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" A Walk to the Beach "

Date & start time:      5th April 2020.  5 pm start.

Location of Start :     By the red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited :          Park Bridge, Mellbreak Cottage, The Peel and back via the Gated Road.

Walk details :              1.9 mls, negligible feet of ascent, 1 hour.

Highest point :           The sunshine not the shade.

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

Weather :                      Sunshine and 19 degrees, but cool in the appreciable southerly breeze.

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number PU 100034184.

 

Well it's "day twelve in the Big Brother household" and the pace of life in the world outside our immediate household certainly seems to be quieter.

Being retired we are well used to filling our day, but even so there are less cars, less people, less shopping and no appointments to fill our calendar.

There is a reasonable list of things to do at home and we can afford to take a little longer over them

but the words "Manyana" and "would you like a coffee" come to mind more readily than usual.

The temperature has risen nicely as the warm air from the south is being shared with us northerners . . . thank you.

However the weather station indicates it won't last and there's a forecasted cold front bringing cloud and possibly some rain in later in the day !

I've had a busy morning painting more of the greenhouse (the white bits this time).

   
A 12ft ridge calls for a paintbrush with a long handle !
Inside it was easier and it was warmer, but still just as fiddly.

Almost complete, just the touch-up bits on the roof to do, so I down tools and we enjoy lunch and then head out for a local walk.

The sheep are away in a different field so the dogs can have a freer run of this one.

The fells are Whiteside and Grasmoor, with Brackenthwaite Hows covered in trees . . . but you probably know that by day twelve of local pictures !

Slightly overcast, but high cloud brings the temperatures down a notch or two.

Add a warm breeze and at last it was a day we didn't actually need thick coats.

   
The footpath takes us to the lower road . . .
. . . and on towards Low Park.

One of the earliest roadside flowers, the Lesser Celandine, a member of the buttercup family.

Mellbreak from the lane beyond Low Park.

   
Early spring views of Hopegill Head and Sand Hill.
Walking now in Mellbreak's shadow.

The wider picture of the lake ahead, looking over the wall to the green field on The Peel.

Across the fields towards Sandy Yat beach.

   
Mellbreak's shadow coincides with the dividing field wall.
Consequently the beach is in the shade.

Combine shade with a stiff breeze and it was not as warm as the air temperature would lead you to expect.

The strong breeze also ruffled the water of the lake in a significant way.

Mellbreak's summit shadow just didn't quite clear the stone seat . . . perhaps quarter of an hour's delay would see the sun move round far enough.

Unlike the weather station back at the house, we suffer the extra wind chill if sat outdoors in the breeze.

   
The waves were building up a steep shingle bank at the beach.
Too chilly to sit by the stone today.

The classic view of Great Gable over the Hause at Rannerdale, here in late winter colours.

Up and over The Peel where some natural woodland fills the gap between the grass field and the lake.

The blue of the sky gives the water a lovely deep colour today,

but the strong wind adds white horses to the lake . . . it looks like a force four or five on the Loweswater Beaufort Scale

Around The Peel to the smaller pebble beach where we often stop for a sit on one of the logs.

From here our route would normally be alongside the stone wall to the Pump House, towards those evergreen trees.

   
I have a distinct feeling that would be a wet route today . . .

. . . a few minutes wait confirmed the prognosis !

   
   
We'll say goodbye to the lake for now . . .
. . . and take a diversion via the boardwalk.

By the look of the lake the wind has increased slightly and those waves are bigger than ever.

Walking fifty yards back from the lake edge we were on the way home . . . warm and dry.

   
A lovely display of daffodils waving in the breeze . . .
. . . alongside Muncaster House, on the last part of our walk home.

The weather is looking true to forecast, as a large bank of cloud approaches slowly from the north west.

It is always weird to think that the cloud is moving down from the north even though the wind is blowing hard from the south.

That's weather for you . . . you've got  to look at the big picture !

Have you noticed the subtly of that comment . . . the big picture . . . I've merged three to give you a wide and taller view of the clouds !

By dusk Sunday evening, the warmth had gone and it would be gently raining, but that will be appreciated by local farmers and gardeners alike.

- - - o o o - - -

Monday April 6th . . . no matter where we walk the dogs always come home with bags of energy . . .

For now the weather is fine and the dogs are as playfull as ever . . . the delight of having two is that they can entertain each other.

   

 

Roger and Ann, many many thanks for all the wonderful walks we go on with you.

Love the views and feel almost with you and the happy dogs. Would love to be up there with you but at the moment have to be thankful for walks from the door which include the edges of fields and the canal going through Maghull.

Thank you again, Christie.

Thanks Christie.  (Maghull is near Aintree and Liverpool, for those that haven't heard the name) . . . RmH

Blackthorn blossom, always a sure sign that Spring is in the air . . . on the River Derwent walk yesterday.

Chris from Cockermouth.

Yes it seems spring is arriving, but we're weeks behind the south by the look of other's pictures . . . RmH

I've highlighted our walk in that area with Jeff and Chris last year

Hi Roger! This is how my two oldest daughters deal with the current crisis:


Renate Hudler & Karl Heinz Grube play the Kreisler - Londonderry Air

An old English (Irish?) melody, arranged by a famous violinist, and played together - but not at the same time, put together by multi-channel-recording. What music, it fits perfectly to my recent mood.

Helmut in Austria.

Click here for the Hudler Social Distancing Edition or on the photo above to play the video. (or right click and open in new tab or window)

 

Hello there!

Great to see you are still able to get out and are keeping safe in Loweswater, and its really good to still see your lovely photos of the fells and walks. This is such a mad time for everyone, we still need to see the normality of this beautiful countryside. We are really missing popping into the fells, there is so much we take for granted, its so strange to not have the freedom to roam!

We have managed to get to the coastal path at least, so we can get fresh air as well!  Lets hope we can all get back to normal soon. Not sure we should keep eating much more of the home baking that is filling my time!!

Both of you take care and be safe,    Bill and Amanda

 

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Panasonic Lumix TZ60, or my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 Camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . sufficient DIY products in the shed to complete all the jobs.

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Previous walk - 4th April 2020 - Local to Harry's Pool

A previous time up here ( one year ago ) - 28/29th March 2019 - Local with Jo, Dee & John

Next walk - 7th April 2020 - Local and the Millennium Plaque