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" Happy New Year Gordon ... and a walk " Date & start time: Sunday 29th October 2017, 4.15 pm. Location of Start : By the red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211 ) Places visited : Gordon's temporary sheep fold and Lanthwaite Hill. Walk details : 1.75 miles, 200 feet of ascent, 1 hour approx. Highest point : Lanthwaite Hill / Brackenthwaite Hows. Walked with : Gordon, Tig and Tag, Ann and our dogs, Harry and Dylan. Weather : Sunshine and blue skies. |
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The end of October / beginning of November is the time that the sheep farmer's year starts once again. It's nearly 'tupping' again and time to prepare the sheep for the season ahead. Gordon takes a quick break for coffee as I fetch the camera from the house. Lots of activity in field across the road from us means that he's busy with the sheep. Preparing the ewes for tupping, the start of the breeding year. Today he's dousing, spraying and clipping . . . giving the sheep protection from worms and tics and making them look and feel their best for the ram in the weeks ahead. He has his two sheepdogs with him . . . Tig and Tag . . . this is one of them, but don't ask me which ! He's a bundle of energy, running round checking on the sheep even though they are all safely penned.
In contrast, his partner was a little more restrained, and I managed a more reasonable photo. No wonder as he sat still for a moment at the request of his master . . . brilliant. As this is effectively the start of the new Cumbrian Farming Year, the tupping season, I suppose we had better wish Gordon "A Happy New Year". - - - o o o - - - After lunch Ann and I took our rather more sedate dogs for an afternoon walk. We started at Lanthwaite Green and walked over to Lanthwaite Woods and the summit of Scale Hill, starting from the Grasmoor side.
We walk across into the woods and take the path close to the field wall.
A fine Scots Pine closer to the summit.
Into the enclosure that surrounds Scale Hill summit now. The high deer fence has several gates and protects the young trees (in the white tubes) from being eaten. From the top the views all round were superb. I hung back slightly top catch the full panorama for you. Click here or on the photo above for a larger 360 degree annotated picture. Harry and Dylan got to the summit first and were waiting in sunshine. They eventually sat nicely when requested. With the sun behind me and a different backdrop the pictures take on a totally different character. Ann, Dylan and Harry enjoying the sunshine and the views for just a little while longer.
Looking up the length of Crummock Water all the fells are clear today . . . you can even glimpse the Scafells over there to right of Great Gable. We can't stay all day as the clocks have gone back and it will be getting dark sooner than yesterday.
A short walk but a pleasant one with views of over sixteen major summits from the top. No wonder Mr Wainwright suggested you stop off and visit it if you have a moment to spare. - - - o o o - - -
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