JULY DIARY FROM THE LAKELAND MEANDERER

  Indeed, a very grand read and what a great time you have had sir. The journals are so well put together and bits of humour chucked in i think we all can say they are a tale we all look forward to reading and enjoy your hols with you.

            Whatever plan you take- safe drive to you. 

 Well here we go with Friday episode and your last installment for this weeks to-ings and fro-ings around Ambleside (at last I hear you say!!)

Blazing hot and sunny was the order of the day again! Not that I'm complaining of course. The original plan was to upto Elterwater and take an anticlockwise wander through Great Langdale, round towards Blea Tarn and back round the southern side of Lingmoor Fell and through the Little Langdale valley back to Elterwater. But I reckoned it might just be a bit hot for this today so shelved it for a cooler day, maybe in September.  However having missed out on Lily Tarn and Todd Crag that was now made the target for the day. Uphill it has to said almost from step one. Spend an hour or so up on the top and then back down to Clappersgate and home. But as is usual plans go somewhat off track. The initial climb, about 1/4 mile from the cottage door, up Miller Brow is about 1/4 mile on tarmac then climbs over some steps in a wall and into a short woodland about 150 yards maybe then out onto the fells and the last 1/4 mile or so uphill stretch to Lily Tarn. Several stops on route for catching of breath and taking photos I have taken countless times but you never know ... might get a good one someday!! Lily Tarn was looking suitably good so more images were taken to add to the increasing collection. Amazing blue skies and white clouds but any distant fells, views etc, were a bit hazy. Reflections of the lone tree on its little were taken as always as well as the surrounding fells. A lady was up there with her 2 Labradors who were having great fun chasing various toys in and out of the tarn.  Then wandered over to the top end of Todd Crag which is about 200 mtr, so 150 above Ambleside, which offers superb views over to northern end of Windermere. The River Rothay running in and the site of the Roman Fort Galava is easily visible. On a really clear day Belle Isle can be seen which is halfway down the lake at Bowness. A couple of year since I have been up here so yet again camera was pointed at anything and everything. The Ambleside cruiser terminal is easily visible and depending what time you are up there the steamers can be seen arriving and departing, but not today. Plenty of great views over Wansfell, Scandale and Fairfield where on show today. Even had a play with the polarising filter to try to make the clouds stand out a bit better. A quick look says it might have worked. So the original plan was to drop down into Clappersgate and back into Ambleside but that didn't last long. It was so good up there I set off for Loughrigg Fell and Loughrigg Tarn. This time took a couple of different paths for a change but they all end up on the same track anyway as there is only one main track from Lily Tarn to the Ambleside - Loughrigg path. A steady stroll took me to Loughrigg Tarn which was not as busy as I would have expected. A few good views of the Langdale Pikes and surrounding fells had the camera pointed at them. From Loughrigg Tarn is a trudge on a road for maybe just over 1/4 mile to turn off right into Deer Bolt Woods which eventually leads to Loughrigg Terrace which I am sure you will remember from previous mentions has fantastic views north over Grasmere. Took the first seat I came to on Loughrigg Terrace for my lunch break as from personal experience on many occasions I know that if you wait for the next one ... it has gone!!!. Plenty of people up and down the Terrace. 20 minutes later up and off towards Rydal Water. About half way round Rydal Water there was a rocky outcrop that had to be scrambled over or get your feet wet and paddle round, and I have done both. But now they 'ruined' in my view, taking something like 10 yards of water away to make a path round the rocks!! And now the track is wider and has been relaid. Not very happy as it has taken a bit of the character away from the shoreline. But it will make the shoreline more accessible to more people. By now it was still very hot and water had just about gone. So the intended wander through Rydal Park was abandoned and a stroll through Rydal Woods to the junction with Under Loughrigg Road and the A591 where there is always an ice cream van and he sell bottles of cold water..... 2 x 500 ml were purchased and one vanished almost immediately. A steady stroll down the road was the order for the last 20-30 minutes but I did manage to find a gate for another short walk I want to do so that was fortunate. Could well be one of those Saturday afternoon walks after food has been fridged. If not a half day walk if any morning is not too good. It goes up onto Loughrigg Fell and then several choices depending on the time of day. Got back to the cottage around 2.30. Took off some incredibly 'aromatic' boots and socks. Finished off the remaining bottle of water plus a fair share of one that was in the fridge. A quick shower then started to get packed ... don't like packing!!! Clothes for pub and drive home were left out and case packed. All electrical bits chargers etc were gathered and put in their bag. Magazines, cd's and maps all in their bag. Camera and lenses into their respective bag. And that only left the laptop which with its charger and mouse have yet another bag. Boots and kitchen stuff were all sorted apart from fridge stuff cos that would be sorted early morning. Around 4-15 went out to put the various lottery lines on, 3 Lotto for me and 4 Health Lottery for work, don't know why I bother really haven't won anything for over almost a year!!! called to the Barclays hole in the wall but the guy in front said it was showing out of order. The Tesco one across the road was also out of order so a very quick nip across the road found the Nat West one to be OK. So a few beer token were taken out and off to the Golden Rule for the last time this visit. A good few in so some merry banter for an hour or so, farewells bid, and back to the cottage to do not a lot. A quick tea was concocted of stuff that was in and devoured. After about an hour and half I though why am I sitting here doing next to nothing, just waiting to go to bed to get up early .. wanted to be away at 6am Saturday ... If I left around 8pm I would be home by 11pm if not a bit earlier. The aforementioned cases and bags had already been put into the car so as to make minimal fuss in the early morning. So a quick run round the cottage to make sure all had been packed and was away by 8pm. Had already been out earlier to top up with 'go juice' so that was not going to be a problem. Keys were posted in the usual post-box on the way out and off I set. Absolutely brilliant run home making very good time ... until about 10 miles from home where for some reason the main A63 had been closed. At least it was at the right end of the trip and I knew which roads to take, certainly not the official diversion, shudder to think where they took unsuspecting drivers. Anyway appr 5 mile diversion for me but I was still home by 11pm. So a quick unpack of the car. some things put away and others left. At least I was home so could a bit of a lie in on Saturday instead of getting up at stupid o'clock. But with house having been shut up for a week, all windows closed, it was roasting and upstairs quite oppressive. So didn't really have a good nights sleep but did not have to get up early. Got up about 8 on Saturday, tidied a few things and got myself ready for a day in East Park at the annual Veterans War weekend. Had about 6 hours there and it was scorching again

All I can say now is thanks for reading and roll on September 27th.....