" On a Glorious Winter's Day "

Date & start time: Sunday 18th December 2011, m start.

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

Places visited : Maggie;s Bridge, High Nook Farm, Watergate Farm, Loweswater Bothy.

Walk details : 3.4 mls, 240 ft of ascent, 2.hrs 15 mins including stops and visits.

Highest point : The weather on this lovely winter Sunday morning.

Walked with : Paula & Al, Tom & Abi, Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : A rare glorious day . . . makes up for all the bad ones !

A day like this makes up for most of the poor weather that we have had to put up with recently.

This morning Paula, Al and family have a glorious, midday walk before they have to leave for home.

The snow of recent days has thawed at valley level but the high fells are covered in the white of winter.

Above, the clouds have rolled back to reveal the most beautiful of blue skies.

Zooming in on the fell tops.

This is Whiteside . . . showing its winter colours all over the summit too.

The steep fronted Grasmoor to the right of Whiteside.

The low sun of winter casts long shadows into the gullies across its front.

Right again to Whiteless Pike.

The sheltered north facing slope seems to have collected and retained a full covering of snow despite thawing down here.

A low level walk for us today.

Paula and Al have to travel home today and the high, snowy tops are no place for the little ones without the right kit.

Maggie's Bridge

or should we call it Abigail's Bridge today.

The sun catches her face and her Dad's as they look over the parapet.   Her matching hat and coat fit well with the seasonal theme.   So do the gloves as it there is no great warmth in the sunshine, despite the blue sky.

Across the meadow towards High Nook Farm

The fell above is Carling Knott, the pattern in the trees below being the head of the Loweswater Pheasant

High above High Nook Blake fell's eastern flanks also have lots of snow which gleams white in the sunshine.

Thomas and Abi . . . photo by grandparent !

Our route took us round the back of Watergate Farm and down to the lake of Loweswater.

The shadows under the woods and from Carling Knott above emphasise the colour on Darling Fell opposite.

The small beach just inside the wall where the boats are normally kept.

The mooring post reflected in the calm waters.

Keeping one step ahead of the dogs

as they were dying to swim and spoil the photographers's opportunity of perfect reflections !

Paula and Al checking out their mobile technology

as a pre-Christmas text is received from Al's parents in Goa on the west coast of India.

Whiteside and Thrushbank House over Loweswater.

Up at the bothy, the swing has been improved and now looks reasonably safe.

Abi has a turn, swinging out over the water.

Hold your cursor over the picture to give her a push.

The view across to Grasmoor.

The contrast in the weather is unbelievable . . . it's probably one of the best days we've had here since early summer.

Back towards home now, as we return to the gate at Watergate.

Across the meadows, back towards Maggie's Bridge.

Looking back at Carling Knott and snow-covered Blake Fell.

The view from the village hall, looking over the Church and the Kirkstile Inn.

We have a major navigation decision to take . . . do we turn left or right at the junction ?

Left side of the field leads to home . . .

the right side leads to home via a classic refreshment stop !

Good call . . . Abi enjoyed her coke.	Thomas tries to smile as he eats his lemon !

In seasonal mood we sample the hot mulled wine . . . in an artistically large glass.   The photographer, is working with his new camera in an environment fraught with problems.   Never work with children or animals they say but it was the grown-up here that was causing the hassle.     Hold your cursor over the picture to see why !

On the way back along the lane, our local squirrel crosses the lane high up in the branches.

That looks like one of our cob nuts in his mouth as he negotiates the narrow branch.

Home again in good time for Paula and Al to drive back across the Pennines to South Yorkshire

at the end of a busy but very enjoyable pre-Christmas, family weekend.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Fuji Finepix T300 Compact or my Canon G10 digital camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . dry roads for the journey home.

Go to Top . . . © RmH.2011 . . . Email me here

Previous walk - Saturday 17th December 2011 Keswick Christmas

A previous time here - 21st Dec 2009 Nicole's Snow Scenes around Loweswater

Next walk - Saturday 24th December 2011 Loweswater Christmas