I was out early to beat Grasmere’s parking restrictions.

Pleased to have a spring in my step* as I walked up Easedale Road out of the village. Then onto the footpath towards Easedale Tarn and within a few hundred yards I spotted my first photo opportunity. Before I could get my camera out I was on the ground** amongst some brambles. I continued along the path towards Sourmilk Ghyll. Often an impressive waterfall I couldn’t see any water.

I got about as far as I intended . . . the path was going to be a bit tricky for a while and I would have needed to put the camera away.

On the way back a group of mystery birds crossed the footpath ahead of me but they were silhouetted at first. Later photos showed they were Guinea Fowl. Top left in the extra is my last photo, the one that should have been my first .

* At the end of last year it was an effort to put one foot in front of the other so really happy with the improvement.

** Any blippers who have walked along that path will know that it’s designed to trip you up! I must have taken my eyes off the ground. Once I established that none of the blood was coming from my face I decided to continue. When the various scrapes on my hands stopped bleeding I got the camera out.