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" Winter Wonderland - Crummock "

Date & start time:      8th January 2021.    8 am start - 9.30 am start for the walk.

Location of Start :     By the red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211 ).

Places visited :          Here and there as the mood took me.

Walk details :              3 mls, 300 feet of ascent, 1 hours 50 mins.

Highest point :           Seeing familiar places in a new light.

Walked with :              Myself and the dogs, Dylan and Dougal.

Weather :                      Improving . . . with pictures taken from dawn to lunchtime.

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

 

The overnight forecast was for snow sweeping down the country, coating the Pennines and the high fells with snow.

There was a good chance of good snow in the valleys too but no guarantees

so the view opening the window first thing would be a real unknown . . .

A 'velux' moment . . . open it slowly in case the snow falls into the bedroom !

Yes . . . there's a layer of thick snow on the ground, the hedge, the trees and my roof.

I clear a little snow and stand up to appreciate the view.

Eight in the morning . . . time to find a little breakfast . . . no perhaps I'll make that a big warming breakfast.

I feel a winter walk coming on !

- - - o o o - - -

Time to check out the other locals have sufficient breakfast too.

This adult seems darker than usual.
He/she has found the peanuts and hazel nuts.
I'm sure they change colour during the year.

Just the one squirrel this morning.

A different perspective, looking up the road alongside Rose Cottage.

Several of early traveller have tried and failed to make it up the hill that leads to the Village Hall.

- - - - o o o - - -

 

The road to the Kirkstile has been tried as an alternative

but at least a couple of folk have failed

to make the hill there too.

 

- - - o o o - - -

 

It's 9.30 am and the light is improving.

There's no breeze and so the snow is lying on the trees

Time for a walk to enjoy the phenomena of a white countryside.

 

 

- - - o o o - - -

Starting point . . . the red phone box, Loweswater.

One for my neighbour at Gillerthwaite, The Old Post Office.

For the fellwalking aficionados that's Grasmoor behind.

Mellbreak . . . in Wainwright's pen and ink style.

The snow lays deep on the fence posts and wires.

A suggestion of potentially fine weather shows in the sky to the north west.

Always remember to look back on your walks as the views might be slightly different than you imagined.

Tall yew trees at the church . . .
overtopped by the roof architecture . . .
. . . and the 14th century church bell.

Perhaps this is the definition of growing old and cold in the graveyard.

Farmer Chris's gravestone, he "gathered these fells for 60 years"

The Negative signpost is being repaired so no arms at present.
The adjacent wooden finger post holds a slight clue.

I walked up towards the farm in order to capture this classic view of the Kirkstile Inn.

Cow Parsley in the roadside verge.

Heavy branches overhanging the road.

Where shall we go ?

We leaving the church behind and head off towards Low Park and perhaps the lake.

The potholes are hidden today !

Study in Black and White.

Winter fodder or just a last remaining patch of grass.

Flass Woods under Mellbreak - flass is Cumbrian for white.

Low Park, the red door bring cheer to the scene . . . as did the phone box in an earlier photos.

The start of the bridleway to Ennerdale.
Looking back at Low Park House and Garth Cottage.

Looking across the fields to Whiteside and Grasmoor.

A wider panorama further along the path toward the lake.

The darker area is Lanthwaite Woods on the western facing slopes of Scale Hill.

The cloud is clearing and the blue colours continue to spread across the sky.

Flass Woods to the right, Green Wood to the left, though it is hard to tell the difference.

Proud Swaledale.

Footprints in the snow.
Squirrel ?
Polar Bear ?

Reaching the top of the rise and we get the first view of Crummock Water and the distant high fells.

A steep descent from the woods found the three of us quickly down at lake level.

Turning through the gate the blue sky reflects off the water and the whole ambience of the colour changes.

More footprints . . . a duck of some sort.
But he didn't venture far from the lake shore !

Down by Crummock Water and I've found the Polar Bear !

Familiar view - unfamiliar colour.

Rannerdale Knotts and the High Stile Ridge from Sandy Yat beach.

Ann's boulder by the water.
The path through the gorse was hard to find.

Over The Peel and a first view of The Pump House.

Blue reflections on the lake.

Dylan sits for a photo opportunity.

Dougal doesn't want to be outdone.

Looking across to the Loweswater Fells, my eyes are attracted by a burst of sunlight on Carling Knott.

. . . and Park Beck draws the eye towards the snow-covered Blake Fell.

Back into the shadow and the lake colour takes on a very cold blue tint.

The dog's footprints are already set into the snow ahead of me.

The weir and fish ladder at the end of the lake.

Distant views are clearing nicely.

The snow on the Lanthwaite trees creates a surreal effect compared to a normal day.

Crossing the divide to the beach . . . but they turn for a photo.

Snowman on the beach . . . reflections on the water.

This picture was from later in the morning and was taken by my neighbours Dani and David at Mellbreak Cottage ... many thanks.

The River Cocker as I walk down through the woods.

The beach trees in the middle of the woods.

Nearly back at the road . . . an empty car park by the bridge.

As we cross the bridge the skies cleared and the sun burst through.

My two dogs run back to talk to a distant neighbour and his companion.

A Winter Wonderland.

Bright sunshine on Watching Crag at the far end of Low Fell.

Welcome to Loweswater.

Hunter Davies's old house, slightly extended, updated and now covered in snow.

The weather suddenly reminded me of childhood skiing holidays in Switzerland.

As the walk progresses, each corner brings bigger, brighter and better views.

The cottage ahead with Hen Comb to the left, Carling Knott to the right.

- - - o o o - - -

 

 

The red phone box

 

comes back into view.

 

 

A Calendar picture for 2022 perhaps ?

 

 

- - - o o o - - -

St Bartholomew's Church seen through a gap in the hedge.

I was not alone . . .

A brief conversation and then this couple turned through the gate, leaving the dogs and myself alone with the snow.

The round walk has brought me back to where I started . . . only now the sun is shining.

More cars have tried the hill but the snow still defeats most of them.

A winter view of Rose Cottage . . . available to let once the covid situation eases.

A Weather Watchers Editor's Pick . . . though I never saw the photo on TV.

Why not try one directly into the sun !

Oak Cottage in the snow.

I have a feeling the bin won't be emptied today.

- - - o o o - - -

One last little photo set before I turn in for lunch . . . a quick tour of the garden.

A building for each season . . . and each has a different reason.

Late sweet corn that never ripened before the frost.
A fine leak that doesn't seem bothered by the snow.

Ice Cream Cornice . . . well I haven't got any ice cream cornets.

Sunshine and snow on the tall ash next to the fruit cage.

A final view for now . . .

Much brighter than when I first saw it from the velux window barely four hours ago.

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures generally taken with my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 Camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . a change of colour for familiar scenes.

Go to Home Page . . . © RmH . . . Email me here

Previous walk - 6th January - Hen Comb in the Snow

A previous time here - New Year 2001 - Sun and Snow Pics of the Cottage, and a Walk up ellbreak

[ Just look at the picture sizes and layout from one of the first pages I ever placed on the internet ]

Next walk - 8th January - Winter Wonderland (Loweswater)