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Day two of the superb winter weather and our friend Pat is staying for a few days.  

A busy morning working in the paddock whilst waiting for her to arrive,

then it was a lakeside walk for three of us and an unplanned meeting with a friend down by the lake.

More or less the day after I bought a portion of the field at the bottom of our garden the wall fell down !

Storm Ophelia has rattled the Leylandii and they rattled the wall and this was the resultant mess.

Technically it is our neighbour's responsibility (it's holding up his garage) but I offered to have a go at fixing it.

Each one of those stones had been moved by hand . . . many from within the stream bed.

Thank goodness for warm and waterproof gloves . . . a mixed combination of mountain and workman apparel.

After finding a solid base I start laying the stones back . . . careful not to disturb the ivy covered overhang !

Yesterday clearing the site, today replacing the wall and back filling.

It's a nice feeling to rebuild something, ending up with it looking good . . . and with nothing left over.

That should do the job . . . now where's the form to fill in the details for an NVQ in dry stone walling ?

* National Vocational Qualifications

- - - o o o - - -

Our friend Pat arrived for lunch as planned . . . and so we take advantage of the super weather and head out for a walk.

A picture of that super weather !

A closer view of Great Gable at the head of the valley.

A walk to the lake was suggested so we started out across the fields, following the local footpaths.

A wider view from Muncaster House and Grasmoor up the valley to snow covered Robinson and Rannerdale Knotts.

Cold weather in recent days has left a fresh covering on the tops (but the heavy snow later in the week was yet to arrive).

Lovely afternoon sunshine makes the colours shine.

The view of Gable catches the eye . . . and with the aid of a bigger lens the detail shines out.

That's Haystacks this side of it and the Scafells beyond.

Down at Low Park there's a lovely display of snowdrops.

High above, and totally unconcerned by their beauty, a large carrion crow rests in the branches.

We walk down towards the lake but take a slight diversion to the top of a rocky outcrop in the field.

Still, it's better than Dylan and I could do . . . so we'll not complain !

The distant sound of an aircraft encourages me to point the camera high above Mellbreak north top.

The afternoon sun is dropping behind Mellbreak and the High Stile Ridge, so the valley itself is now in shadow.

With the sunny weather there's still plenty of light about.

The shadow of Mellbreak's outline is projected onto the trees of Lanthwaite Hill and the lower slopes of Grasmoor.

I'm always tempted by a view of a summit and a bit of snow . . . Hopegill Head and Sand Hill.

In fact the view from up here on the rock is quite panoramic.

Click here or on the photo above for a 360 degree annotated panorama.

It turned out to be our friend Chris, also out for a local walk with his dog.

Chris with Pat and Ann, Dylan and Harvey.

Sitting at the little beach we watched as the sun came out and illuminated the fell sides opposite.

Close up of Grasmoor . . . seen through a bit of a shimmer.

Hold your cursor over the picture to clarify the reason.