Date & start time: Sunday 20th December 2009.

Location of Start : The red phone box, Loweswater , Cumbria, Uk ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited : Scale Hill Bridge, Lanthwaite Woods, Crummock, Low Park, Kirkstile.

Walk details : 2.5 mls, 250 ft, 2 hrs 15 mins including refreshments.

Highest point : The Kirkstile Inn, physically and beverage wise, but the weather was good too.

Walked with : Nicole, Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Wintery, with plenty of snow.

A delightfully seasonable cold spell has brought snow to the Lake District . . . and British Rail brought Nicole, our visitor to Loweswater.

Chance on this snowy morning to take a local walk and see our nearest lake in a new light.

Mellbreak and the phone box at the start of our walk.

We would be walking the opposite way today and return under the slopes of Mellbreak.

Nicole and Ann set off down the unusually quiet road !

The sun is up there somewhere and the clouds are occasionally quite bright.

On the other hand there are grey skies behind Godferhead Farm.

The house known as Jenkin has a white roof to match its white walls today.

Low cloud behind masks the summit of Grasmoor.

The crossroads on the way to Scale Hill bridge.

This is a view we have photographed a lot in recent weeks.

The floods have gone but the barriers still surround the damaged parapet.

Turning right after the bridge we enter . . . the woods !

A beech sapling provides a flash of bright colour down by the river.

Myself and Nicole on the forest track to the lake.

Looking across the calm waters of Crummock Water towards Rannerdale and the High Stile Ridge.

The Boathouse.

Nicole stops to take in the view.

Wrapped up warmly down at the water's edge.

The Boathouse again seen from a different perspective.

Gentle waters lap over the sluice gates at the foot of the lake.

Walking round we come against a post-flood problem for someone . . .

There's a huge tree root jammed under the bridge that will need considerable effort and expertise to remove.

On the turn by the Pump House the weather shows signs of improvement.

Almost a Wainwright pencil sketch in black and white.

Patches of blue sky over the central fells at the head of Buttermere Valley.

However the brightness is short lived and these Herdwicks are in for another snow shower soon.

The light fades slightly as we make the beach.

The white snow seems to make the beach and the view more extensive.

Clear skies over Grasmoor as the clouds move quickly across the sky.

Obviously there's more wind up there than down here.

Back via High Park . . .	. . . and Low Park Bridge.

Prospects ahead for a little seasonal refreshment perhaps.

The Kirkstile Inn, brewers of their own beer and purveyors of fine Hot Mulled Wine.

After a short intermission we take a relaxed attitude to the short walk home.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon 75 or my Canon G10 digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . a warm pair of gloves (and socks).

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Previous walk - 20th Dec 2009 Did someone say it was snowing ?

A previous time up here - 21st March 2008 A local Scale Hill Walk