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Richard, Hilary and Peter are up in the Lakes and travel over to see us for the day.

After a poor start the weather brightens and we hope that the high fells will be clear of cloud

to give us some more distant views from our walk around Sale fell.

At the fell gate on the road up to Kelswick Farm . . . Hilary, Peter, Ann and Richard.

"Toodles" is not the name of the dog. That's our Dylan.

The slate name plaque is a final greeting (toodle-oo) to those leaving the farm.

The green track leads on towards Chapel Woods . . .

. . . where in fact you will find the old Chapel.

An old photo of the chapel intrigues . . . the original must have been taken over 150 years ago.

We stop briefly for our friends to view the remains.

Through the large gate and on down the track past the latest of the seasonal flowers . . .

Rose Bay Willow Herb

Another large deer gate . . . to match the oversize deer fence.

They are also known as deer gates . . . because you should say "Thank you dear for holding the gate open ! "

The view south east as we clear the woods.

The top of Lords Seat is just clear of cloud . . . just for political correctness the wooded hill to the left is called Ladies Table.

An ancient hawthorn through the gate . . . and later on, alongside our track as we walk gently up towards Wythop Woods.

We strike up the slope towards the summit of Lothwaite

and as we do we are rewarded with a view along the length of Bassenthwaite Lake.

In the distance, a glimpse of Keswick and the start of Derwent Water.

The adjacent section of Wythop Woods has been clear felled,

but we leave it behind us as we double back and make our way towards Lothwaite summit.

Distant views here are of Binsey and the Uldale Fells.

A summit cheer is achieved after a second shout.

Not quite on the summit but just a little further on . . . a seat with a view.

No room for Richard as someone has taken his share of the bench.

Portrait time with his mum.

Casting our eyes about . . .

There's someone's summer camp down by the lake . . . and behind it the temporary scar across the fields left by the new water pipeline.

It is being laid from Thirlmere to the west coast

to avoid the problems of the western Lakes being over-used for drinking water.

Across the Rivings now and heading for the high point of the day . . . Sale Fell.

A small cairn marks the top of this normally rock-free summit.

To see a view of the northern end of Bass Lake you have to walk a short distance north, away from the top itself.

It seems that there might have been a Sunday race event at the Bassenthwaite Sailing Club.

Do you think the late John F.B. Sharp would have competed here in his day ?

It's down hill all the way now as we make our way back to the car.

This is the view west along the A66 road towards Embleton and Cockermouth.

Watch Hill, (a Wainwright outlier) is the partially wooded hill at the very back.

I think this is where we came in . . . "toodles to you".

- - - o o o - - -

Later we all adjourned to the Kirkstile for a very nice meal . . . and let someone else do the cooking and washing up !