A trip to the lakes: day 1, friday: Watendlath

Miriam organised us for a long weekend, with us taking Friday and Monday off, but where to go? Perhaps camping in Norfolk, but we hadn't been Oop North for a while, so I rather belatedly phoned Annie, and she was free. So its Torpenhow again for us. We finally managed to dispose of Phoebe the cat and left at 7:30 which (coupled with not one but two unadvertised diversions on the A1) meant we didn't get in till past 1 am. So after a swift hello we were quickly to bed.

[Originally https://wmconnolley.livejournal.com/32589.html]

Friday dawned bright and sunny and we said hello more properly and met Mist, who is Annie's new (male) border collie, about 5 months old now and as bouncy as you'd expect. From a local farm, and rejected for farmwork because he's mostly white: mostly black is somewhat superstitiously preferred. We lazily didn't get up till past 9 (well I didn't; M did better and had a small Meditate), read the papers a bit, sat at the back in the sun chatting and admiring Anne's anti-mole sticks.

Where to go? Anne proposes Watendlath which I vaguely remember, so lets go there. Drive through Keswick then turn up and park quite soon. Its a lovely day, about the best the lakes can offer - sunny, just a few clouds, and a slight cooling breeze. We start up in green woods and walk up the road for a bit then take the footpath off, following the stream. Several times along the way there are bridges with pools, or pools by the stream, to stop and sit by while the dogs play in the stream. There is "surprise view" where suddenly you get a view over Derwent water. The U-shaped valley of Watendlath is better appreciated on the walk back down. Watendlath itself has a gorgeous old packhorse bridge; according to wiki its the most photographed in the country.

At Watendlath there's a good cafe where we had tea, coffee, cheese toasties and flapjack, it being that sort of cafe. And just lazed around for a long time watching the chaffinches steal our crumbs.

Just for once, perhaps because I was tired, I felt no urge at all to go off into the further hills, I was just happy to stroll along with the family and Anne and enjoy being together.

Back via food shopping in Keswick; bread-n-cheese for dinner; a W/E/D/A game of monopoly won by !Miranda! - I was knocked out first; catch up on email / wub.

Refs

* GPS track - starts after about 15 mins.