Gowbarrow Fell from Ullswater

The weather was so nice today that instead of making the journey back to Kent as soon as we were turfed out of the cottage at 10.00am we decided to make a day of it.

We originally intended to visit a Marmalade Festival at Dalemain just north of Ullswater but when we got there cars were being turned around and directed back to Penrith to use a Park and Ride. Seeing as we'd just come from there we decided thar we'd forego tasting world championship marmalades and head for Pooley Bridge and a walk along Ullswater's eastern shore.

Fortified by coffee and scones from Granny Dalbekin's Tea Rooms we set off along a mudless lane towards Howtown in lovely sunshine and super duper views. This shot was taken looking west towards Gowbarrow Fell, where we were yesterday.

We didn't know how long we should walk, but in the end we got to Howtown which meant, seeing as we'd walked from Howtown to Glenridding this time last year, we'd now walked the whole of the eastern shore of the lake.

On the return journey we followed a footpath alongside the lake for some of the way. We'd discounted the path on the way out as we thought mud might be a problem but it turned out to be fine, with just one or two bits to negotiate.

From Pooley Bridge we drove over Kirkstone Pass, through Windermere and on to Kirkby Longsdale which is another place where we thought we might like to live. The Lunsdale Bakery provided the best late afternoon tea of soup and jacket potato that we've had in a very long time in front of a roaring log fire.

Before getting into the car for the long journey south we had a quick walk around the town, looking at properties and in estate agents windows. We found the well known "Ruskin's View" which is an inspiring vantage spot high above the River Lune looking east, painted by Turner and written about by Ruskin. The only blot on the landscape was a farm in the middle of the view where the farmer had painted his barn to look like a liquorice allsort to express his anger at the local council for having his planning application turned down.

So it was 6.00pm when we left the car park for home, getting dark and over 300 miles to go. But it was an uneventful journey and we arrived home at 11.45pm.

How soon can we return?