A drive to Keswick found us returning via Honister, where I stopped for a brief walk for Dougal to stretch his legs and for us to appreciate the fine weather.

Sadly the walk we planned had to be curtailed due to a late-remembered appointment.

The following day Loes and I walked locally and the fine weather continued. The camera just couldn't stay in the pocket.

Two local walks while we were busy doing other things.

A wide view of the stone yard of Honister Quarries.

It seems counter-intuitive when sitting in the National Trust car park opposite, but the public footpath to Grey Knotts starts by crossing the yard.

Only a short stroll today, mainly for Dougal's benefit and in a way, ours due to the fabulous sunshine.

To walk up onto the knoll above the mine buildings gives us some of those great views in one short hop.

Across the first boggy patch and I climb a few feet more and look across at the distant Helvellyn Ridge, before turning back.

The yard is a store for good stone and the occasional relic of times gone by.

Crossing back to the car I pass stone of all shapes and sizes, from great heavy clogs to cut but imperfect slate (that might just find a customer one day? ).

A quick visit over and we head back down towards home, have lunch and a be in for a planned visitor

who had come to look at a possible home improvement for the cottage.

- - - o o o - - -

The following day the weather was still brilliant . . . anyone on holiday in the Lakes this week has struck it lucky with the weather.

This is Park Beck as it enters the canalised exit into the lake.

We walked down the 'gated road' and over to the pumphouse.

The sunlight and shadow really emphasised the shape of this old oak next to the path.

The pump house is the take-off point, the valve house for the old water extraction pipes.

Since last summer it has been decommissioned as the lake no longer supplies drinking water to the local area.

Looking across to the Scots Pines on The Peel.

One has been leaning for quite some time but the gap on the right hand side is where one of the old trees blew down over the winter.

Another lakeside stalwart . . . I'm talking about the tree not Loes.

The water levels in all the rivers and consequently the lake, are really low at present.

Should the plans go ahead, the weir will be removed, the water level drop 4.5 feet,

there will be a lot more exposed gravel and the boathouse opposite will be left high and dry.

The weir with its eel ladder striped matting will become a thing of the past

because it seems that neither United Utilities, nor anyone else, wants the expense of maintaining the redundant infrastructure.

I move on across the bridges to find Dougal enjoying a swim and retrieving the tennis ball thrown by Loes.

Dogs do that sort of thing and the clue is even more obvious in the breed name !

The winter storms also knocked a few branches off the big pine at the beach, giving something new for folk to sit and relax upon.

So much so that I walked down the slope to get a closer view of the river.

We met another local in the woods who was walking out with his two dogs.

He was going the opposite way so, after a quick chat, we had to make sure we departed with the right dog !

Across Scale Hill bridge and onto the road home, Grasmoor and Whiteside looking great in the sunshine.

The Herdwick moved away as I looked over the wall, but it still made a fine pastoral scene.

For those that remember the name from a facebook viral post some years back,

but the field should really be Windsor Great Park, not a lowly Loweswater meadow.