White Moor Pond to Long Slade Bottom

Tuesday 30th September

After the scenery and hills of the Lake District last week, the heath west of Brockenhurst in the New Forest seemed very flat and uninteresting today.  We had a walk in the sunshine of just under four miles and easily found two geocaches on the way.  Autumn is definitely in evidence even if it did feel warm and sunny today, with changing colours, fungi and berries.

This holly tree was covered with masses of clumps of red berries,

but this one's were still a very pale and interesting orange!

Clusters of fungi are appearing.

I tried to make the Forest look more interesting

but it just seemed very flat!

However there were lots of locals about today and some looked more friendly than others!

If you see what I mean!!!!

Harrop Tarn and Thirlmere

Friday 26th September 2014

After a night of heavy rain, the morning cleared off nicely so we headed for a favourite spot, parking near Thirlmere for a walk up (slowly - I'm still feeling the effects of Scafell Pike on my calf muscles!!) to Harrop Tarn.

Climbing up to Harrop Tarn, looking back at Thirlmere and the lower slopes of Helvellyn.

After the rain last night the rocky 'path' was pretty slippery.

Harrop Tarn - a fantastic relaxing spot and we didn't see another soul.  Since we were last here three years ago there has been some serious tree felling and it all looks quite different. Before a spot of lunch I dangled my feet in and tagged the tarn and it wasn't too cold either.

And looking in the other direction towards Seat Sandal.

Now, there's a decent sized gate - do you think maybe someone wants to keep the deer out?

Thirlmere.......

..... the water level is looking quite low, look out Manchester!!!!

From one of the information boards about Thirlmere.

We had a lovely walk of about four miles and found four caches - one of which we spent ages looking for a few years ago and as luck would have it this time we almost went straight to it.

On the way back to Grasmere we stopped off at a lay-by in Dunmail Raise to get a photo of the old AA box, just as I had taken a photo, who should turn up and park next to the box but....

the AA!

Around Grasmere

Thursday 25th September 2014

After yesterday's hard walk up Scafell Pike we took things a bit easier today and walked around a fairly flat route.  We went searching for geocaches around Grasmere and found some places we haven't been to before.  It's a good job you can't smell the farm that we passed this afternoon, it was very very smelly, enough to make your hair curl as my Dad used to say!

Looking towards Grasmere.

Searching for a geocache took us to these stepping stones, with Helm Crag in the background.

More shiny signs of autumn - conkers.

Geese on the move, you hear them before seeing them.

From the garden centre in Grasmere looking towards St Oswald's Church.

We walked 5.5 miles and found 3 caches, another good day.

Scafell Pike - Scaling Great Heights

Wednesday 24th September 2014

Today was forecast to be a dry and sunny day and as we planned to have a go at climbing England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, (3210 feet) it seemed like today was the day!

We drove to Wasdale Head via Wrynose Pass and Hardknott Pass, both of which had some very hairy moments!  Narrow doesn't even begin to describe some of these lanes.  

Overlooking Little Langdale on the way.

Looking across Wastwater towards Scafell Pike - the middle peak (the summit isn't in view).

We parked in the National Trust car park at Wasdale Head to begin the walk, not leaving the car park until 11.30am, later than we had hoped.  It was a beautiful day, with long sunny intervals and a light breeze, just right for climbing, something we did for just over 3 hours.  The path that winds up Scafell Pike is mostly a rocky footpath apart from the last mile or so which is large loose rocks, this section was definitely more of a scrabble.  I thought there would be lots of people up and down but there weren't many people at all.  Those that we did meet seemed happy and chatty, all with one aim, to get to the top come what may.

Looking down on Wastwater, going up.

One of the many cairns on the way up.

View across the Lakes.

The rocky ground closer to the summit.

3210 feet later, we made it to the summit where it was cold in the wind so we only stopped long enough for photos and a quick bite to eat then it was back down again.  Coming down was not much easier than going up, very jarring on the knees!  One highlight on the way down was the sight of 3 gliders soaring high above the valley.

A stunning view from the summit.

There were plenty of locals up high - herdwick sheep.

We eventually got back to the car just before 6pm, having walked 5.5 miles and having successfully found 2 geocaches, definitely the highest geocaches we've done so far!

Driving back along a lane barely wider than the car we came across a small flock of herdwick sheep in the road.  Unfortunately there was no where for them to go as there was a dry stone wall on either side of the lane so they just kept running ahead of us, eventually they stopped for a munch on the verge where the road was a bit wider and we managed to squeeze by without frightening or squashing them - another joy of the Lake District - sheep!

Another rush hour in the Lake District!

A very hard but fantastic walk that I am so glad we did and we are now feeling very epic!

Honister Pass

Tuesday 23rd September 2014

As had been forecast the weather today was quite wet and miserable but we headed for Buttermere anyway hoping that it would clear up enough to get out for a walk around the lake. Unfortunately by mid afternoon the rain looked pretty set in so we chickened out and decided against getting soaked to the skin.  On the way back we stopped off in Honister Pass and successfully found a geocache that we tried and failed to find on a previous visit a few years ago.

Honister Pass.

There were herdwick sheep high up on the edge of the scree, only visible by the red spray paint on their backs!

We found today that many drivers quite clearly have no idea how wide their cars are - they obviously think they are the size of a tank - they are not

One of the locals - a herdwick sheep.

By early evening it had started to dry up so we went out for a walk of a couple of miles around Grasmere.

Apologies for the dreadful photo but it was getting dusky and I took this at speed as the Lake District rush hour was disappearing  round a corner, here we have the tail end of the herd!

Shortly after the cows we came across two small deer who didn't seem too bothered by us even though we were quite close to them, the photo of the deer is even worse than the cows so I haven't included it!

It was getting quite dark at this point (although it doesn't  look it) and the lights in the cottages looked really cosy, time to get back before the bats are out and about - I don't like bats!

Grasmere and Rydal Water

Monday 22nd September 2014

Today was an epic walk, well for us it was anyway!  The route started in Grasmere  along the edge of the lake then alongside the River Rothay through White Moss Wood, across the A591 and UP - definitely up - to join the Coffin Trail to Rydal.  

The edge of the lake at Grasmere.

It started out warm and a little hazy but by lunchtime the sun was out again, for the second day running, shorts and t shirts were just right.

The lake was perfectly still, just right for autumnal reflections.

There are always Canada Geese alongside the lake and we saw a large flock landing on Rydal Water later on in the walk.

Money may not grow on trees in the Lake District but it's found in dead trees and tree stumps! Very odd.  (I have just looked this up on Google and apparently they are wishing trees - add a coin and make a wish!)

Rydal Water.

The caves at Rydal.

The River Rothay.

A welcome sight.

This is the site of an old wishing gate, we found a geocache here and made a wish!

Grasmere

The Coffin Stone - an explanation - 

and the stone itself.

From Rydal we crossed back across the main road and walked around the other side of Rydal Water, stopping off at Rydal Caves and back through White Moss Wood to Joseph's ice cream van (an iconic place for us) where we just had to have an ice lolly and very welcome it was too. Eating a lolly and climbing up a steep hill don't really mix but it had to be done!  We re-joined the Coffin Trail at How Top and it was all downhill into Grasmere passed Dove Cottage.

We walked 7.7 miles, found 9 geocaches and spoke to lots of friendly walkers, one of whom offered to call me an ambulance - no idea why I was only eating my lunch and felt fine!!!!!  One very friendly older couple gave us their life story, we met them a few times on the walk and each time we got more information - that's walkers for you!