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Sadly the good weather Helen enjoyed on her first evening here was short lived

and it took a backward step more into in line with the weather of recent weeks.

Still, it didn't rain all the time and we were able to enjoy several local walks along the way.

Carling Knott and the Loweswater Pheasant (the tree shape) . . . from the road turning to Maggie's Bridge.

Down at the car park there's still a pile of felled logs yet to be collected.

Lost property . . . adds a bit of a foreground to the photo of my walking companions, Ann and Helen.

Across the meadows which have been cut and bailed for hay and cleared for quite some time now.

Not such a display of wild meadow flowers this year . . . the cooler, wetter August weather presumably didn't help

After last night's rain the White Oak Beck is flowing well and has a peaty brown tinge to it.

The colour comes from the peat bogs high up on the fells.     The weather this afternoon is dry so it shouldn't rise any more.

Spoke too soon . . .

After the rain we're on the move again.

Dylan's nose is in the air as he smells what could be a dead sheep on the other side of the wall.

Rather than going high we take the 'permitted footpath' under Holme Wood to Watergate Farm.

From the High Nook farm track it first crosses a few fields, offering views of Darling Fell and Low Fell across the lake.

Onto the track that skirts around the base of the wood.

There are red squirrels in Holme Wood . . . but we only saw this one on the entrance to Watergate Barn.

Oh dear . . . wet again as we pass the ex-farm, now home to the National Trust area Ranger.

They also have a self catering holiday home here if anyone's interested.

Looking across Loweswater as the rain eases.

We were going to walk the track back to Maggie's Bridge . . . but there was too much heavy traffic.

The traffic warden wasn't sticking to the track however

so our diversion across the grass field was even wider than first planned.

Clearing skies . . . but still damp.

Back to the car at Maggie's Bridge . . . everyone suitably exercised I hope.

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Next day Ann wanted to take Helen up onto Scale Hill.

[ Photos again a mixture of ours and Helen's.]

The weather was a bit finer . . . well at least this end of the valley.

The steeper route up Scale Hill starts at the car park gate and climbs into the mixed oak woodland.

On the craggier sections there are the remains of old stone steps that pre-date the National Park.

The moss on the dry stone wall has a certain vintage about it too.

As they climb above the trees the view expands to take in Red Pike on one side . . .

. . . and the Lorton Valley on the other.

From the summit there's a panoramic view of the high fells.

In the days of old when the Scale Hill Hotel was a famous coaching inn this was the place locally to take in the view.

Loweswater's own little Victorian Viewing Station.

It even gets a mention on the 'Grasmoor 3' page of Mr Wainwright's nice little guide books.

A welcome return of some sunshine as the path is followed around the back of Lanthwaite Woods.

The path continues on past the various bridleway gates until it turns and heads down hill

following close by the stream that runs off the Lanthwaite Farm fields.

Soon you reach the beach by the boathouse . . . time to throw some sticks . . .

. . . sit on the bench and enjoys the view across Crummock Water . . .

. . . or wonder at the history stored in the ancient walls of the boat house itself.

Is the Ann level and the chair sloping . . . or the chair level and Ann and the photographer sloping ?

The skies are clearing to the west as they walk along the forest track to the foot of the lake.

Helen and Dylan on the beach . . . the boathouse now away in the distance.

The weather has cleared sufficiently to appreciate the backdrop of the High Stile Ridge and Red Pike (the pointed summit).

Helen was intrigued by the sluice gates and bridges.

The recent heavy rains have caused the river level to rise to the point

where it had overflowed the wall and left an extra pool of water on this side.

The weather improved as the afternoon progressed.

It was turning into a nice evening as the fields below Low Park were reached.

Back to the Kirkstile junction to show Helen the "negative signpost".

Through the grounds of the Church . . . on the way back to the cottage.

A short time later and we were back at the Kirkstile to celebrate Helen's visit, on the last night of her stay here in Loweswater.

We were sat at the "Piano" table and enjoying the prospect of our evening meal.

Why is it called the piano table . . . there used to be an old upright piano in this corner when we first knew the pub all those years ago.

[ Photo by Carlo . . . but that's another story.]

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