Ulleswater

Well it was great start to the holiday. The sun was up and the clouds were nowhere to be seen. A gentle start was the order of the day. Urban-Cub was first up with Ellie, then the rest of us joined her one by one. We had a huge English breakfast which would hopefully (and in fact did) set us up for the day.

Urban-Cub, Pistol Pete and Ellie were planning on a walk from Patterdale to Howtown. With Ellie being just 5 months, her ability to walk that distance was in question, and the paths really precluded use of the push chair. They had thought of that. They had what can only be described as a cross between a papoose and a rucksack. Ellie sat within the contraption, fully supported and snug. This was then lifted onto Pistol Pete’s back and then Ellie could watch from this perch as the miles ticked by.

The Gorse Fox and the Silver Vixen had loose plans. As today was forecast as the better day, we though it best to try and get some outdoor activity under the belt. We started with a trip to Aira Force. This is only about three miles from the cottage. By the time we got to the National Trust car park it was heaving. We were lucky, the cars in front were being directed back round but the car park attendant moved some cones and directed us to spot right by the entrance, shop, and pay point. As NT members we didn’t have to pay for the car park, but did have to scan our membership card in the pay point. This proved to be a little troublesome, but did eventually work.

We started up the path from the entrance. It led gradually up the side of a ravine. Here and there there were steps to help with the steeper parts of the route. To our right the ground dropped away and as we looked through the trees we could see a beck trickling among the boulders at the bottom of the glade. It was very pretty and peaceful (despite the number of people that were around). Eventually we started to hear the sound of the cascade and had reached the first of the falls. (There are several falls and the route allows you to loop up to and across each of them).

The terrain was not easy for the Silver Vixen so we were limiting ourselves to the first cascade. We descended the steps to the view point and then crossed the bridge in front of the falls. Even now, after a dry spell, the water was quite a sight. Don’t misunderstand, it was no Niagara, (it only falls about 65 feet) but it was very impressive.

The water plunged over the outcrop and down into a deep gully before draining into a tranquil pool that fed the beck that ran on down the sylvan ravine. The size of the boulders scattered along the sides and the trees that lay at angles across the stream gave testament to the violence of the water when in full flood. Slowly we made our way back down, drinking in the beauty and enjoying the warm morning.

Back at the car (after the customary stop in the tea rooms) we decided to drive along the northern shore of Ulleswater and make our way to Pooley Bridge. It was very pretty drive and there was almost no traffic, so the Gorse Fox could enjoy the journey. We got to Pooley Bridge and tried the first Car Park. Full. We headed on to the second, more central car park. Full. Pooley Bridge was clearly popular today. Plan B formed. We did an about turn and headed back the way we had come. We stopped at Glenridding for a bit of shopping and then bought tickets for the ferry. We had to wait for a bit, and as we queued for the boat, Urban-Cub, Pistol Pete and Ellie disembarked the inbound boat. They had completed their walk at Howtown and got the boat back to Glenridding. We couldn’t chat as we were being shuffled along and embarking our boat.

We had picked a moderately sheltered spot in the back of the boat and it headed out up the Lake. The views were gorgeous and as the sun played hide and seek behind the clouds that had bubbled up during the afternoon, the shadows played across the hills making the scenery a kaleidoscope of greens and greys and browns, ever changing as the boat chugged on. It stopped at Howtown, then on to Pooley Bridge. After exchanging passengers we headed back on the return leg of the journey. Overall it was a couple of hours and provided a delightful interlude.

We headed back to the cottage and then on to the pub for a quick drink before returning to our temporary home for dinner. Pistol Pete and Urban-Cub were meant be going out and we would look after Ellie. This all started well, but fell apart when they found that, even having found a table, they would have to wait at least 90 minutes for food. They headed back to the cottage and after a bit of a discussion, stayed put while the Gorse Fox prepared them (i.e. cobbled together) something hearty out of the stocks we had in the various ridges and freezers.