" Crummock Water and The Chalet" at EveryTrail
 

[ Alter the settings to zoom or change the Map, use Everytrail to download the Gps route ]

 

Two local walks combined together during a period of very variable weather.

Winter 2013/4 will be remembered for the continual cycle of storms and bad weather which started back in October last year.

Recently, it seems the south and west of Britain has been worst hit by the extremes of rain and wind.

Here in the Lakes it has not been good but the topography of the land copes as only this area can.

In between the storms we've had some nice weather too and we start here with Ann's walk from Cinderdale last Tuesday.

Tranquil Crummock, a bonus when you live close to glorious scenery and it is the 'quiet' season.

More snow on Red Pike and High Stile than when I was here a few days ago

No snow at ground level and the colours are soft in the late afternoon light.

The surface of the lake is a bit ruffled following the winds of late.

The level is quite high too.

Here I am looking across to the opposite shoreline under Mellbreak

Harry isn't interested in Mellbreak, he just wants a stick so he can get back to swimming and retrieving !

The beach which was passable today . . . but more difficult four days later after even more rainfall.

A small, un-named beck with Grasmoor behind	Sunlight behind Mellbreak's slopes

Low Fell and Darling Fell  .  . . and home in the distance.

Walking through the pine woods . . .	. . . with shafts of sunlight filtering through from the lake.

Cheer up Harry, we'll be here again very soon.	The gorse is starting to bloom.

A cheerful patch of yellow in an otherwise increasingly grey landscape.

Back to the Cinderdale car park and our car.

It started to rain just I set off for the short drive home. Well timed !

- - - o o o - - -

I drew the short straw on Thursday and after waiting for the weather to improve

I decided that it wouldn't, so put on full waterproof gear and ventured down to the lake to walk the dog !

I hadn't planned to take any pictures but the temptation was too great

and the phone did a reasonably good job, I hope you agree.

By the Pump House . . . the squalls were whipping up the surface of the lake

and the tops of the waved were being whisked up into the air.

Hold your cursor over the picture to get a better idea of what the weather was like as it whistles by !

Water covers the path as I walk down to the weir.

Harry is a little wary of smaller bridges at present, especially if there is a big river flowing below.

Over at the weir, the weather is no better.  The wind is whipping straight down the lake, taking all before.

Holding on to the bridge support I stop and "enjoy" the view.

 

Click to start the one and a half minute video . . . and then sit back and enjoy the experience.

( Click on the YouTube full-screen icon to see a larger version of the video )

- - - o o o - - -

Later that evening Ann and I had an invite from two long time Loweswatercam Viewers to  join them for a celebratory, birthday meal at The Chalet in Portinscale   We first met Nick and Sue here in Loweswater when they joined us for a walk up Rannerdale Knotts. Nick and Sue from Cornwall are up in the Lakes again this week.   In their time in the Lakes they have enjoyed many organised outdoor activities so they decided to invite everyone to the party  to say thank you. For tonight's meal we join forces with Claire and Paul from Keswick Canoe and Bushcraft, and Nigel the manager of Nordic Outdoors in Keswick. Unfortunately Jill and Neil from More Than Mountains and Mike from Mike's Eye were unable to join us on the night.

Tonight it was to be a surprise birthday party for Sue.

Well she knew she was being taken out for dinner but had no idea of any fellow guests that were to be there.

Smiles all round as we all met at The Chalet.

Sue, Paul, Nick, Ann and Claire

[ sorry . . . picture taken from a very poor video recording which I'm not planning to show]

A table had been laid . . . not for two but for seven.

Cards and small gifts were presented to mark the occasion.

It looks like duck for Sue and a rather special tortellini for Nick.

Claire, Nick, Sue, Angela, Peter (from the Chalet), Nigel and Paul.

A big thanks to them for a nice meal.

Group photo to close . . . before we all returned to our homes and our respective jobs,

and Nick and Sue returned to Cornwall a couple of days later.