The weather today is predicted to be quite changeable, so we headed out this morning to walk off a little of yesterday’s cream tea. Let us not waste the sunshine!
We’ve walked a lot of open hillside recently, so decide to go to Lanthwaite Wood for a change. This walk is part of the Lake District National Park’s ‘Miles Without Stiles’.
Today, we parked in the National Trust car park at the edge of the wood. Very convenient.
Said National Trust have provided signage with general information.
The dogs were excited to go somewhere different. Lots of new smells.
I love it when a forest or wood pulls you into it’s silence. I don’t know about you, but these moments give me back a little of my childhood wonder.
I took the one to the waterside.
Trees, ferns, sunlight dappling your path. And then you are suddenly on the shingled beach at the head of Crummock Water. Or is it the foot? One or the other!
Our two dogs don’t mind the water, but they’re not the kind who are difficult to keep out of it. They’re happy to putter along in the shallows.
There were other smiling folk enjoying a sunny moment – a lovely lady who drove an hour to walk her collie and enjoy the lakes, a young family with picnic and pups, and a chattering group of people possibly headed toward the western shore.
The walk to this beach is quite easy. From here, there are plenty of choices for setting out further. Should you turn right, you’ll come to the source of the River Cocker. There are some lovely walks that way, toward Loweswater and the Kirkstile Inn, or Melbreak and Scale Force.
We head off the other way, along the eastern shore of Crummock Water.
There are plenty of resting or picnicking spots along this walk. It’s quite civilized. The bench in the photo above has a lovely view across Crummock.
We’re not stopping today, though. Just passing through.
The sun is really shining. Beautiful. The heather is just starting to bloom on the heights; soon purple will tinge the fells.
If only you could smell the clear air and hear the gentle lap of water on the shore.
This is our turning point today. Across the water, past the boathouse, you can see the beach we were on earlier, right of centre in the photo below.
Were we to continue along the eastern shore, we’d leave Lanthwaite Wood and enter High Wood with it’s towering conifers. Not for today, though. Best Beloved wants to get back home while the sun is still out – he claims that he wants to work in the garden.
So, we head back to the car park.
The dogs are a tad slower on the route back – don’t know if they are a little weary or if they wanted to explore more… Actually, it could be that they are super relaxed. That’s certainly how I feel.
Walking behind BB and the dogs, I keep an eye out for Red Squirrels. It’s a bit late in the morning for them to be about; probably too many visitors, too. But I remain hopeful.
Plenty of flora to enjoy, as well as a slowly-decaying pile of logs – presumably part of the National Trust’s forest management. They look as though they may be home to all sorts of woodland creatures.
It doesn’t take long to get two humans and two small dogs safely situated back in the car. We’re soon tootling up yonder road.
I feel fortunate to spend time in this lovely part of the world.
Lest you think that the sun always shines here, please note that an hour after we’d returned home, the weather had altered considerably.
And a slightly different viewpoint, across Crummock Water, shows that today’s weather can be confirmed as ‘changeable’. Indeed.
Sunny or cloudy, life is still good.
Peace,
Herdy Girl