Thursday 29th Sept 2011:Last day in the Lakes

Here again and too soon! the weather is too good to go home!
Ah well, off we went into Keswick first of all to buy some Fudge and Kendall Mint Cake, it was Market day!

Then down to Grasmere to pick up some Gingerbread!
Once that was done, up the "Struggle" where I spotted these beasties

The to Penrith for shopping lunch and fuel, and so to Haweswater

We then retraced our route and passed along Ullswater

And before we knew it the afternoon was gone!
After tea I went for a last evening walk by the lake and spotted this photographer

It was a warm, calm evening, perfect! One last view before returning to start packing....

Wednesday 28th Sept 2011: A lovely warm day

We had a good tour round, though the amount of mist in the air wasn't helpful when you want to take photographs of the scenery!
Here is a view of Honister Pass where we stopped for morning coffee

We had lunch in Gosforth and visited Wast Water, but it was far too misty to make out any details in the scree slopes, this image of Thirlmere taken later in the afternoon will show why

The temperature even in the high passes was over 20C, hotter than summer, and it was still really warm into the evening.
A very pleasant, but not productive day photo wise!

Tuesday Sept 27 2011: Surprise View and a great tour round

Sunny at first so we decided to visit Surprise View first

Only a panorama can take in the whole view!
Of course Ashness Bridge had to be next!

We drove down the east shore of Winderemere and as far as Millom in the coast where we had lunch in the Bridge Cafe, (good and not expensive, then came back up the Duddon Valley where the river crashes through the rocks.

then over Wrynose Pass, great views from the top on a clear day.

As we descended the pass i took this one looking over towards Langdale where the peak was nicely lit.

Than back to camp through Ambleside.
On my evening walk I followed the shoreline to this seat where I spent a little very pleasant time...

Monday 26th September: The Solway Firth

A visit to the coast for a change, we drove up to the shore of the Solway Firth, wild and remote

Then to the front at Silloth after buying sandwiches and these amazing buns at the local baker

Silloth has the strangest sea defences

And was once a thriving coastal resort, but the closure of the railway caused a terminal decline.
Despite this we always enjoy visiting the place as it seems as if time has stood still there!
After tea i went for my usual walk by the lake, it was calm and mild, so a panorama seemed in order.

And I finally produced the postcard to send home from this holiday!

Sunday 25th Sept 2011: Tarn Howes

Better weather this morning after a night of wind and rain, we drove across to Pemrith to shop, parking in a layby for our morning coffee

Then down to Ambleside, dropping down the hill aptly named "The Struggle" where we had to wait as this group of sweating ladies towed a small car up the hill!

A huge effort, they had already already towed the car up this lot, right from the level of the lake in the distance!

There is quite a view from up here

With it being Sunday Tarn Hows was very busy

But the Warden directed us to park next to his land rover.
And we had a walk down by the lake

We then continued down the old road to Lake Coniston

Down by the lake the sun was modelling the mountains very nicely!

Then it was time to head back to camp for tea!

Saturday 24th Sept 2011: Rain at first but it improved!

We drove to the coast in mist and rain and had lunch in the "Hungry Parrot" at Gosforth, then went over the moor and came back up the Duddon Valley, where the clouds finally started to clear a little.

Conditions improved slightly as we came to Thirlmere, but were still nothing to write hme about!

As we passed the end of the lake the sun came out at last!

And it continued to improve, i went for my usual evening walk along the lakeside, here is Friars Crag in sunshine for a change!

And I walked to the point where there was a view of my favourite house.

On the way back I was taken with the clouds over the fells and the curve of the boardwalk.

At least the heavy rain that started the day dwindled and disappeared in the afternoon.

Thursday 2nd Sept 2011: Wast Water

The weather was a little better so we decided to visit Wast water, going by the "pretty route2 through Honister Pass

We went to Whitehaven first to shop and have lunch, then continued on to the lake. Conditions were not very good for photos with a mist hanging over everything!

but we did at least get a couple of shots

Not many people about as it was midweek, and of course late in the season.

We shall try again next week if the weather is better as there was no detail to be seen in the screes with the mist.
I decided to come back to camp the same way as the mist would spoil the view over Hard Knot and Wrynose Passes, anothe day perhaps?

Wednesday 21st Sept 2011: Bad Weather!

What a day for rain! we drove into Keswick to shop and have lunch at Booths, but the weather was too bad until tea time to bother going out!
We did then manage a short run through Newlands Valley

Where the local streams were very swollen

Then came back through Buttermere Village and Kirkstone Pass

Tuesday 20th Sept: Better weather and Haweswater

How nice to see sunshine! I went for a morning walk by the shore of Derwentwater and it was very still.

The heacy recent rain had raised the water level quite a bit and some of the fencing is under water.

This is the view of the swollen river from the Chinese Bridge, the footpath to Lodore Hotel is under water on the other side of the bridge!

We set off for Haweswater and the sun was lighting up our favourite view nicely.

When we got to haweswater we were not so lucky as to get a blue sky, but at least the lighting was good.

But no amount of patience produced the Blue Sky I wanted!

When we got back to site I took a "grab" shot of a red squirrel raiding a bird feeder, pity it isn't sharp!

And found this colourful toadstool on the campsite

Monday 19th September: Rain and more rain!

We woke up to the odd patch of Blue sky, so set off to Whitehaven to do some shopping, snapping this view of our favourite house on the lake

The rain and clouds closed in after that and we had a wet drive to Whitehaven, and subsequently to Gosforth where we had a very nice lunch at "The hungry parrot eatery" before heading back to camp.
We spent the afternoon in the van then drove to Penrith before passing down the western side of Ullswater

At least the sky had started to clear a little, there was even the odd touch of Blue!

We turned off for Ambleside in heavy cloud and dropped down the hill aptly named "The Struggle"

Before returning to the caravan.
We had a pretty good day despite the rain!