Tarn Hows

One of the prettiest of the 'waters' in the Lake District, and only about 1 1/2 miles from Coniston. My daughter decided to walk into Coniston with her Dad (see yesterday's post), whilst our son and I set off from the Lake Coniston car park up towards Tarn Hows. At 17, and stronger and fitter than I am, its pay back time for all the outings with cries of 'Muuummmm can you carry this pleeease?" He now gets the rucksack, 2 litres of water, first aid kit etc., I just have my walking poles. Shame we didn't carry a torch on this occasion.

The light was fading at Coniston and our way lay through Woodland. I snapped this creature at the beginning of the walk. Anyone know what it is please? Yes - I know its a sheep, but, as someone who uses a lot of yarn, I'm ashamed to say I don't know what breed. I was taken with the lovely fleece, my son was more taken with the strangely 'fat' woolly legs. Anyway it posed obligingly!

Onwards, and upwards, the path was well marked and quite easy. Across a minor road and carry on up. We reached Tarn Hows very much at dusk. I only know how to use the camera o settings with which I am familiar. Husband wasn't there to ask and I was without the tripod! Son improvised a slab of slate-like stone  with a smaller one underneath as an attempt at levelling it and set them up on a rocky outcrop. I scrambled up to him and managed to get the camera to balance on the 'platform'. 'Composing' the shot was trial and error - thank goodness for digital technology! The exposure time was about 5 seconds and, without the shutter release cable, I had to manually press the shutter control and try to keep my hands and the camera still for long enough. The results were not brilliant but you get the idea of the view. Son happily picked up very large and small stones and scrambled up to another viewpoint for a different photo.

Yes the Tarn does tip to the right in the top one and to the left in the bottom one - why do you think tripods normally have tree legs - a stone doesn't quite do the same job!

We set off back down the hillside. On the way up we had just kept going 'upwards' our path occasionally joined by others from the left or right. We both have quite good night vision and seldom use a torch. We had both remembered the map quite well but going downwards we were constantly presented with forks in the path, either of which might have been correct. Knowing there was a road to our right we chose that direction if doubtful. I was glad of the walking poles which saved me from a number of stumbles over tree roots. My son seems able to place a foot, check for balance and move his weight onto it at the same pace as my normal, 'daylight' speed.

Eventually, we reached the minor road again and decided to follow it back, rather than struggle back through the woodland. It was then that we needed a torch, as protection from on-coming traffic. We used  my son's phone screen to give some warning. Will carry a torch next time. People drive way too fast in the dark!

---o0o---

Have just sold these two brooches:

and listed these two:

-------o0o-------