Touring again

It had not been a good start. Urban-Cub was suffering. Her back had seized up overnight and she couldn’t even lift Ellie from the cot. Clearly whatever plans had been considered for the day needed adjusting. She would not be going on a hike with Pistol Pete and Ellie. In the end it was decided that she would be staying put, G-force would take Ellie, and Pistol Pete could take a short hike.

We prepared everything and Pistol Pete set off first. Then we loaded her paraphernalia into the car and Ellie into the car seat and set off. Plan was for a tour of some of the Lakes by car. The weather was too unsettled to count on a walk in the dry. We headed off towards Keswick and looped across the top of the town before turning off onto the Whinlatter Pass. We stopped at one of the viewing points to look down across Bassenthwaite Lake and take a couple of photos.

Moving on we continued as far as High Lorton before looping back towards Crummock Water and Buttermere. The roads were narrow and winding and had the odd rock or sheep in the carriageway to make life even more interesting. At one point we had to reverse several hundred yards to allow a bus to pass in the opposite direction.

As we approached the Honister Pass and the slate mine, the sky was almost the colour of the slate that surrounded us. Unfortunately the Gorse Fox had slightly changed the angle of the dash cam and it’s field of view was taking in too much sky. This meant that the pictures were washed out and colour was muddy. It was shame because some of the views that should have been captured were really quite lovely - even in the rain.

We crossed the River Derwent and headed back northwards alongside Derwent Water to Keswick where we stopped. The car boot was emptied and the Silver Vixen changed Ellie before we looked for somewhere for a snack and an opportunity to feed her. There was a cafe in the Theatre by the Lake. We found a seat and started to feed Ellie. She was so interested in everything that was going on around her that this was to take some time. After the snack we had a walk along by the Lake and then headed back to the car.

We drove south passing Thirlmere and onwards to Grasmere. We had planned to stop, but Ellie was fast asleep and we felt it would be unfair to wake her. We carried on through the village - which is clearly very popular and quite picturesque - and out towards Ambleside. Here we picked up The Struggle and looped up to the Kirkstone Pass and northwards back to Patterdale. It had been a lovely drive of some 70 miles.

When we got in, Pistol Pete was back and Urban-Cub was still resting up. The Gorse Fox headed to the stores for some bits for supper, but in the end had to give up in the Patterdale store and walk on up to Glenridding at the bottom end of Ulleswater.

A good day, but for Urban-Cub’s back. Let's hope that it eases over night.