And so the rains continue.
The Huddersfield Carnival was greatly reduced and effectively cancelled this year due to water logged land. We therefore found ourselves with a free weekend and, deciding it was no longer worth waiting for sunshine, drove up to the Lake District early on Saturday morning to spend a weekend in the hills.
We arrived in Ambleside shortly before midday, having stopped for breakfast in Manchester. We checked out a couple of tent shows (thinking about a new 'home' for Kellingheath Star Party 2007), which proved timely with a rain shower, and then headed out to Haweswater and the RSPB Golden Eagle nesting site between Riggindale and Kidsty Pike.
The observing hut was a forty-five minute gentle hike from the car park and, although we were unfortunate to miss a sighting of the male by just ten minutes, we were privy to a view of one of his many eeries. We rested by woodland overlooking the lake to enjoy a hearty picnic and magnificent views.
As daylight began to ebb we conceded to return to the car, accompanied by feathered evensong and the occasional flurry of flight. We took a long drive through the countryside following finches and owls, stopping by rivers and hedges, lakes and mountains. Dinner was from our favourite Lakeland Chinese takeaway in Kendal, near to where we dined at one of our old-time romantic look out points.
The night was kept alive with copious hot drinks in the only all night cafe we could find.
The following morning saw us sharing breakfast with a visiting Grey Heron at Westmorland Services before heading back to Haweswater on the journey to our 50th peak.
Now practically amphibious following recent weather systems, we little tadpoles suffered terribly beneath the cruel scorch of the sun. In truth, the day was perfect. With t-shirts rolled up at every end, we skipped up the rather incongruously named Old Corpse Road behind playful Meadow Pipits, stopping for the occasional picnic when we found a particularly beautiful view point.
Probably because of recent bad weather, we had the fells practically to ourselves and it seemed as though the whole world was ours alone.
Peak forty-eight was Selside Pike, with forty-nine and fifty being the two tops of Branstree. We celebrated our big 5-0 with a feast of yesterday's left over packed lunch before commencing our summer stroll back to the lake.
Back on the flat, we decided to hunt down some good, warm food. The search for traditional fish and chips proved fruitless, with the final nail in the coffin being Pooley Bridge's offering of £8.50 per portion. On through Glenridding, Patterdale, and Kirkstone Pass, we eventually settled upon a good, honest Greggs pasty in Ambleside.
Our next stop was a return visit to Villa Columbina, a little restaurant in Grasmere, where we settled for cream tea. Fortunately Adele was able to occupy herself for this chapter of the adventure...
One bucket of water and a klaxon later, and Gain accompanied Adele on a romantic rendezvous through the grounds of the adjacent Dove Cottage (once home to William Wordsworth and inspiration to his Daffoldils poem). A perfect day had transformed into a magical evening, with the picture of thatched cottages lit by the amber glow of sunset, and the accompanying birdsong, made complete by the gentleman painter working at his easel on the cobbled footpath.
Celebrations were had in earnest at Sticklebarn Inn with homemade goulash and steak pie. The day was too good to end and so hometime was deferred for a walk around Bowness and Lake Windemere. We stayed until tiredness threatened and only then began the regrettable yet unavoidable drive home. There was brief respite from our sadness when Gain happened upon the most beautiful tree he had ever seen... coming to a garden near us very soon!
