" Loweswater to London Christmas 2013 " at EveryTrail
 

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Chance to get away and visit the family as our Christmas break here in Loweswater will be short, due to work commitments.

We have seen Paula and Gareth recently so it is off to Camberley to see Cathy and family . . .

but first it is lunch with Jenna in the Peak District.

To get to the Peak District we have to travel down from the Lakes to Manchester

and then turn right through Glossop and up and over the Pennines . . . on the top there's a wooden signpost marking the Pennine Way.

A short dog-walk along the footpath took us out onto the moorland but the weather was cold, windy and rather bleak.

That fits . . . the name of the high ground . . . Bleaklow Hill !

More or less on time, apart from a slight detour over at the last junction, we arrive at Ladybower Inn

Jenna was parked and waiting in the car park opposite . . . time for lunch, delicious it was too !

Afterwards we took a walk across the Ladybower Reservoir dam wall in order to appreciate the area.

The second of the two take-off towers on the way across the dam.

The Ladybower Inn is off to the right above the bridge.

Below us, at the foot of the dam, the outflow re-creates the River Derwent.

The western arm of the reservoir follows the Woodlands Valley.

Seasonal smiles . . .	. . . Jenna and her Dad

The main part of the reservoir follows the Derwent Valley north.

The famous "Dam Busters" location is not this lake but the next one up this valley.

Perhaps we'll visit that next time when Jenna invites us over for lunch.

Time to be getting back . . . the car is parked on the road below Bamford Edge opposite.

Either end of the reservoir wall are two impressive "bell end" water outflows.

If the lake levels rise, the water flows over the round wall and away to oblivion (and out into the river below the reservoir).

On the roadside . . . the war memorial to the Dambusters heroes and Ashopton flooded village.

Check out some of the background on this Dambuster's Blog site

A quick call into Jenna's flat to pick up and exchange presents before we headed south.

- - - o o o - - -

On the way we passed close to Tickhill so we diverted over to see Paula and Al and our grandchildren . . . as a surprise.

The surprise was on us however as they were not at home.  We missed them by about twenty minutes it seemed.

Still, the Christmas lights in the village were delightful . . .

which is more than can be said for the weather later on as we drove towards London and into the heavy rain.

Cathy and Richard's home on the Sandhurst Academy Estate next morning.

Richard is a Colonel and Medical Anaesthetist within the Royal Army Medical Corp.

The Military Academy and training grounds cover a large area of the Berkshire countryside so plenty of places to go for a walk.

A break in the weather next morning . . . but wellies or boots are still the order of the day.

Boris is practising his 'stay'.

. . . through the mixed woodland.

A study in silver birch logs.

Ann and Cathy heading out onto the ranges.	A rather tall pine stretches to the top of the canopy.

High above the trees, a passing plane from Heathrow	On the range, heading down to Wishmoor Bottom.

Harry retrieves a stick from the pool in the last photo.

Also in that last photo amongst the countryside . . .	. . . a telecommunications tower in the distant Bracknell Forest.

Time to wash the dogs in the Wishmoor Stream . . .	. . . is that clean enough ?

Time to relax with the log fire and Christmas Tree.

Cathy and Ann with Boris their spaniel.

A local walk will usually include the Sandhurst Lakes.

" Mallard Ripples "

" Woodland Carpet "

The living forest floor . . . a small finch.

The chair on the weir between the lakes.

Reflections on the lakeside.	Fisherman on the pontoon.

One of the larger houses on the estate.	A long way from the sea . . . a shag.

Staff College House at the head of the lake.

A fine buzzard high in the trees . . . once I turned off the auto-focus !

The full spread of Upper Lake.

Click here or on the photo above for a larger Loweswatercam annotated panorama

On the side of Lower Lake is the Academy boathouse.

Ann looking across to the Academy itself.

Sam and Boris on an alternative tree seat.

In the trees, an Army, woodland meeting place.

No need to have the dogs on the lead . . . the road is well fenced off !

" A Study in Wire "

" Guarding the Gate "

When it was installed, I imagine the view out of the gate would have been very different.

	Our walk took us down past " The Terrace " (left) which are Officer's Quarters on the Academy. At the end of the road Catherine has a plot on the allotment which we stopped by to check out.