Following the gathering of over 450 dogs in Scotland, today
we just have a small gathering of 4 'Gunnerdale' retrievers
here in the first week back.
Friends who used to have Dylan's brother Mac, are staying
in Loweswater and we join them on several walks in the week.
They now have Dylan's two sisters (same kennels, same parents,
different litters) to accompany them on their walks.
"A family resemblance "
. . . and a local walk to Crummock lakeside.
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Next day we packed four large retrievers into
the back of one car and headed for Rannerdale.
Look carefully you can see both John and I taking
pictures.
When they exit the car they seem to spread out
and take more space.
We'd parked at Cinderdale, in order to return
on a slightly wider, round walk.
This meant that we had a short road walk along
the road past Rannerdale Cottages and the farm, towards Hause
Point.
"Making silage as the sun shines"
Rather than let the grass dry completely to
hay, the farmer is bailing it early to create green silage instead.
This will mature inside the black, shrink-wrapped
bales to make rich winter fodder.
At Hause Point the dogs headed for the water
in order to give the sub-aqua divers a good send off.
We however headed up above the water level,
as we started our climb up towards the summit of Rannerdale
Knotts.
A photo-opportunity at the first rocky outcrop.
John (obscuring Red Pike),
Maggie
and Lilly, Lisa,
then Dylan and Dougal.
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Up the pitched
path on the steepest part of the climb . . . |
. . . with the chance
of a drink in the spring above the steps. |
Looking down to Crummock from the top of the
steps,
where we get a view of Low Fell and a first
sight of Loweswater.
A overseas (Dutch?) family followed us onto
the outer crags as we continued the short distance to the summit.
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After the last few days of poor weather
the view from the top of Rannerdale
could even be classed as "summer-like".
Buttermere and its lake fill the valley ahead
once Crummock Water ends near Wood House.
Behind them are the high fells of Fleetwith Pike
and Great Gable,
with the darker outline of Haystacks
clear despite the blue haze.
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After the summit we head on along the ridge.
The descent from the rock outcrop that forms
the second "Knott" can be tricky, but is not a problem
with care . . . just pick a good line.
Robinson and High Snockrigg across the Newlands
Pass, as we walk the full length of Low Bank today.
At the end we'll double back and head down the
valley behind Rannerdale.
Always a nice view down to Low Fell and Loweswater.
The slight haze has hidden the distant views
of Scotland that you sometimes get from this high up.
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Technically the first part of the descent
is classed as the Squat Beck Valley,
as the Rannerdale Beck only joins the path
after cascading of the slopes of Grasmoor.
What is really nice is that all four dogs
have been off-lead for the whole of the walk.
Both mine, John and Lisa's dogs
have been trained not to be interested in sheep
so walking on the high fells is a real delight.
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Once we reach the fell wall the path runs parallel
till we reach the gate.
Here we've crossed over the bridge of the combined
streams and are walking a path more familiar in bluebell time.
The bluebells are gone and the summer bracken
has taken over.
This would be the same view in a May in a normal
year.
By walking the upper path through the bluebell
fields we pass high above the farm and Rannerdale Cottage.
The track brings us out at Cinderdale once again
. . . brilliant planning even if I say so myself !
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Big News just out . . .
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Now
is your chance to have your favourite
web site pictures
hanging
on your wall all year round
and
to support a good cause.
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" We've
done it again.
We've brought you twelve months of Loweswater
pictures,
Lakeland scenes and your favourite mountain dogs."
Yes
. . . The 2024 Loweswatercam
Calendar is
now on sale
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Click
here or on the photos
for
full details of how to buy your copy.
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