Weekend walking in the sunshine!

Beautiful weekend of sun, snow, gorse in flower (you know the saying, if the gorse is out its courting time!), lovely walks in valleys and over fells. Gorgeous!

After the flooding in Cumbria, we now have a stunning January - blue skies, snow on the fells, crisp clean air. Its quiet here as so many visitors are staying away, but what an amazing time to visit!

The A591 is closed at Thirlmere - which means a quiet road for cycling, walking and getting around from Brackenrigg Holiday Cottages....Keswick is open and accessible, as is the gorgeous Borrowdale valley, Buttermere & Crummock water, Ullswater with Patterdale & Griesdale open, as is the route over Kirkstone to Ambleside....plenty of walking on the fells, and valleys. We even have some hardy souls swimming in Derwent water! (Not me!! Brrr!)

Spending the weekend walking - plans for High Rigg, and then the Newlands round, and a night walk with torches and starlight around Buttermere, cant wait!

Spring wildlife at brackenrigg

Thank you to our guest George Rivers and his wife for these lovely pictures who stayed in May this year. The baby tawny owl is in our wood, and I've added some pictures of the Spring wild flowers. Amazing this year after coppicing the hazel, and putting in some deer fences; there has been an explosion of flowers.....

The delightful red squirrels shots were taken from Bleaberry cottage as the squirrels retrieved hazel nuts from the feeder nearby. Gorgeous photos, thank you!

Stunning Ullswater walk in the snow: Griesdale, Silver How and Paterdale. Roads are clear, and the fells are gorgeous in the sunshine.

Easedale Tarn and Far Easedale - Christmas 2014

A beautiful quiet walk up to Easedale Tarn, and to the fells beyond, and back via Far Easedale. Snow on the fells around, water falls full....and not a soul around. A lovely easy fell walk.

Cycle to Mungriesdale

Easy cycle from Brackenrigg Holiday Cottages, along railway line, up the gated road to Mungriesdale and on to Mosedale. Quiet gated roads and quiet lanes, beautiful still sunny day. Home by dark to light the fire and settle in with crumpets and Borrowdale tea bread. Yum! www.brackenrigg.com

A perfect day

Oh, what a perfect day.......I'd like to spend it with you!

Derwent water

Brackenrigg Holiday Cottages: www.brackenrigg.com availability for weekends in early December & January

Ennerdale

Another sparkling Autumn late afternoon walk: a small peak towards Pillar. Stunning landscape, beautiful weather, so good to be outdoors!

Autumn walks and produce

The summer continues into a beautiful Autumn, amazing colours, sunshine...and lots of apples to harvest....apple pie and roaring fires anyone?

 Skiddaw

 Sunset at Thirlmere

Apples!

Summer solstice 2014

The Solstice - winter or summer is always a special time, living so close to the 3,000 year old Castlerigg Stone Circle, but rather than an evening on the fell, a walk along the beach from Allonby, just 15 miles away, beckoned.....

This part of the coast has beach stretching for miles and miles; a mixture of stoney ground and stretches of sand, it isn't Woolacombe, but still beautiful. Quiet, no-one else about, the sea still and views across the Solway to the Scottish Fells just beautiful, sand martins feeding young in their burrows in the dunes....time for a snap or two....

Fox cubs

Just come back from a quick walk with the dog behind Brackenrigg, up to the tarn and crags....and on our way back happened on three little fox cubs playing outside their hole, we backed away, not sure mum would be too pleased with the dog saying hello to her babes....lovely! Typical, no camera with me!

Easter Monday walk - all to myself

Easter Monday is one of the busiest in Keswick and the Lake District, but you don't need to go far to avoid the crowds, and this walk was from the door at Brackenrigg, 8 miles of fell, glorious views, lake shore, bright woodland and lambs gambolling below Helvellyn....and not a soul

around!