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Back from Christmas away with the children and there's so much to do.

They had kept me busy with walks and family socialising but now the reality of three in the house not four starts to become apparent.

Fortunately the dogs keep me on track, setting meal time for breakfast, lunch and supper, all without the aid of a clock.

They also remind me, if I haven't already taken them out, that a walk after lunch is required.

The first full day back home is a delight and our dog walk finds us down by Crummock Water.

I hadn't planned to take photos . . . but the weather is so good and the phone was in the pocket . . .

- - - o o o - - -

Consequently when Wednesday dawned fine and bright the fells were suggesting I might try for a slightly longer walk.

It was cold and frosty and it had snowed slightly overnight so the tops of the fells were slightly white.

Hen Comb (on the left) was calling . . . its summit seen here from the cottage.

Morning jobs done and with an early lunch taken it was time to head out for the walk.

A brief look back to enjoy the view and set the mood for the day.

The 'proper' camera this time . . . and with the big lens I look up at Grasmoor's west face.

. . . and up the length of the valley to Green Gable and Great Gable, shining out beyond Haystacks.

Zooming back out to include Crummock Water and Rannerdale Knotts.

The Kirkstile Inn . . . sadly shut at present due to Tier 4 status for Cumbria.

Do please drop me an email if you know of, or recognise this memento.

Kirk Head Cottage reflecting the day . . .

. . . its a reversed view of Lorton's Kirk Fell away down the valley.

Snowy Sand Hill appears above Gasgale Valley as I continue on up the stone-lined lane.

Safely over dry-shod . . . not a day to get your feet wet.

Zooming in on Loweswater and the Scottish hills beyond.

I think they are ripples on the lake . . . but it may be thin ice, especially at the far end.

Starting the climb up Hen Comb's Dodd . . . either it is steep or I'm less fell-fit than I thought.

The White Oak Valley below still shows signs of the lead mining and the three mine water leats on the far bank.

Blake Fell is well covered in snow but Carling Knott is the fell that catches the eye.

The sun over Little Dodd will shine on me a little longer till I reach the shadows.

I am not alone on the fells, as these lady walkers from Workington pass me on their way back down from the summit.

A brief conversation informs me that their eventual goal is to climb all the Wainwrights . . . go for it guys.

Climbing the Wainwrights can bring some lovely views.

There are 214 summits in the list . . . including this one of Hen Comb.

Ann and I completed three full rounds of the fells but we probably climbed Hen Comb itself over thirty times.

This is Dylan's sixth visit and I think Dougal's first.

This is what we three enjoyed looking at today.

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

[ To return here just press your back space key after viewing the panorama ]

Great Bourne and the bridle path to Ennerdale via Floutern Pass.

Buttermere, with Robinson to the left and Fleetwith Pike behind casting its shadow on Dale Head.

Black Star and the Honister Crags on Fleetwith Pike,

with the Rosthwaite Fell, High Raise and finally the Grasmere Fells as a backdrop.

Helvellyn Ridge in the background of this picture, looking across the Newlands Valley to Maiden Moor.

The lowland green of the Lorton Valley after a day of warming sunshine.

I can see the cottage, which makes sense as the first picture from today showed the reverse image !

On the way back now. . . at the fence at the foot of the descent from the summit.

Following the track down . . . with Darling Fell and Low Fell ahead.

	- - - o o o - - -   Back at Harry's Pool.   I had put Kahtoola Microspikes on by boots for the final section of the climb of Hen Comb and they were so effective I kept them on all the way down.   In fact they were also brilliant for grip on the rock as I crossed back over the stepping stones at the pool.   No slips and no wet feet !   - - - o o o - - -

Re-tracing my steps now, back down past Kirkgate Farm

where they added a new covered barn over the outside yard at the end of last year.

- - - o o o - - -

Two final photos from the day as the sun set in the west . . . and set a rich red glow on our local summits.

The snow on Grasmoor's top reflecting the fading light of a five o'clock sunset.

Time for tea . . . so the dogs are telling me !