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" Little Beast and Crummock Icicles "

Date & start time:    Saturday 17th March, 2018.  4.15 pm start for the walk.

Location of Start :   Low Park Bridge, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 145 205 )

Places visited :         High Park, Crummock Water, the Pump House and back.

Walk details :             1.3 miles, 150 feet of ascent,  3/4 hour.

Highest point :          Seasonal novelties.

Walked with :             Ann and our dogs, Harry and Dylan.

Weather :                    Sunshine and shadows, snow flurries, cold plus a significant wind chill.

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The big weather warnings are out again, admittedly for further south, but another Siberian high pressure system

is pushing easterly winds, low temperatures and snow towards Britain. It has been dubbed the "mini-beast from the east"

Here in North West Cumbria we are well protected by the high fells and life continues almost without interruption.

Snow . . . what snow ?

The "mini - beast from the east" hits Loweswater with sunshine and snow flurries.

Fortunately for us the snow does not settle and the disruption is minimal.

In  between the flurries and sometimes despite them, the conditions do not stop outside enjoyment / work.

Chance to catch up on a few more jobs in the paddock . . . with dry or even frozen turf making conditions easy.

I've levelled a patch at the top of the rise so it would take a chair if  we wanted one in the future.

The druids have set a mini-cromlech or table over by the pool.

I was delighted to note the first frog spawn of the season hasestablished itself in the pool . . . a wildlife first for the old field.

The contents of the old compost heap has been transferred by wheelbarrow to lengthen the bank or kyst in the paddock

so that the hedge can be extended to meet up with the upper fence.  More compost to transfer in due course.

Looking around . . . the daffodils are in full bloom in our garden where they are sheltered from the easterlies.

Our rhododendron is an early variety and seems to cope with the cooler temperatures of Loweswater.

- - - o o o - - -

After a morning's work it is time to walk the dogs . . .

We parked at Low Park bridge in order to lessen the road walking for Harry.

Our passing or was that parking . . . was noted by this older Swaledale.

Low Park House with Mellbreak behind.

We leave the road (well it ends here anyway) and take the track to High Park.

Grasmoor seen across the valley.
Low Fell . . . and there's frogs spawn in this water too.

Across the fields towards Crummock Water.

The strong easterly wind-chill is moving the apparent temperature down into the minuses.

We are not the only ones out on this blustery afternoon.

Harry on the pebble beach  of Sandy Yat.

Visibility is good except in the snow showers, one of which  is not far away at Buttermere.

Dylan sits on the rock seat usually reserved by Ann.

Hold your cursor over the picture to see how thoughtful he is . . . leaving her space free.

The lake level is down . . . the actual rainfall in the last month has been relatively low.

We head round The Peel where there are the ruins of an old medieval farmhouse.

The high fells have a dusting of snow, only up there it hasn't melted.

From the local news and recent weather reports it appears the top of Helvellyn (and other high fells no doubt)

are very icy despite the lack of deep snow.  Several fatalities have occurred recently . . . do take the right equipment and do take care.

Looking across to the Pump House.

A strange white cloud above Whiteside is as a result of gap in the passing snow shower.

It is a bit early to have white flowers on the bushes alongside the water's edge ?

It turns out to be frozen spray . . . giving us an excellent display of icicles on the plants next to the path.

The waves must have been splashing up onto the bushes during the high winds.

The water has also frozen on the adjacent grass.
A whole line of bushes have been turned white.

Such a lovely display and an unusual one too.

Another bush and a view of Grasmoor once again.

This time a gorse bush has been subjected to the freezing water.

You almost want to take your gloves off and see if they tinkle . . . but there again I might just leave my gloves on today !

We leave the lake and its winter display . . . and head back to the car.

Following Church Beck back up towards Low Park.

The floods of recent years have altered the path of the river . . . that fence used to be on the top of the far bank.

A burst of late sunshine highlights the snow on Great Gable, seemingly at the head of this valley.

It is in fact at the head of Ennerdale, the next valley round.
The gullies and cornices of Red Pike are holding some late snow.

The skeleton of a Hawthorn tree is silhouetted by the sun and the dark cloud.

See that big white house over there . . . it's not ours !
Harry proceeds up the path at his steady rate.
   
We're nearly back at Low Park.
Just one last group member to catch up.

Last one through please shut the gate . . . we're off home for a warming cup of tea.

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 Camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . extra layers to fend off the bitterly cold wind.

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Previous event - 9th- 12th March 2018 - A Long Weekend in Sheffield

A previous time up here - 3rd March 2008 - A local walk with Jo, Angie and David

Next walk - 22nd March 2018 - A Buttermere Ramble with Nicola