Two days after the recent heavy Cumbrian snow the weather took a turn for the better

and today it almost demanded that we went out for a walk somewhere with a great view.

In the time available we drove to our local Wainwright top that sits at the northern end of Bassenthwaite and would hopefully give us those desired views.

The gate to Kelswick Farm.

Opening it would start our walk out onto Sale Fell.

A quick pause as we look up the ever steepening slope to the white-speckled Dodd Crag.

I don't know if it's inviting or daunting . . . . after the slightly large lunch we enjoyed just before leaving home.

There's only one answer . . . stop feeling full, expend some energy and work it off !

( But that first steep slope up from the gate WAS rather steep ! )

Looking back west over Fisher Wood to Embleton and Cockermouth.

The part-forested fell on the opposite side of the A66 is the Wainwright outlier, Watch Hill.

Gaining height now and we've reached the crags we saw earlier.

Dylan adopts the 'top  dog' stance.

The sheep up ahead adopted the 'big sheep' stance and hogged the path till we approached within less than ten feet.

He begrudgingly moved aside, numerically out-numbered in the foot department, four to twelve . . . after all we were two people plus two dogs.

The top of Sale and the views were as good as we had hoped.

In fact with the snow on the high fells and the cotton wool cloud, it was stunning.

Looking south to the extended summit ridge of Helvellyn and The Dodds.

The Cumbrian snow of two days ago never settled in the valleys north of Dunmail Rise but has left a goodly deposit high up.

Do take a full look around . . .

Down to the field opening at the foot of the Sale Fell summit area.

I say opening because each year we visit there seems to be a different arrangement of how to block the entrance.

I'm sure we've had various gates, pallets, metal fences and now these moveable metal railings, over the years we've been walking here.

The low winter sun highlights the ridge and furrows that are a feature of this part of the fell, known as The Rivings.

Origins are uncertain but the phenomena is the residual ridges of furrows left over after growing crops.

They may have been created during the first world war, but some think they even date back further

perhaps as far as the surge to produce home grown food during the Napoleonic War.

From The Rivings we head over towards Lothwaite top.

This is the eastern side of Sale Fell and will give us even better views across Bassenthwaite Lake.

The seat below the summit of Lothwaite gives chance to pause and admire the view.

Looking over Lothwaite's woodland wall at distant Binsey.

Surprisingly Binsey is the most northern summit of all the Wainwright fells.

On Lothwaite side the coniferous plantation gives way to more traditional deciduous trees.

The path forward starts by dropping quickly down the east slope of the fell . . . mind your head as you duck under the low branch.

[ Don't worry . . . it's only a photo . . . you don't need to duck your head if you are just reading the web site !]

Sheep quietly graze on the fields of Lothwaite Side Farm.

The cloud over the tops is continually yet subtly changing, moved along by unseen, high level breezes.

We gain the bridleway that follows a circuitous route through the forestry from Routenbeck.

It will lead us down, with the sun in our eyes, towards Wythop Old Church and ultimately the car, beyond Kelswick Farm.

Gorse bushes give way to old trees, as we pass through the tall deer-fence gate into Chapel Woods.

At the far end, another high 'deer gate' and an old ruined building beyond.

This is the remains of the old church that used to serve the Wythop Valley and the Wythop Hall Estate.

A recycled decorative stone identifies the site for new visitors to the area.

There's also a very faded photo on the western wall of the ruin.  It dates from over a hundred years back, if you care to search it out.

What's more local to Wythop and Routenbeck but the new Orient Express Cafe on the old Keswick to Cockermouth railway line.

This is a picture of a passenger train heading west out of Dubwath Station (where the signal box can be seen).

The station and its cafe have also now aquired an old single decker bus which they seem to be slowly renovating.

It will be interesting to see that project come to fruition.

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