At Home

Tuesday, 22nd August

Have just found out that the course requires three, not two copies - Panicking! ! ! ! !

Lancaster

Monday, 21st August

Took the MA Portfolios to Lancaster so can now say that I have officially finished the course. Did some shopping in Lancaster.

Caldbeck - 3

Sunday, 20th August

Raining - Marucs didn't fancy a long walk so I suggested taking him to see the Howk at Caldbeck. It stopped raining while we were out and started again when we arrived at Uldale for tea and cakes.

Calvert Trust

Thursday, 17th August

The Calvert Trust is a charity which specialises in providing adventure holidays for the disabled. The main centre is situated at Bassenthwaite, where kayaking, canoeing, absailing and even paragliding activities are run. The Riding Stables are close to our house. In fact we are surrounded by fields of their horses. Marcus did some volunteer work for the trust several years' ago and suggested that I try it. "It's a marvellous way to spend an afternoon," he said and you come back feeling that you've done something really worthwhile.

I was very nervous. I don't really know anything about horses so the thought of having to, 'control' one was a bit daunting. The staff were wonderful however, really patient and friendly - and so were the horses. I ended up doing much more than I expected; putting on bridles and saddles etc and then taking two horses out for a walk. Marcus was right, it is a marvellous way to spend an afternoon.

Caldbeck - 2

Tuesday, 15th August

Returned to Caldbeck to collect some Mohair wool, that I ordered on Sunday. I had attempted to climb Bakestall earlier in the day but had been put off by the rain. Although Bakestall is not that high, I was worried that I would not be able to find the grassy path leading off it and might find myself wandering too close to the crags. Will try again soon.

Lynne held a small party tonight so we drove up the Melmerby later. I enjoyed it - felt I had got closer to one of her frineds and discovered the delights of Pimms and lemonade (is that one 'm' or two)? Marcus let the dog out as we were going home and various people were given, doggy-biscuit bones and instructed to go and find her. Marcus found her but any attempts to get her to come to him failed. She came straight to me though and immediately leaped into the back of the car. We drove back to Lynne's and dropped her off - with the bone!

Village Pond - Caldbeck.

Old Mill House.

Street in Caldbeck.

The Howk.

River near the Howk.

Summit of Faulds Brow.

Caldbeck

Sunday, 13th August

Have been to Caldbeck many times but never to the 'Howk'. What a lovely surprise that was. Marcus couldn't come out with me today so I decided to drive to Caldbeck to follow Wainwright's Faulds Brow walk in the Outlying Fells Book. It started to rain - quite heavily - before I'd reached Bassenthwaite; so I stopped off at Uldale and had something to eat in the Schoolhouse Tea Rooms. Liz and I used to come here a lot in years gone by - it was good to see it still up and running - more than that acutally because it appears to be doing quite well. Well done Jenny. All the food in cooked on the premises - cakes are delicious.

Stopped raining when I'd finished eating, which was good, so drove on to Caldbeck and followed directions to, The Howk. This turned out to be a ruin of an old Bobbin Mill set in a beautiful limestone gorge. Followed the path to the waterfall and on to Whelpo bridge across fields. Rain kept off and the climb to Faulds Brow was easy. The whole fell was covered in heather and there was a good view of both the back of Skiddaw and the Solway Firth.

I think this has been one of my favourite of the Outlying Fell walks I have done so far.

A Visit to Shelia's

Friday, 11th August

Shelia took me to Matalan where I bought three pairs of jeans - size 12!. Oh I know it's petty and vain but - size 12! Haven't been able to get into a pair of size 12 jeans for years.

So glad I could share the moment with a good friend.

Sat in Shelia's garden when we got back and didn't get sunburnt. The last two times I have sat in Shelia's garden I have.

Shelia has a new puppy. He is very well-trained and quite cute.

Angle Tarn.

The summit Pike.

Beda Fell.

Angle Tarn Pikes

Wednesday, 9th August

Have been to Angle Tarn Pikes before but have only recently discovered that there are two pikes and I think the one we climbed was not the highest. Thought I'd re-visit just to make sure. Planned to do Place Fell and perhaps Beda on the way back.

Day did not go entirely to plan in that I found myself in the middle of and National Ordenance Survey outing with over seven-hundred people trailing up Boardale Hause and running around the tops, pressing buttons around markers. I shouldn't mock but really, life is too short for all this running around - people need to slow down in my opinion. Anyway, they were a friendly bunch and I managed to reach the Hause in one piece after one of my water bottles burst in the rucksack and ran down my back - brrrrr!

Started to drizzle on the top and get colder so back didn't dry. Found the pike M and I originally climbed and then found the highest one. Wind was getting really rough at this point and I thought I might be blown off the top.

Decided Place Fell - which I have also climbed twice but not to the summit - was too high for today and settled for an extremely blowy crossing of Beda Fell.

Halfway across I met a man just finishing the Wainwrights; he was nearly seventy - and then his father appeared, who was in his nineties! And I thought I would have to finish the high fells once I reached fifty!

The wind got worse and I could hardly get my waterproof troos on because there was nowhere to shelter and had to do it sitting in the wet grass with the rain stinging into my face. Whew - it's been a long time since I've been out in a storm.

Enjoyed it thought - mainly.

Roughten Gill.

Skiddaw House, peeping through trees and surrounded by heather.

The Cloven Stone.

Skiddaw House from Cloven Stone. I think this really shows how remote the location is.

Me, by one of the stone men (not the summit).

Mungrisedale Common

Saturday, 5th August

Have been here - twice - but never found the cairn. Today's idea was: to visit the Cloven Stone, find the summit cairn and then walk on up to Blencathra and down Blease Fell to the Threlkeld Centre car park. We started out quite late and Marcus decided he had had enough after climbing the Common. It didn't matter to me, I just wanted to find the summit and re-visit the stone.
Skiddaw House looked wonderful, surrounded in a cloud of heather. It was the first time Marcus has actually seen it and I was so glad he saw it at it's best.

Summit of Knott looking towards the back of Blencathra.

Knott

Sunday, 30th July

The climb up Steel Ward nearly ended in disaster owing to the steepness at the top. It was pure hand-over-feet climbing up there and Marcus only followed me once I had made it and convinced him that it was flat. We then had to wade through high grass to make it up to Knott. Fortunately this was dry owing to the hot weather. Walked back via Great Scafell and Little Scafell and then on to Brae Fell before reaching the fell road back to Fell Side Farm.

I am glad I managed the climb today. It is good practice for Scafell, which we are aiming to do some time this year.

This is another one of those special places for me. The track from Fell Side to Roughton Gill fascinates me, perhaps because of all the mining which has taken place around there.

Clints Crags.

View from summit.

Clints Crags - the return.

Friday, 28th July

You have to admire my persistence. Went back to Blindcrake today and did actually find and climb Clints Crags today. This was no mean feat as the pathway led through more thistle-infested fields (and nettles in some places).

So, have more insect bites and thistle scratches and nettle stings on my feet. A word from the wise: do not attempt this walk wearing walking sandals. Acutally, I wouldn't recommend attempting this walk at all unless, like me, you are desperate to bag the thing.

Tried to find where the walk I did on Wednesday joined up to this one but got lost again, ending up at the A595 near Therapland Moss.

Friends

Thursday, 27th July

Am covered in bites from walk yesterday. However despite constantly scratching, today I officially finished my M.A. Yes, I have re-edited my work for the last time and have put it all together in one final document.

Went for a short walk to celebrate and saw Talia putting out washing in her garden. She invited me in and we had coffee - for ages. Was late with dinner which we were just finishing eating when Dave and Murial arrived from Nottingham. They are up here visiting Dave's mum. So then we sat up till past twelve drinking wine and talking. They had not seen the new cottage before and were very impressed.

The church of saint Bartholomew, near Higham Hall.

The new burial site. (Older graves are situated on the other side of the church).

The ruins of Thackray cottage.

Clints Crags - 1

Wednesday, 26th July

Not a terribly exciting walk this, it has to be said but it was close to home and one I decided could be done in an afternoon as opposed to a whole day (I am trying to start my walks later in the day due to heat).

I started this walk the wrong way round I discovered, about half-an-hour into it. I didn't think this would matter particularly but what with not having a proper O.S. map - (just the 1 inch to a mile one) and the false start, I managed to get hopelessly lost and ended up walking for hours in thistle-invested fields surrounded by horrid bitey-things.

Did find Thackray Cottage however and saw my first tawny owl in the wild, which flew from the ruins when I approached.

Stopped off to visit St. Bartholomew's church on the way. I had passed it in the spring, on my way to Watch Hill and wanted to take a closer look.