" Aira Force in the Snow " at EveryTrail

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Ed, Susan and Alex were in the Lakes for the day where they had an afternoon appointment at the Wedding Fayre.

We arranged to meet them at Aira Force and join them for a walk up to the waterfalls that Susan had never seen.

All good walks are followed followed by lunch or suitable refreshment afterwards and today was no exception.

First we have to drive there . . . and the road conditions along the way are a little unknown.

Friday's snowdrift is Sunday's cleared single-track road thanks to our local farmer

who turned out with his JCB and cleared several of the roads locally so that people could get about.

Hardly needs a caption . . . this is the boathouse on Ullswater.

It is formally known as the Duke of Portland Boathouse and is available to let if you fancy an unique venue for your holiday.

Our journey across had been on one snowy minor road but the main roads were clear all the rest of the way.

Into the car park on time and slowly find a parking space due to the slippery nature of the day.

It looks like they've had more snow over here

and what has fallen has stayed to form a lovely family playground here in The Glade.

Alex, Susan's daughter, visits a willow-made shelter, designed I presume before the weather changed back to winter.

We show Alex and Susan the Money Tree (with all the coins)	Our first view of Aira Force through the trees.

Before we walk over to the falls the path in the woods reaches a clearing

and across the fence we can see Place Fell opposite and St Sunday Crag at the far end of Ullswater.

It looks cold up there !

The first path is still shut due to a landslide . . .	. . . so we take the second one round to the top bridge.

The view - looking down from the bridge.	Ann - looking down from the bridge.

The top of the falls as it emerges below the bridge . . .	. . . and cascades its way down to the pool below.

The spray from the falls has set as ice on the foliage . . .	Beautiful structures, their shapes emphasised by the ice.

We decide to walk a little further up the valley to appreciate the snowy scenes.

The path is narrower here as less people venture up this far.

Follow the indentations . . . for the steps and tracks are all covered.

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Harry enjoying the snow . . . his favourite sport today . . . catching snowballs in his mouth !

Ahh . . . butter wouldn't melt in my mouth !  . . .says Bethan

Brother and sister . . . or rather it should be . . . sister and brother.

I made it up the short distance from the wooden footbridge to High Force.

This is the third and topmost of the waterfalls on this stretch of the river.

Zooming in on this lovely waterfall . . . it is about 25 to 30ft high.

This weekend last year the weather was so warm that people would have been sitting around and cooling their feet in the water.

Not today !

Closer now . . . by using a bigger lens.	Nice icicles in the centre of the falls.

The middle falls are rather hidden in the narrow ravine.	We re-crossed the to bridge and walked down below the falls.

The view from the viewing platform below the falls.	The sun came out just to complete the winter scene.

Taking the path back down the valley.	Alex wanting to re-position some snow . . . down my neck !

More snow covered boulders in the river as we re-cross the beck for the last time.

The bridge takes us back into The Glade . . .	. . . where someone has built a small snowman (love the hair).

We drove to the Ramblers Bar at the Inn on The Lake for a spot of lunch.

	"A Mezzo Vegetarian Platter for two"   The ultimate in nibbles !   - - - o o o - - -   " Lunch was accompanied by music from a guy with a mobile disco playing easy listening cheesy pop from the 1980's " . . . quote from Ed.