climbs up through the trees.

Surprise, surprise !

As we emerge we meet friends Amanda and Bill who were also out in search of the views today.

- - - o o o - - -

The afternoon ended back home with a rather damp looking dusk.

The snow had begun to melt and the clouds gathering over the fells were forecasted as rain not snow.

It has been a lovely day . . . a Lakeland special without doubt.