Saturday 22 December 2018

Windermere Way Part 1

Distance 14 miles
Ascent 600m
Weather: cloudy, some drizzle

Happy people with cake 2
Happy cyclists 4

The heavy rain overnight had eased off by the time we'd bought sandwiches and walked to Ferry Nab. We only had a short wait before the ferry crossing, entertained by tales of otters and bad sailing.

We passed the viewing station at Claife Heights and up the hill into the woods, stopping at the top to remove several unnecessary layers of clothing.

The path north along the hill edge was very wet, with little streams down the rocky paths, and some funny looking fungus. It was especially mudsome at Belt Ash Coppice, complete with wobbly rocks and a just out-of-reach fence.

Back down on the lakeshore path we saw a goosander and a pair of mute swans and were embarrassed on behalf of a chap who wished us a very erroneous "morning" at 1.20pm which might be a record.

Wray Castle was closed today but the cafe was open so we called in for coffee and hot chocolate and cakes, with good timing as the  rain shower that had just started as we entered the castle grounds had cleared by the time we set off again. There wasn't enough time to do the official route over Loughrigg Fell so we took the lower path turning east before Loughrigg Tarn that leads under Ivy Crag. The clear track heads back over the lower hills to Miller Brow and into Ambleside. Walking along the road rather than taking the shore edge path meant we arrived just in time to catch the last launch of the day back to Bowness.

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