Catbells

One of the reason's for us camping at Braithwaite is that we like the area and the other is that Blackwell Sailing are on holiday at Hawesend Centre on Derwentwater for a week and Ian and I joined them for a walk along Catbells today.

Sue, Russell, Ian the dogs and I took Adrian, Robert, Tracey and Chris and met with Dave, Moira, Jonathan who had walked along the lake shore with Joyce, Alan, Rodger, Shirley and Peter.

We had lunch at the jetty and then our group were joined by Alan and Shirley for the walk back along the lake shore and the others took the ferry.

We had tea and biscuits at the cottage they were staying in at the centre on our return before breaking camp and heading on home.

Scotland - Forest Of Ae And Wanlockhead

I dropped Ian off at the Forrest of Ae for another of the 7 Stanes cycle routes and then drove up to Wanlockhead which is Scotlands highest village to meet Audrey and go for a trip down the Lead Mines.

I then met Ian at the Forest after his ride for a cold beer and to cook lunch.......

before we headed off to the North Lakes and our campsite at Braithwaite......

Scotland - Drumlanrigg Castle - Bikes, Walks And Curry

Ritchie has set up some very technical mountain bike trails within the Drumlanrigg Castle Estate and asked Ian to go and ride one with him so whilst the boys were off on their toys Becca, the dogs and I went for a walk and then after his bike ride Ian joined us.

Ritchie & Gini asked us, Audrey, Colin and Cammy round to thier house for a curry in the evening........

Scotland - Drumlanrigg Castle - Old Pals, New Pals

Whilst Ian was off biking the 7 Stanes route in Dalbeattie Forest I had arranged to meet two of my pals - Jo and Audrey - at Drumlanrigg Castle for lunch and a walk little did I know until arriving at the Castle that an old pal of mine was working there - not only that but Audrey also knew him!!!!

Ritchie runs the bike hire shop within the castle grounds and one of his more bizzare bikes was the buddy bike - a side by side tandem which was screaming fun to ride!!!!

We had a walk, lunch, watched the falcon display and had lots of fun we also met Ritchie's partner Gini and his kids Becca and Katie.

Scotland - Dalbeattie, Rockcliffe and Kippford

We arrived at Glenearly Campsite in Dalbeattie in the afternoon and after pitching the tent we went to Rockcliffe on the coast for a play in the water with the dogs.......

before going to The Anglers in Kippford for a drink by the water......

A Bleak Walk On Bleaklow

This morning we set off for a walk up Bleaklow but didn't get very far - it was gale force wind and a cold one at that!!! It was very bleak up there!!

Back O'the Fell

There's a nice walk from the house that goes up the fell which is part of Lantern Pike but not to the top - it goes up through a field of bracken along the fell road and then down through a field of gorse which is what we did this afternoon.

I also discovered today where Lantern Pike gets it name from.....

Methane exiting from the surface of the marsh burns, if ignited, as a flickering, fixed flame. Spooklights appear and disappear and have become so well known that folklore gives places they are seen regularly names in their honour. In the High Peak of Derbyshire there is a hill known as the Lantern Pike. Peggy wi'th' Lantern was a frequent visitor here, say the old tales, swinging her lamp on the summit of the hill on dark nights.

Siula

I think we must have tired the dogs out over the weekend because after this mornings walk up Lantern Pike Siula fell asleep on the cushions as I was sorting out the camp gear and tidying up the bedroom!

A Lazy Sunday

Sunday was a morning of church bells, misty mountains, bacon on toast and coffee and wet dogs playing in the beck behind the tent followed by a trip to Ambleside for a bit of shopping and then an afternoon at Millarground playing in the water with the dogs.

Mickleden,Langdale

This morning we woke to brilliant sunshine and bacon butties with hot coffee before setting off for a walk down Mickleden because it has some wondeful plunge pools for swimming in.

Mickleden is the right hand valley at the end of Langdale, the left being Oxendale, and it leads to Snake Pass over to Borrowdale or up Rossett Gyll towards Scafell Pike

After walking to the valley end we decided to go swimming in one of my favourite plunge pools, so while I stripped off and joined the dogs swimming Ian got a brew on and cooked chinese sweet and sour for lunch

We then walked back, had a pint in the Old Dungeon Gyll

before going back to the camp site for a lazy evening

and falling asleep.....

Baysbrown Campsite, Langdale

After finishing sailing with Blackwell I went to Baysbrown Camp site in Langdale to set up the camp for the weekend and then sat in the sun until it was time to meet Ian from work for a quick drink in The Ship in Bowness, when we got back to the camp site to cook tea at about 7.30 we realised just how quickly the seasons are changing - it was getting dark!!

Mount Famine, Hayfield

Storm, Siula and I went out this morning in low mist and damp, muggy air for a walk up to the sumit of Mount Famine

A Cracking Walk Up Cracken Edge

Another hot and sunny day with an early morning haze over the fells, a cracking walk and the dogs loved it.

A Walk To Little Mill Inn at Rowarth

It was a gorgiously hot and sunny afternoon and Ian and I decided to walk with the dogs over Lantern Pike to The Little Mill Inn at Rowarth.

On the way over Siula found a nice muddy puddle to play in - Ian's comment was "I thought we'd got an adorable tri-colour puppy not one that likes to wallow in muddy puddles and eat dirt!"

We had a drink in the pub before wandering back over the fell to Birch Vale.

An Evening at Birch Vale

Denise and Ian arrived this afternoon for a wine, champagne, sushi and olive nibble session in the sun outside the house.

We then went across to the Sycamore Inn for a bar meal in the evening.

Before coming back and ending the evening with a glass of port.

Evening On Windermere

After a hard days canoeing on the Lake with Blackwell Sailing I went to see John at Shepherds Boat Hire for a few hours to help out followed by a glass of wine in the sun sitting on the jetty. It was a fantastically hot and sunny day with a brilliant evening.

Foxhole Clough Fell, Birch Vale

Today we went for an early morning walk up Foxholes Clough Fell, on the opposite side of the valley to the house, and took some pics back towards Lantern Pike and across to Kinder. The house is on the lower slopes of Lantern Pike .

White Brow, Kinder

We set off for a walk up White Brow today which is the fellside off to the left of Kinder Scout and above Kinder Reservoir. It was warm and muggy with a lot of low cloud.

Lantern Pike - Early Morning

A an early morning walk up Lantern Pike which is behind the house looking towards Kinder Scout and Foxholes Clough Fell.....

Edale Cross And Kinder Low End

Ian, the dogs and I took a walk from Hayfield up to Eadale Cross via Oaken Clough
and then on to Eadale Rocks where we stopped for lunch

we topped the sumit of Kinder Low End in a cold wind

before walking along the ridge to Red Brook where we made our decent watching the downfall with amusment as it was falling up!

Langdale In Flood

Ian and I drove to Langdale to camp tonight and found the river where we usually swim with Storm and Siula in flood - at least 6 feet higher than normal and definitely not safe.

The rock near Ian in the pic usually has at least another 4 feet showing and in front of Ian is a beach about 3 feet down and 15 feet wide.
The road to the camp site (Baysbrown) was flooded so there was no way we could get onto the site.

We then drove down to the end of the valley.

The pictures aren't of mountains and a lake but moutains and valley in flood

So after giving up on finding a camp site for the night we went back to The Ship in Bowness for chips and a drink with our buddies Tom and John before heading on back to The Peaks and Birch Vale.

Lantern Pike In The Sun

Storm, Siula and I went for a walk up Lantern Pike on a gorgiously hot and sunny afternoon.
and then relaxed in the evening with Ian, the dogs and a nice bottle of red