The Visitors Page - 01

I'm delighted to have received pictures from viewers of Loweswatercam, so I have decided to post them here for others to enjoy. If you wish to send me a photo and some information about it, feel free to do so and I'll try to include it on this page. It needn't be just about the Lakes, it can be about anything you've done recently. Click here if you wish to email me your contribution.

I reserve the right to withhold, censor or generally edit any comments as necessary, and I accept no responsibility for photos or comments posted. Keeping photo sizes below 100 Kb would be appreciated. 10x7 jpeg or 7x5 jpeg vertical at 72 dps would be excellent. Don't forget that short explaination too . . . thanks.

( If you follow any of the links on this page, a simple keyboard backspace should get you back here.)

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Roger and Ann Sorry for not replying sooner, it's been a busy week at the Nissan car factory. I agree with you completely about the Northern fells being quiet at any time of year, you would think more people would go there if they thought it was going to be quiet ( not sure if that makes sense, but I hope you know what I mean). Actually I think that with only a little effort it is possible to find a quiet corner of the Lakes at any time of year. We did a walk covering Grike, Crag Fell and Lank Rigg in the first week of August and apart from a couple on a forestry road near Grike saw not a single person all day, and it was one of those 'perfect' walking days with almost completely clear sky, a breeze that just kept you at the right temperature and visibility all the way to the Isle of Man. I have also attached a couple of pictures. They were taken on Nov 1st 2006 when Amber ( and us) climbed our first Munro, Sgor Gaoith (pronounced Score Gooey, I am reliably informed!) overlooking Loch Einich in the Cairngorms, what a fantastic day out. The picture by the cairn is of me, Dee and Amber, so at least you know what I look like when I'm cold !

The other photo with Dee in it includes two close friends of ours Jim and Wilma who are fortunate to have a holiday lodge/cabin just outside Aviemore that they visit pretty well every other weekend from their home near Lanark. It's much bigger and wilder country up there as I'm sure you know and there is no problem at all spending a day without meeting any ( or at least very few indeed) other people. On our Sgor Gaoith day we started in Glen Einich and also climbed Carn Ban Mor and also saw no one else all day.

By the way it was Amber's 7th Birthday on November 7th, she has a few grey hairs but is pretty fit really and at least she is not overweight like some dogs you see.
I hope you haven't been blown or washed away over recent days.
Very best wishes, John and Dee.

Ed: Amber is half sister to our dogs, Bethan and Harry

Hi Ann, and thanks for your reply.

I almost mentioned that the guy had said the Pendle flag stones were brought up there by helicopter. I guess he knew what he was talking about.
Although I've dined in the Assheton Arms, on the day we hiked Pendle, and it's been some time ago now, we parked the car down the hill in a parking lot on the left side of the road, near the brook. After the walk we approached the village by narrow winding road from the opposite side to the Assheton pub, and almost opposite the parking lot there was yet another fairly big pub that was 'dog friendly' ? We dined there that day but I can't recall the name of it ? Any idea what it is called ? I had been on the link to your first Pendle climb, enjoyed that one too.

30.1.07 My friend Brian informed me that we had started that walk from Barley, a few miles past Downham and that the pub was in Barley. A Google search found the pub, The Pendle Inn. Mystery solved. ;-))
Dave, Los Angeles

Have you ever been on the Buckden Pike, near Kettlewell ? There's a cross on top in memory of a Polish airplane that crashed up there during WWII. On a trip to Kettlewell with my wife to see the village/area where the movie 'Calendar Girls' was filmed, I read the story of the unfortunate plane crash and after returning to Preston I told my hiking buddy about it and we returned there to find the cross.
See the attachment, that's me on the left, (sun glasses), with Brian, a friend from our schoolday's , and another climber that just happened to be on the same mission to find the memorial.
If you have done that walk could you pinpoint it for me in your archives ?
It's great chatting with you guy's, give the dog's a hug from me.
Have a nice day...Dave Hughlock .

Ed: Sorry Dave - not done that walk. Anyone any more info on the memorial ?

27.1.07 ~ Hi Roger, The memorial was erected by the families of of the polish aircrew that crashed in WW 2. Beneath the plaque is a bronze fox's head.The only survivor of the crash followed the tracks of a fox in the snow to the nearst farmhouse.
Hope this helps. Joe Boyle

28.1.07 ~Roger & Ann. Here's the story about the crash on Buckden Pike . . . Dave

 

Ice Storms reported in Canada

Trees and Sun after the Ice storm

Milkweed Pods.

Hi Ann and Roger! Well, we had an ice storm here on Monday and it left an area between Hamilton and Buffalo looking like a fairyland! The roads were so bad that there were over 700 auto accidents in the area over a 36 hour period, everything is settled down now though. Winter arrived with a bang and now we are into more seasonal temperatures - mid 20's to mid 30's Fahrenheit. I went out and took some shots on our property, hope you like them. Cheers, Linda   I understand that Ice Storms occur in very cold conditions where the failing rain (unfrozen), comes in contact with the sub zero ground or plants and instantly freezes as ice, rather than condense as hoar-frost or fall as snow in the first place. (Hence the ice on the roads) ( Linda lives about 35 miles south west of Niagara Falls )

 

Beauty in a humble garden weed.

More ice en-cased plants

Photos by Linda Logan

Hi Roger and Ann

Thanks for the response.
I am trapped in the lowlands at the moment by the duty to provide for the needs of wife, daughter, aged hospitalised Mother etc. but am inspired by your activity as communicated on the site.
Helen is my sister in Calgary who regulary hikes and camps and langlaufs with her husband and 2 boys in the Rockies. Many adventures, encounters with bears Mules deer, ferocious storms demolishing winter camps with fallen trees ---we are better of here.
I am planning to traverse the lakes in June this year- if I may I would like to meet up for a pub lunch or mountain top picnic?
I attach a photo taken during a lull in a December blizzard on Aran Fawddy.

Best regards
Fred

Hi Fred, The pub lunch sounds fine, the whole of the OFC would like to join in, but perhaps a mountain top picnic would be cheaper all round !

Hi Roger,

Just writing to say how impressed I was by your website.

I run (by comparison) a rather amateurish site for our Wharfdale Walking Group The Olicana Telephone Company

There are a number of site links on our homepage in case they are of interest to walkers and I have also added a link to your site - hope you do not mind - if you do, let me know and I will remove it. Perhaps you would include a link to our site on yours?

John Kelly

Consider it done - Olicana, the site informs me, is the Roman name for Ilkely in Yorkshire - Good luck with your walks.

Dear Roger,
My attention was draw to your website because of Christmas inversion pictures. Frances and I were in the Lakes (as usual) for Christmas. We had four days above the clouds (23rd-26th inclusive). On the last of these we went from Newlands via Robinson and Hindscarth to Dale Head. As we sat near the cairn eating lunch I saw two doggy shapes appearing from the direction of Honister. I called them (Big mistake!) and within seconds we were defending sandwiches, cake and cups of coffee. You then appeared and called them off (Thanks!). Don't worry, we like dogs. Your picture of the dogs racing back downhill towards you shows Frances and I very faintly in the background. Another of your pictures shows our back view as you snapped Helvellyn - Frances in blue, me in red. We continued our walk via High Spy, Maiden Moor and Catbells, but all were within the cloud.

I've attached a picture taken on the 23rd December - from Seat Sandal. We went on to Helvellyn and the Dods. On the 24th we did Scafell Pike and saw Snowdonia, (we have never yet seen the Mtns. of Mourne from the Lakes) and on the 25th we were on the Coledale Horseshoe. We also got pictures of the 'white mistbow' whilst on Hindscarth and quite a few brocken spectres too.

Just thought I would let you know who you had photographed.

Best wishes,
Peter Wilson, Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

Hi. Firstly I would like to congratulate you a superb website.

After finding my hill legs again after a long break, your website is certainly inspirational and I can't wait to get back to the Lakes.

Attached is a picture I took from the summit of Pillar looking down on Wasdale with Yewbarrow to the right, taken in July this year on a very hot day. Great views of Scafell range from this point.

Well done, from Mike Upton.

 

Buttermere Valley from Rannerdale Knotts ~ picture by Katie Smallwood

Hi Roger, Thank you so much for all the wonderful pictures you post on your site.We are visitors to the Lakes and try to get up there a few times each year(although we wish it was more!). This is a picture of the Buttermere valley from Rannerdale Knotts on a cool April evening last year. As the sun went down, the light got better and better and this picture was the result! If you could post it on your site it would be really nice. Please keep up the good work and we'll keep our eyes open for your lovely dogs when we return this April!

Thank you, Katie Smallwood

 

Ann and Roger,
I have been a viewer of the Ann Bowker site since its beginnings and she introduced me to Lakelandcam, and then Andrew Leaney followed and he introduced me to David Hall and in making searches on the many links I found you and the family.

I have been able to look back at some of your site walks and in doing so discovered your trip to our Northumberland
Coast at Beadnell . I went to Grammar School in Alnwick 1950 - 56 and after RAF National Service worked all my life for Northumberland Education
Service. I have a passion and fondness for my County and travel around it often. My sister in law is married to a fisherman and
lives in Craster and you took a photograph of his boat in the harbour there on your summer visit.

My wife and I have been visiting the Lakes form any years and Keswick is like a second home to us as we feel very much at home there with the
town and its people. We still visit as often as is possible, sometimes only for a day as we can motor over in under 2 hours.
Through the miracle of the internet your site and others named, offer us our daily diet of Lakeland. There is no part we dislike
whatever the weather and our vists to Kirkstile Inn and the surrounding area has a distinct calming and relaxing influence
on both of us. Long may this continue and through your sites we are able to enjoy the Lakes throughout the seasons. hope you have the time and dedication to continue with your hobby and bring your family adventures to my screen.

My son(39) and I had the pleasure bumping into AW one Easter when on our way up Gt. Gable from Seathwaite. With snow
at upper levels and mist descending he accompanied the two of us into Gillercombe and above the waterfall lit his pipe
and encouraged us to continue by ourselves. It was only many years later when I saw his photograph did I then realise
our good fortune. Anyway here I am name dropping. The scenes you bring into my home are just as important as the Guide Books.

Best Wishes, Peter Sanderson, Northumberland, Uk.

 

I noticed you mentioned the bothy in your account and wondered if you knew that it is maintained by The Mountain Bothies Association.
www.mountainbothies.org.uk.
There are usually work parties every year to keep it in a useable condition. perhaps you might like to add a link to the MBA in your account of the walk or even join one of the work parties.
Regards, I Silver.

 

Note: Link now established, many thanks ~ Rmh

Hi Roger,

Just thought I’d drop a line to say how impressed I am with your website. The cloud inversion photos are superb. George and Betty gave me the web address.

Cheers, Malcolm Ibbertson

To everyone at Loweswatercam, Here's wishing you all a Very Happy Climbing New Year.
I thoroughly enjoyed your New Years Day climb, it was brilliant.
I do a bit of climbing myself on my visits back to Preston, you can see some of the pics on my Photobucket listed below.
I have included an attachment that yo may find of interest. My wife and I recently visited Lone Pine in the Mojave desert of California. We did a bit of hiking thru the lower rock formations called the Alabama Hills, but the real beauty of this area is the Sierra mountain range behind the Alabama's. The mountain in view on the attachment is the highest peak in the lower 48 states, Mt Whitney, at 14,975 ft, isn't she a beauty ?
Looking forward to more of your pics. Keep up the good work, and give the dog's a pat from me.
Have a nice day....Dave Hughlock
Los Angeles, California.
Visit our photos at http://photobucket.com/albums/a210/Pomonacalifornia/?start=all
Visit our web page at http://www.webspawner.com/users/thehughlocks

Just in case you ever get the urge to climb the very formidable Mt. Whitney, here is a good link to what she is, and what you need to climb her.
http://www.scaruffi.com/travel/whitney.html

Hello

Happy New Year and thank you for such spectacular photographs which myself and husband have enjoyed looking at. We live in Nottinghamshire and he and friends come at least twice per year walking in the Lake District. Happy walking during 2007.

Linda McNaught

 

After making us even more jealous with your Christmas walk photos, I
decided to eventually send you a photo of ours. This was taken on a
very hot day in August 2006 on the walk up Helvellyn from Swirls. We
have 2 border terriers and 'Bluey' found a cool place to wait for his
mum to catch up!
Thank you very much for your website, we are avid viewers switching on
each day for the next instalment. Living 300 miles away, we are pleased
with our tally - half-way - having completed 107 Wainwrights in 7
holidays in the last 5 years

regards
Colin, Trina and 'Gus and Blue'

Hello there,

I was making one of my frequent visits to Ann Bowker's web site a couple of days ago and followed the link to your Loweswater website. We are very envious of the walks you have made over the last few days, fantastic views and thanks for sharing them on your web site. We couldn't help but notice the four legged members of the family and on looking at the pet pages it looks very much like Bethan is the half sister of our dog Amber? ~ small world isn't it, if I am correct and they have the same father Archways Archelaus. Amber has done 68 Wainwrights so far, the attached photo (right) was taken on Dale Head last June, beautiful but not as dramatic in your photos from Boxing Day.

We are kind of using Amber's Wainwright round as our excuse (as if one is needed) for our second round. We spent three days over in the lakes the weekend before Christmas and must have passed your cottage at least twice on our way to the Kirktsile Inn from our B&B in Embleton. We were really lucky to get some really fine weather, it stopped raining on the Friday evening just as we arrived and turned into 3 beautiful days.
The second picture of Amber and my wife Dee is on another well known Lakeland summit, I am sure you can work out where it is?

Any way, thanks for your excellent web site, please keep it up and best wishes for the new year.

John and Dee Clark + Amber of course