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The forecast was for cold northwesterly winds with possible snow showers on the fells.

The morning broke with a beautiful sunrise over a snowy Rannerdale Knotts,

light which spread across the valley and lit the fells all around with an orange glow.

The view from the cold garden . . . with interesting cloud over the top of Great Gable.

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The cars are all frozen, the slight snow shower had frozen solidly to everything.

No problem, we don't need to go anywhere special today as the valley is looking so beautiful.

Time for a stroll around . . . starting at the red phone box.

The view across to Mellbreak and Hen Combe.

St Bartholomew's Church and the white gable end of The Kirkstile Inn, with Black Crag behind.

The roads are slippery so we head off across the fields.

The paddock has had its winter hair cut and is looking bare at the moment.

Godferhead Farm and looking down the Lorton Valley to the whinlatter fells beyond Lorton Village.



Old farm walls and newer Loweswater buildings.	Muncaster House and Lanthwaite Woods.



The sun shines brightly off the top of both Scale Hill and Whiteside.	Loes walks the footpath as the sheep move ahead of her.

The moon is still out, high above Blake Fell.

A large beast stalks the top of Carling Knott . . .

Okay, it was a much smaller crow on a closer tree.

The cheery red door of Low Park House, nestled under the northern end of Mellbreak.

Mellbreak Cottage looking across the valley to Sand Hill in the gap.

It looks so different from when I was up there just a week ago.

Looking back at Low Fell above the houses of High Park.

Grasmoor always stands out, here seen between two ancient oaks.

Low sun lighting the snow covered bracken alongside the path.

Over the top and we are greeted by that familiar view up Crummock Water

The name Crummock is thought to derive from the fact that it is a "crooked" stretch of water.

The gentlest of breezes ripples the water as we carefully descend to the lake.



Calm waters reflect Whiteside in the bay.	Even with the heavy frost there's still some running water around.

Rannerdale Knotts across the lake.

The sun has moves across the sky since breakfast time and now shines above High Stile.

The colours and reflections were beautiful this morning.

After the recent rain the lake level is still quite high and the beach is narrower than normal.

Time has taken its toll on the fallen tree as well.

What used to be a large trunk and two boughs propped up five foot above the beach is now reduced to a snow covered, rotting log.



Darth Vader follows Kermit across the beach.	A new path is developing as the gorse narrows the lakeside path.

However we stick to the old path and enjoy the close proximity of the trees.

A photographer with tripod crouched for his perfect photo of Grasmoor.

My photo included the local Mountain Rescue Team on maneuvers on the face.

Only joking . . . I managed to include a passing skein of geese as they flew up the valley, past the face of the mountain.

The now-redundant Pump House, as the valley has changed over to Thirlmere drinking water.

The concrete wall around the lake up to this point was useful, as the cinder path was flooded with several inches of storm water.

The old oak on the corner beyond the Pump House.

Dougal returns to check I'm okay . . . I'm slow because of the number of photos I've taken!



Park Beck in its confined channel . . . that may change in years to come.	Across the way is the boathouse, in the shade of the trees.

Carling Knott, seen as we walk down to the weir.

The raised water level is causing spectacular waves over the fish ladder, as Loes crosses the first bridge.

This stick failed to make it over the lip of the weir.

The eel ladders were changed from white to black a year or two ago and now look a lot less intrusive.

Looking into the suns after crossing the bridges.

	- - - o o o - - - The high water level will prevent us using the riverside path so we head for the beach. There my companion waits next to one of the trees, but turns when I call. Now if only the dogs would do that every time life would be a lot easier ;o) Her down jacket reflects the cool temperatures today, despite the bright sunshine. - - - o o o - - -

The bend in the river leading over to the swimming pool, is full to the brim.

Winter sunshine penetrates the woodland, adding colour to the evergreens.

Grasmoor House and Jenkin House across the meadow.

Recent high water covered some of the fields, but that had now receded and left a heavy frost today.

Fast water through the measuring weir . . .

. . . but levels are nowhere near the 2009 floods, when the water backed up behind the bridge.

Very little traffic on the roads today . . . I wonder why !

Looking back from the Loweswater Village sign and finger post.

Nearly home now . . . just have to be be careful of patches of black ice where recent puddles have been !

Distant views of the lake from the road, as the sheep search for grass under the frost.

Back home, lunch in prospect, and there's full sunshine and clear skies

where this morning there was an orange sunrise.

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