I know its bad to complain about the good weather, but there's a little too much summer for my liking! Let's just say I don't cope too well when it's too hot, so I've spent another month mostly basking in the shade until the rain returned!
This month I decided to get some 'proper' walking in and spend the day exploring the Wansfell Pike area with my Mum. We decided to start our ascent from the Southern side of Ambleside which looped us round towards the Northern point of the fell. We managed to park up in the village and we took a few back roads up towards the start of our walk, where we had some lovely views across Ambleside with the Fells and small clusters of woodland acting as the perfect backdrop. Eventually we met the path leading up the principle part of the hill, and leaving Ambleside behind us we began the steep climb up. The weather soon began to heat up, and as we climbed higher we were happy to use the stunning views of the fells, in particular Red Screes, as an excuse to take a moment to rest as there is little shade on this walk bar a tree covering a small stream that you have to cross.
When we reached the top, there were plenty of other people settled across the top; welcoming the rest after the steep climb. We found ourselves a quiet spot where we had a view of Lake Windermere to the left, and glimpses of the lakes at Grasmere and Rydal in amongst the forest greenery. Once we had eaten our lunch we decided to make our way back down, so we checked the map for our route and noticed that it seemed to be a quiet way down, as everyone else were either heading the way we came or heading out towards the rolling fells. We had heard there was a 'Jenkin's Crag' in the area and we were eager to visit as Jenkin is a family name and we knew my Grandad would want to visit, so we wanted to check there were suitable routes to and from there for him to walk.
Our route towards Jenkin's Crag took us along old drystone walls which zigzagged across the rolling fellsides where the occasional Herdwick sheep could be seen munching at the foliage. On the rolling fellside there was the occasional small 'cliff face' which caught your attention in amongst all the greenery, and we spotted a cairn which seemed to mark the stunning view over Wateredge at Ambleside, as well as the town. We spent a little while working out what buildings we could work out on the horizon before dropping down to our next path which had thick evergreen trees standing proud at either side before finding Jenkin's Crag. The view did not disappoint when we stepped out onto the clearing that opened up across Lake Windermere and we sat here for a while, revelling at how quiet this spot was despite a popular footpath being mere metres away through the trees. We were really glad to have found this beautiful spot, and we are proud to share a family name with it!
Once we descended from Jenkin's Crag, we were still in the mood for some walking so we decided to head down towards the small green on the edge of Lake Windermere. After detouring into a couple of shops on the water edge, we then entered the greenery which was quiet considering the time of day! We managed to sit on a bench for a little while, watching a couple of boats coming and going along, enjoying the shaded canopy provided by the trees above. Eventually, more people with their dogs came to also enjoy the view so we decided to make our way towards the remnants of the Roman fort just over in the next field. There isn't much remaining (obviously) but there are still clear marking of the structure on the ground. It is much bigger than you realise, and we enjoyed slowly meandering around as we read the signposts and visualised how this area would have looked in the past!
One evening when the weather was still sunny but not too hot, my mum and I decided to pack up a bag with a couple of drinks and a snack and to go for a wander along the river at Kirkby Lonsdale to find a spot to sit and enjoy the sunshine. We managed to park up by the main bridge, giving us quick access to the path alongside the river. Although there was a lot of people in the area, we did manage to find a secluded spot on the edge of the water. We were able to appreciate the sunshine as the heat brushed against our legs, but we made sure to have plenty of shade to lean back into as the weather is still unbearably hot! I was quite surprised we managed to find a spot to sit, considering this area is extremely popular and the weather so wonderful, but it was obviously meant to be!
Well, if the hot weather continues I'm not sure how much I'll be getting out - anyone who reads any of my summer blogs will know I'm a wuss when it comes to the heat! I am hoping to get out on walk, even if they are just short, but then I do have a walking holiday planned for just before my birthday in September so I've got that to look forward to!
I hope you are all out there enjoying the sunshine, and appreciating the heat!
