Little did we know that the sunny, dry weather of the end of March would be as settled as it turned out to be . . . great for holiday makers and locals alike.

We ventured over to Borrowdale to do a local round that I had not done before . . . Grange to the Chinese Bridge at Lodore and anti-clockwise back to Grange via Manesty.

This was a great little walk yet provides some classic views and visits some iconic places.

Driving the Catbells Terrace road from Swinside to Grange, we had great views across Derwent Water today.

Brandelhow Point and the interesting house that has pride of place on the small peninsular.

The buildings on the opposite shore are The Mary Mount and The Borrowdale Hotels.

We could have parked at several places on this circuit, but the gravel area by Grange Methodist Church was the first and most convenient point we found.

This is half of Grange Bridge, with its beautifully clear water in the pool below.

The first part of the walk follows the River Derwent and conveniently there's an off-road path for this part of the route.

The reason the path leaves the river was fence separating the garden and outbuildings of Derwent House.

The gardens were looking beautiful in this bright spring sunshine.

A short road section with the narrowest of footpaths took us on past Leathes Head Hotel.

To our right is the short but exquisite valley of Troutdale, famous for the location of the first commercial fish hatchery in the UK.

" 1860 a Dr Parnaby, who lived opposite the Borrowdale Hotel, conceived the idea of raising young fish to sell to people who wanted to

re-stock rivers and lakes. It was a great success and rearing sheds soon filled the little valley."

He was also the first person to prove that salmon returned to the river of their birth."

On a short distance, past the Leathes Cottage shown on the map as Field House.

A gate before Lodore Hotel gives access to a path on the left that follows Comb Gill down to Chinese Bridge.

The bridge over the main river comes into view, but it just looks like a high fence from here.

The bridge is often the only area above water when the valley is in heavy flood.

In the distance is Skiddaw and Blencathra and to the right, Falcon Crag, part of the Walla Crag outcrop.

Sometimes missed by folk looking at the mountains, is the inscription on a slate slab on the bridge itself.

"Christopher Robin thought that if he stood on the bottom rail of the bridge and leaned over and watched the river slipping slowly away beneath him,

then he would suddenly know everything that there was to be known" . . . A A Milne from The House at Pooh Corner.

Perhaps and "Adverse Camber" sign would be good for now, until they get round to fix this badly sloping section.

The dry spring has left the rivers and the lake with much lower levels than normal.

This is Great Bay looking north towards Skiddaw.

A slight diversion to a ground feature shown as "shaft disused". This must have been an old mine, but I imagine not a very productive one.

This was the scene of a sixty five year old family drama when our family pet fell into the hole and my dad had to reach in and haul him out.

The hole has a fence now . . . but my childhood memories of the incident can still be recalled today.

Leaving the lake and heading on round the circle towards Manesty. . . . this section is actually part of the Cumbrian Way long distance path.

Castle Crag now re-enters our view as we turn south, back up towards Grange Village.

The houses at Manesty and hidden in the trees to the right, the Caravan Club campsite we used all those years ago.

Cows and their calves in the field next to Ellers Beck.

No need to answer that one . . . a picture tells a thousand words

The missing half scone shows they were too nice to delay eating . . . the fingers were quicker than the camera !

Can't sit all day, so we continue on our way, past the C.of E. Church in Grange Village.

The tea room looked rather closed so a good job we've already indulged.

Grange Cottage close to the bridge.