Home from our week "down south" and here the fine weather continues to bring sunshine and warm breezes.

Loweswater has had a reasonable quantity of rain, especially overnight some nights, the grass is green and the sheep and farmers are happy.

Time to get back out onto the fells, albeit only part way up a small one, but I'm out in the Loweswater countryside for my first walk back at home.

Looking back at the familiar panorama as I cross the first field from home.

At the top of the second field is Foulsyke House

and half way up the fell behind, showing above the right hand chimney pot, is what I call The Lonesome Pine.

After a quick visit to my neighbour's house I stop briefly to admire her wonderful view.

I take the woodland track into what's left of Whinny Ridding Woods.

This is the view looking back at Whiteside and Grasmoor over the chimney of The Old Coach House.

After a couple of years with no forestry machines and the track is starting to return to nature and the scenery less severe.

The path has been re-naturalised but a dead tree, possibly an old larch, has fallen to form an arch over the track.

The grass and undergrowth is now reached the stage where it is hiding the demolished ruins of the old Pottergill Farm.

The gate that was obstructing the old footpath has been taken away but in recent weeks the Planning Board have approved a new route for the right of way

which more accurately reflects the old track and takes the path clear of the farm buildings and up the slope, this side of Potter Gill.

The O.S. Map green dotted line will change in time to reflect the re-routing.

After a steep climb up from the ruin Dougal and I enter the bracken that's growing in profusion across the flanks of Low Fell.

The view across the valley is of The Oak Bank farm complex. . . or should we call it a hamlet, now it has seven dwellings ?

Dougal is normally very good at finding the route forward but the bracken obscures the path that traverses the slopes of Low Fell.

From the stile onward the path gradually climbs to the pine tree, but how fast it climbs is hidden by the thick summer growth.

I fight my way through the bracken, as Loes and I did at Ennerdale recently, only here I haven't got a convenient stick to clear a way through the undergrowth.

I have to just push it away as I pass, or try and stamp on it where it crosses the route.

As a result the warm air appears even warmer as I fight my way through, in order to reach my objective today.

Just a quick stop to appreciate the view that I've worked un-reasonably hard to achieve !

Time to head down now . . . aim for the lake but stop about half way there, just beyond the Vicarage, which is the white house in the middle distance.

There are two Swaledales in there too.

The dry weather has encouraged the thistles which provide a rather unwanted backdrop, as they are not really fodder for the animals, only weeds obscuring the grass.

The ancient breed of Jacobs Sheep make a pleasant and attractive alternative to the usual local breeds we see.

They have an interesting coat and seemingly delicate small horns.