DERWENTWATER,SEPT 2016

HF HOUSE – DERWENT BANK

The first two days we had rather wet walks

but on Thursday we started our easy walk around Buttermere with clear views of the

stunning mountain scenery lit up by the sun.

As we walked up to view the valley, water was trickling down all the tracks. We had been told that water was still ‘ weeping from the crags’ after the floods earlier in the year and so it seemed.

The reward was panoramic views of crags and tarns including a waterfall dropping 700 metres, Red Pike and White Pike, with the sun appearing to light each in turn as the clouds moved past. After descending to the pretty village of Buttermere we walked round the mere with a short section in a very dark tunnel and an interesting mini rock climb where the lake seemed to have overflowed. Part of the walk was through pretty woodland with ever changing views of both the mere and the mountains. Across from the mere Haystacks were visible, the favourite crags of Wainwright whose ashes are scattered there.

A sudden short sharp shower caught us as we were under the trees, minutes before arriving at the cosy café in Buttermere. The bus ride home took us through narrow lanes edged with mossy stone walls alongside tarns and fields of Herdwick sheep.

Words & photos: Anne Partridge