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A brighter afternoon so chance to get out without the need for full waterproofs. 

We stay low and relatively local as we drive to Buttermere. 

The car park at Long How leads down to Crummock and the newly extended gravel beach.

Starting point was the car park at Buttermere, unusually empty, but then considering the time of year and the weather it is not surprising.

Early December, late January and early February before half term are probably the quietest times in the Lakes nowadays.

Please note:  blue skies rather than rain and wind today.

A hint of watery sunshine makes photography slightly more tricky today as the bright skies contrast with the darker foreground.

There's a covering of snow on the High Stile Ridge including Red Pike just showing behind Buttermere's Dodd Fell.

Mill Beck as it winds its way down towards Crummock Water.

Those gravel banks look new and uniform in shape.

Due to recent flooding, the farmer has dredged some gravel out of the beck to make it flow more easily .

The stone has been banked up alongside to keep the river in its normal river bed and so not flood the fields.

Un-dredged . . . you can see the build up of gravel and the high river level.

The bridge survived the floods due to being screwed down !      The path ahead of Harry didn't and is now underwater.

The view back up the valley towards Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks.

You can see the gravel on the field and the standing water after the recent heavy rains.

Heading down towards Crummock Water.

This section was dredged slightly a year or two ago and the resultant stone was used to build up the path.

Down by the lakeside as a cloud passes in front of the sun.

Snow on the high fells as we look across and up to Buttermere's Dodd.

Dylan has stopped for a minute to chew a stick.

One-upmanship . . . Harry goes for something a little bigger.

Hold your cursor over the picture to catch his attention.

Storm Damage.

This mighty Ash has succumbed to the strong winds.    The burnt patch could be natural lightening strike, or vandalism ?

Looking back up Mill Beck from the beach.

The river has broken the other bank and has now developed a meander all of its own.

Again the lower bridge has survived . . . probably as most of the flood by-passed it on the left hand side.

The beach has grown out into the lake by a significant amount in recent years.

Is anyone missing a telephone pole bridge ?    If so it is here ready to collect and float away.

A new bridge over the small stream below Wood House but I don't think it came from here.

Looking back at the High Stile Ridge.

The Crummock Pines . . . as opposed to the Buttermere ones.

We climbed up through the gate and reached the road which would lead us back to the village.

Taking a slight diversion which carried us on a path above the roadway.

A second diversion up "the old road" to avoid walking on extended tarmac.

The top of the steep track.

Hold your cursor over the picture to view the scene three years ago during the Vintage Car Rally.

Right click here to open that report and read separately.

A damp field, damp silage feeder and damp sheep.

Back on the main road for the last hundred yards to where we parked the car.

One last view of the high fells as the light starts to fade.

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