Lake District Hikes

One morning Mike, Mom and I set out to the village of Elterwater to do this hike: http://www.walkscene.co.uk/description_21/Elterwater_Colwith_Force_and_Skelwith_Force.html. It includes two waterfalls, walks through valleys and along a river, with mountain views all around. Maximum views for minimum effort, which is in general my hiking philosophy.

Another day Mike, Mom and I set out on this hike in the Cartmel Fells/Lyth Valley area: http://www.crosthwaiteandlyth.co.uk/damsonwalks9.html. It had the advantage of circling by right where we were staying, so Mom did the first half with us and Mike and I finished the rest after a little lunch break. It goes by old farms, becks (streams), hows (hills), tarns (little lakes) and includes a nice view of Lake Windermere. It also goes very near the Masons Arms in Cartmel Fell, which is a fun and tasty place to eat.

I had to include this picture because of our experience crossing through some of the fields with cows. Two of them had a bull in them, which made me a little nervous. Luckily, the bulls didn't seem interested in us and let us pass through unbothered. In this one field with a bull though, every cow turned to watch our every move as we made our way through the field. Some would even come trotting over toward us. And yes, cows can apparently trot when they want to. It felt like a scene in a very weird horror movie. You know, like The Birds, except with cows.

We didn't do all the hikes we imagined we'd do, or even any of the hikes from the best-of lists of the area, but what we did do was so beautiful and whet our appetites for coming back someday for more.

And what were the rest of our group up to while we were out walking? Dad indulged Anya with many, many games of Monopoly. I wish I'd gotten some pictures of them playing. It was such a treat for Anya to find someone who would play with her.